Hebrews 10:39
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse doesn't just contrast believers with those who shrink back; it highlights that this isn't about a momentary hesitation but about an entire disposition – whether one "shrinks back" or "believes." True faith, therefore, isn't just an intellectual assent but an active perseverance that secures one's very soul for eternity.
The author is concluding a section that warns against drawing back from faith, contrasting it with the perseverance of believers. He's just referenced Habakkuk's declaration that the righteous live by faith, and now he's affirming that he and his readers are not those who abandon their faith to destruction, but rather those whose faith leads to the preservation of their souls.
The author draws a stark contrast: what defines a true believer? It's not about avoiding difficulty, but about a fundamental orientation of the heart.
The phrase 'shrink back' or 'drawing back' (using the Greek word 'hypostole') doesn't just mean being a little hesitant. It describes a cowardly withdrawal, a desertion of one's post out of fear. This isn't the mark of those who belong to God. The commentators highlight that this 'shrinking back' leads to destruction ('apoleia'), a complete loss and ruin. It's an active turning away from the truth and salvation offered in Christ.
If shrinking back leads to ruin, what's the positive alternative? This verse offers a powerful answer that speaks to the core of our existence.
The alternative to shrinking back is 'faith' ('pistis') leading to the 'preserving' or 'saving' ('peripoiesis') of the soul. This isn't just about believing that certain things are true, but a deep, active trust that engages our whole being. This faith doesn't just secure a future afterlife; it actively preserves and secures our very souls in the present. Commentators point out that this preservation is about gaining eternal life and blessedness, a direct contrast to the destruction that follows apostasy.
Understand the original words
apōleia · Greek Noun
The ultimate loss, destruction, or ruin; in a spiritual sense, the state of eternal separation from God resulting from unbelief or turning away.
peripoiēsis · Greek Noun
To save, keep safe, or gain possession of; in a spiritual sense, to secure the eternal life or salvation of one's inner being.
This verse is a powerful encouragement to Jewish Christians in the 1st century who were facing immense pressure to abandon their faith during times of intense persecution and the looming destruction of Jerusalem. The author reminds them that true believers, unlike those who might 'shrink back' in fear, persevere with faith and will ultimately be saved.
c. AD 30-33
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus Christ is crucified, marking the pivotal event of atonement for sins according to Christian belief.
c. AD 30s - 60s
Early Church Growth and Persecution
The early Christian church experiences rapid growth but also faces increasing persecution from both Jewish and Roman authorities.
c. AD 62
Nero's Persecution Begins
Emperor Nero initiates a brutal persecution of Christians in Rome, falsely blaming them for the Great Fire of Rome.
c. AD 64
Destruction of Jerusalem Prophesied
Jesus had prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, leading some Christians to flee the city before the Roman siege.
This passage echoes the theme of faith leading to salvation, highlighting that the outcome of genuine faith is receiving the salvation of your souls, which directly parallels the saving of the soul mentioned in Hebrews.
Luke 17:33Jesus says, 'Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life will preserve it.' This direct connection to 'preserving life' (soul) is remarkably similar to the 'saving of the soul' in Hebrews, emphasizing the paradoxical nature of gaining life through self-sacrifice for faith.
Romans 8:13This verse states that if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. This strongly contrasts a life lived for destruction versus a life preserved through spiritual adherence, mirroring the 'draw back unto perdition' vs. 'believe to the saving of the soul' dynamic.
2 Thessalonians 2:14This verse speaks of God calling believers to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. It connects the idea of being called and obtaining something precious (glory/salvation) through faith, reinforcing the positive outcome promised to believers in Hebrews.
ellicottHebrews 10:39: "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."
(39) Of them who draw back. —Literally, But we are not of drawing (or shrinking ) back unto perdition, but of faith unto the gaining of the soul. On the last words (which are nearly identical with those of Luke 17:33 , though deeper in meaning) see the Note on Hebrews 10:34 . The exhortation thus closes with words of encouragement and hope.
vincentHebrews 10:39: "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."
But we are not of them who draw back (ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐσμὲν ὑποστολῆς)Lit. we are not of shrinking back. Ὑποστολὴ N.T.o, olxx, oClass. Ἒιναι with genitive marks the quality or peculiarity of a person or thing. Comp. Hebrews 12:11 χαρᾶς εἶναι to be of joy, joyful. We do not partake of drawing back, which is characteristic of recreants.Unto perdition (εἰς ἀπώλει…
The verse doesn't just contrast believers with those who shrink back; it highlights that this isn't about a momentary hesitation but about an entire disposition – whether one "shrinks back" or "believes." True faith, therefore, isn't just an intellectual assent but an active perseverance that secures one's very soul for eternity.
The author is concluding a section that warns against drawing back from faith, contrasting it with the perseverance of believers. He's just referenced Habakkuk's declaration that the righteous live by faith, and now he's affirming that he and his readers are not those who abandon their faith to destruction, but rather those whose faith leads to the preservation of their souls.
The author is concluding a section that warns against drawing back from faith, contrasting it with the perseverance of believers. He's just referenced Habakkuk's declaration that the righteous live by faith, and now he's affirming that he and his readers are not those who abandon their faith to destruction, but rather those whose faith leads to the preservation of their souls.
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AD 66-73— this verse
First Jewish-Roman War
The First Jewish-Roman War erupts, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple in AD 70. Many Christians who had heeded warnings escaped the city's destruction.
c. AD 60s-90s
Writing of the Epistle to the Hebrews
The author of Hebrews writes to a community of Jewish Christians facing intense pressure to either abandon their faith or face severe consequences.
"But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." — The verse doesn't just contrast believers with those who shrink back; it highlights that this isn't about a momentary hesitation but about an entire disposition – whether one "shrinks back" or "belie…
