Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Parallel translations
- WEB A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.
- KJV He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
- NKJV Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- NASB Anyone who has ignored the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- NLT For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Under Moses' law, those who rejected it died without mercy on the testimony of witnesses. The old covenant treated such rebellion severely.
Overview
The author cites the law's penalty (Deuteronomy 17:6) for serious covenant violation: death on the evidence of two or three witnesses. This recalls the seriousness with which God treated rebellion under the old covenant. It serves as the lesser case in an argument from the lesser to the greater.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Heb 2:2For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every transgression and disobedience received its just punishment,
- Deut 19:15A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Deut 17:2–13If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God by transgressing His covenant
- John 8:17Even in your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid.
- Num 15:30–31But the person who sins defiantly, whether a native or foreigner, blasphemes the LORD. That person shall be cut off from among his people.
- Num 15:36So the whole congregation took the man outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Deut 19:13You must show him no pity. You are to purge from Israel the guilt of shedding innocent blood, that it may go well with you.
- 2 Cor 13:1This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
- Matt 18:16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
- Rom 9:15For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
- Jer 13:14I will smash them against one another, fathers and sons alike, declares the LORD. I will allow no mercy or pity or compassion to keep Me from destroying them.’”
- 2 Sam 12:13Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” “The LORD has taken away your sin,” Nathan replied. “You will not die.
- 2 Sam 12:9Why then have you despised the command of the LORD by doing evil in His sight? You put Uriah the Hittite to the sword and took his wife as your own, for you have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites.
- Isa 27:11When its limbs are dry, they are broken off. Women come and use them for kindling; for this is a people without understanding. Therefore their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator shows them no favor.
- Jas 2:13For judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
- Deut 13:6–10If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known,
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Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 10:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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