Hebrews 10:6-10 · Bible study

Hebrews 10:6-10 Commentary: Christ's Obedience and Our Sanctification

Greek · 11 what the commentators say

Meaning in one sentence

God had no pleasure in the sacrifices He commanded, why? Hebrews 10:6-10 shows Christ’s obedience replaces them, sanctifying us once for all by His will.

Research Summary

Meaning: God did not ultimately desire the animal sacrifices He commanded; Christ’s obedient offering of His body replaces them and sanctifies believers once for all.
Key words: eudokeō (delight), thelēma (will), hēgiasmenoi (have been sanctified, perfect passive), ephapax (once for all).
Main debate: Whether “the first” and “the second” refer to old vs. new sacrifices, or to the entire old covenant vs. the new covenant; most apply it to the sacrificial system replaced by Christ’s offering.
Theological theme: The sufficiency and finality of Christ’s atonement; the obedience of Christ as the true sacrifice that accomplishes what the law could not.
Best use: Preaching or teaching on the replacement of the old covenant, assurance of salvation, and Christology from the Psalms.

Translation Comparison

BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020

⁶In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.

⁷Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do Your will, O God.’”

⁸In the passage above He says, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (although they are offered according to the law).

⁹Then He adds, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second.

¹⁰And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

WEB World English Bible 2000

⁶You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.

⁷Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’”

⁸Previously saying, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the law),

⁹then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first, that he may establish the second,

¹⁰by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

KJV King James Version 1769

⁶In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

⁷Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

⁸Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

⁹Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

¹⁰By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

ASV American Standard Version 1901

⁶In whole burnt offerings andsacrificesfor sin thou hadst no pleasure:

⁷Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me) To do thy will, O God.

⁸Saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings andsacrificesfor sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law),

⁹then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

¹⁰By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898

⁶in burnt-offerings, and concerning sin-offerings, Thou didst not delight,

⁷then I said, Lo, I come, (in a volume of the book it hath been written concerning me,) to do, O God, Thy will;'

⁸saying above--`Sacrifice, and offering, and burnt-offerings, and concerning sin-offering Thou didst not will, nor delight in,' --which according to the law are offered--

⁹then he said, `Lo, I come to do, O God, Thy will;' he doth take away the first that the second he may establish;

¹⁰in the which will we are having been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once,

Darby Darby Bible 1890

⁶Thou tookest no pleasure in burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin.

⁷Then I said, Lo, I come (in [the] roll of the book it is written of me) to do, OGod, thy will.

⁸Above, saying Sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou willedst not, neither tookest pleasure in (which are offered according to the law);

⁹then he said, Lo, I come to do thy will. He takes away the first that he may establish the second;

¹⁰by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899

⁶Holocausts for sin did not please thee.

⁷Then said I: Behold I come: in the head of the book it is written of me: that I should do thy will, O God.

⁸In saying before, Sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts for sin thou wouldest not, neither are they pleasing to thee, which are offered according to the law.

⁹Then said I: Behold, I come to do thy will, O God: He taketh away the first, that he may establish that which followeth.

¹⁰In the which will, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ once.

Verse in Context

4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

5 Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “You didn’t desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me.

6 You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.

7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’”

8 Previously saying, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the law),

9 then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first, that he may establish the second,

10 by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,

12 but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God,

Original Language (Koine Greek)

New Testament · Koine Greek · Hebrews 10:6

ὁλοκαυτώματα holokautōmata G3646 Burnt offerings

καὶ kai G2532 and

περὶ peri G4012 [offerings] for

ἁμαρτίας hamartias G0266 sin

οὐκ ouk G3756 not

εὐδόκησας· eudokēsas G2106 You have delighted in;

Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.

Scholars' Consensus

Commentators across traditions agree that this passage forms the theological heart of Hebrews: the old sacrificial system is replaced by Christ’s obedient offering. The writer quotes Psalm 40:6-8, where David speaks prophetically as a type of Christ (Barnes). God “had no pleasure” in the very burnt offerings and sin offerings He commanded (v.6), not because they were wrong, but because they were never the final solution. Calvin emphasizes that God does not reject them for any accidental fault; they simply could not accomplish what Christ’s obedience would. Vincent notes the Greek verb eudokeō (“delight,” v.6) contrasts with thelō (“desire,” v.8), highlighting that the legal sacrifices, though offered “according to the law” (v.8), were insufficient to atone. The “will of God” Christ comes to do (v.7, 9) is the offering of His body (v.10). Gill and Matthew Henry see in this the abrogation of the first covenant to establish the new. The result: believers “have been sanctified” (hēgiasmenoi, perfect passive participle), a completed act, through the once-for-all (ephapax) offering of Jesus Christ (v.10). The consensus is that the entire purpose of the old system was to point to Christ, who perfectly fulfills God’s will and provides the true sanctification that animal sacrifices could only foreshadow. This truth gives believers confidence that forgiveness rests on Christ’s finished work, not repeated efforts.

How settled is the interpretation?

Interpretive difficulty: Low

What is clear: God did not ultimately delight in animal sacrifices as a means of atonement; Christ’s obedience to God’s will in offering His body is the effective sacrifice that sanctifies believers once for all.

What Scholars Agree and Debate

Topic	Agreed	Debated
God's displeasure with the sacrifices	All Christians agree that the verse teaches God did not take ultimate delight in animal sacrifices as sufficient for atonement.	Some traditions emphasize that God was pleased with the obedience of those who offered sacrifices in faith, while others stress the absolute inadequacy of the sacrifices themselves. All agree they pointed to Christ.
Referent of 'the first' and 'the second' in verse 9	Most agree 'the first' refers to the old covenant sacrificial system, and 'the second' refers to the will of God accomplished by Christ.	Some identify 'the first' specifically as the Old Testament law or the Levitical priesthood; others see it as the entire old covenant. All agree the phrase indicates replacement, not merely reformation.
Meaning of 'sanctified' in verse 10	Christians agree sanctification here is primarily positional, being set apart for God and cleansed from the guilt of sin through Christ’s offering.	Some traditions see a stronger link to progressive sanctification here, arguing that the once-for-all offering provides the foundation for ongoing growth. Others maintain it refers exclusively to the definitive consecration achieved at the cross.
Identity of the speaker in the quotation	The passage is understood as Christ speaking through the psalmist David, declaring His obedience to the Father.	Some earlier interpreters (e.g., Calvin) allowed that David spoke in his own person as a type, but the writer of Hebrews explicitly applies it to Christ entering the world (v.5). Most today agree Christ is the ultimate speaker.

Historical & Cultural Context

The original readers of Hebrews were Jewish Christians under pressure to return to the familiar worship of the Jerusalem temple. The writer argues relentlessly that Christ surpasses every feature of the old covenant: angels, Moses, the priesthood, and especially the sacrificial system. In Hebrews 10:1-4, he has already stated that the law was only a shadow, and that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. The annual Day of Atonement repeated year after year, bringing a reminder of sins rather than a cleansing.

Into this context, the writer quotes Psalm 40:6-8. That psalm is attributed to David, but the writer sees David’s words as spoken prophetically by Christ when He “comes into the world” (v.5, echoing the same quotation). The phrase “in the scroll of the book it is written of me” (v.7), the Greek kephalidi bibliou refers to the knob on the roller of a parchment scroll, meaning the entire roll. Calvin and Poole take this as the Torah, which testified of Christ from the beginning. The burnt offerings (holokautōmata, “whole burnt offerings,” v.6) and sin offerings were central to Israel’s worship. A “holocaust” was completely consumed on the altar, symbolizing total dedication. The sin offering dealt with specific transgressions. Yet God says He had no pleasure in them, not because they were disobedient, but because they could not achieve the inner transformation and final atonement God desired (see Malachi 1:10).

The “then” (v.7) signals a turning point: in contrast to the old system, Christ says “Behold, I have come to do your will.” This marks a shift from the old covenant’s provisional arrangements to the new covenant’s definitive obedience. The writer then interprets the quotation in v.9: “He takes away the first, that he may establish the second.” The “first” is the entire system of sacrifices commanded by law; the “second” is the doing of God’s will through Christ’s offering. The writer uses the present tense anairei (“He takes away”) to show the abiding effect of Christ’s work in abolishing the old order. The passage thus resolves the tension by showing that God never delighted in sacrifices as ends in themselves; they were always meant to point to the perfect obedience of His Son, which alone could sanctify His people.

Textual Notes

The quotation in this passage is from the Septuagint version of Psalm 40:6-8 (LXX 39:7-9). The text shows minor variations in manuscripts: verse 5 in some witnesses reads “a body you prepared for me” while others have “you dug ears for me” (after the LXX); the writer follows the former. In verse 8, some manuscripts read “sacrifices and offerings” (plural) while others singular; the plural is better attested. In verse 9, the phrase “O God” is omitted in a few early manuscripts (e.g., P46). None of these differences change the meaning. The Greek text is well established, and the consulted sources note no significant variants that affect interpretation.

Reception History

This passage has been central to Christian understanding of the atonement and the relationship between the Testaments. Early church fathers like Augustine used it to argue against any return to Jewish ceremonies, seeing Christ as the fulfillment of all sacrifices. During the Reformation, Calvin, Luther, and others cited Hebrews 10:10 to underscore the sufficiency of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice against the medieval view of the Mass as a repeated sacrifice. The quotation from Psalm 40 is associated with Good Friday liturgies, as the Cambridge Bible notes it is one of the special psalms for that day. In hymnody, the phrase “Lo, I come” has been set to music (e.g., in Handel’s Messiah) and sung in Advent and Passion seasons. Across traditions, the emphasis on “by which will we are sanctified” has encouraged believers to rest in the finished work of Christ rather than their own efforts.

Preaching This Verse

Three-Point Outline

The Problem with the Old System (vv. 6-8): God commanded sacrifices, yet He had no pleasure in them as a means of atonement. They were offered according to the law but could not remove sin or satisfy His justice. This sets up the need for something better.
Christ’s Response: Obedience to God’s Will (vv. 7, 9): Quoting Psalm 40, Christ declares, “I have come to do your will.” This is not a new idea but one written of Him in the scroll, the divine plan of redemption. His obedience replaces the endless stream of animals with a single, willing offering. The verb “I have come” (hēkō) emphasizes His arrival and intention.
The Result: Sanctification Through Christ’s Offering (v. 10): By that will we are sanctified, set apart as holy and cleansed from sin, through the offering of Jesus’ body once for all. The perfect tense “have been sanctified” indicates a completed, permanent status, unlike the repeated cleansings of the old system.

Five-Point Outline

God’s honest assessment of the old sacrifices (v. 6)
The prophetic anticipation of Christ’s coming (v. 7)
The removal of the first covenant (vv. 8-9a)
The establishment of the second: Christ’s doing God’s will (v. 9b)
Our sanctification accomplished once for all (v. 10)

Illustration Hooks

The Gift That Misses the Point: A child spends hours wrapping a gift with elaborate paper and bows, but the present itself is something the parent already owns and doesn’t need. The effort is sweet, but it doesn’t meet the real need. The old sacrifices were like that, offered with sincerity but unable to do what was truly necessary: remove sin.
The Doctor’s Prescription: A patient takes over-the-counter painkillers for a persistent symptom, but the root cause is a tumor that requires surgery. The painkillers are not wrong, but they can never cure. The law’s sacrifices were temporary treatments; Christ’s offering is the curative surgery.
The One Person Who Does Exactly What You Asked: When you need something done right, you appreciate the person who not only listens but carries out your instructions faithfully. Christ came to do the Father’s will perfectly, not just to follow a ritual but to accomplish the very heart of God’s plan.

Questions Your Congregation Is Asking

If God commanded the sacrificial system, why does He say He had no pleasure in it? The answer is that the system was never intended to be final; it was a shadow pointing to Christ. God was pleased with the obedience of those who offered them with faith, but the sacrifices themselves could not atone (Hebrews 10:4).
How does Christ’s “doing God’s will” actually sanctify me? This verse teaches that Christ’s obedience, specifically His offering of His body, is the means by which we are set apart for God. Our sanctification is not based on our performance but on His completed work.
Does this passage mean Christians should not offer any kind of sacrifice? The passage abolishes the old animal sacrifices, but the New Testament speaks of spiritual sacrifices: praise, good works, and our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). These are acceptable because of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice.

Leading a Discussion

In Hebrews 10:6-10, the writer uses Psalm 40 to show that God never intended animal sacrifices as the ultimate answer for sin. Christ came to do God’s will, and that obedience provides the true sanctification the old system could only promise. As you study, consider how this truth shapes your confidence in forgiveness and your understanding of obedience to God.

Discussion Questions

Read Hebrews 10:4-10. According to verses 5-6, what does God say about the sacrifices He Himself commanded? Why is this surprising?
The quotation in this passage is from Psalm 40. What does the phrase “in the scroll of the book it is written of me” (verse 7) tell us about God’s plan before Christ came?
In verse 9, the writer says Christ “takes away the first” to “establish the second.” What do you think “the first” and “the second” refer to? How does the context (verses 5-8 and 10-11) support your answer?
Verse 10 says “by which will we have been sanctified.” What does it mean to be “sanctified” here? How is this different from the rituals of the old covenant?
The adverb “once for all” (ephapax) in verse 10 is a key word. Why is the once-for-all nature of Christ’s sacrifice so important for the Christian faith?
How does this passage help you understand the relationship between the Old Testament laws and the work of Christ? In what ways does it challenge or deepen your view of the Bible’s unity?
If Christ’s obedience is the basis of our sanctification, what does that mean for how we live and serve God today? How can we imitate His “I have come to do your will” attitude in practical ways?

What the Commentators Say

9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.

Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826

Clarke stresses that the "volume of the book" refers to the Pentateuch, which from beginning to end speaks of Christ fulfilling God's will through sacrifice. He sees the prepared body as enabling the eternal Word to become the human victim who does what animal offerings could never accomplish.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832

Barnes notes that the apostle quotes the Psalm from the Septuagint with a slight word change, shifting from "thou dost not will" to "thou hast no pleasure" in sacrifices. His key point is that Christ's offering of His body once for all replaces the repeated animal sacrifices precisely because they could not accomplish what His obedience unto death achieved.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880

The writer of Hebrews does not aim for exact quotation of the Old Testament, because inspiration lies in the meaning and thoughts, not in the precise words. This freedom from letter-worship shows that the true value of sacrifice is not the external offering but the complete dedication of the will to God.

Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599

The Geneva Notes highlight that God took no pleasure in the old animal sacrifices, so Christ came to do His will instead. By offering His body once for all, Christ removes the first system of sacrifices to establish the new, through which believers are sanctified.

Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748

Gill insists that Old Testament sacrifices were never truly pleasing to God by themselves; they only pointed ahead to Christ's sacrifice. When the appointed time came, Christ willingly stepped in to do what no animal offering could accomplish. His once-for-all offering of his body actually sanctifies believers, fulfilling God's will in a way the law's sacrifices never could.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871

JFB emphasizes that Christ's declaration "I come to do Your will" is the eternal covenant between Father and Son, written in Scripture. Animal sacrifices lacked intrinsic power to atone, but Christ's willing self-sacrifice, offered once for all, perfectly fulfilled God's sovereign will and permanently sanctifies believers.

Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710

Henry drives home that the old law was only a shadow of Christ's good things, not the exact image. The whole Levitical system was designed to point ahead, and once the substance came, clinging to the shadow became pointless. He spots Christ's entire mission already written in Scripture, coming to do God's will and offer one perfect sacrifice.

Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887

Vincent draws attention to the Greek words for burnt offerings and sin offerings, noting that "the volume of the book" refers to the Old Testament scrolls. He stresses that God removes the temporary animal sacrifices to establish Christ's obedient will, through which believers enter a permanent state of sanctification by the Holy Spirit, once for all.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754

Wesley sees a direct fulfillment in Christ's words from Psalm 40. He argues that Christ's voluntary self-sacrifice replaces the old legal sacrifices, establishing the new evangelical dispensation. Through this sacrifice, believers are sanctified, cleansed from guilt and consecrated to God.

Word Study

The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.

ἁμαρτία hamartia sin G0266 · Greek → εὐδοκέω eudokeō to delight G2106 · Greek → καί kai and G2532 · Greek → ὁλοκαύτωμα holokautōma burnt offering G3646 · Greek → οὐ ou no G3756 · Greek → περί peri about G4012 · Greek →

Cross-References

Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)

Leviticus 1:1	Yahweh called to Moses, and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,
Leviticus 1:6	He shall skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.
Psalms 147:11	Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.
Malachi 1:10	“Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you,” says Yahweh of Armies, “neither will I accept an offering at your hand.
Matthew 3:17	Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Ephesians 5:2	Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.
Philippians 4:18	But I have all things and abound. I am filled, having received from Epaphroditus the things that came from you, a sweet-smelling fragrance, an acceptable and well-pleasing sacrifice to God.
Hebrews 10:4	For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.

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