It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Parallel translations
- KJV It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
- BSB It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
- NKJV It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
- NASB It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
- NLT It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
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
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. God's judgment is to be taken with utmost seriousness.
Overview
This solemn statement caps the warning section. To face the living God in judgment, unprotected by Christ, is a terrifying prospect. The verse is not meant to drive believers to despair but to sober them against apostasy and drive them to Christ, the only refuge from such judgment.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Matt 10:28Don’t be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna.
- Luke 12:5But I will warn you whom you should fear. Fear him, who after he has killed, has power to cast into Gehenna. Yes, I tell you, fear him.
- Heb 12:29for our God is a consuming fire.
- Isa 33:14The sinners in Zion are afraid. Trembling has seized the godless ones. Who among us can live with the devouring fire? Who among us can live with everlasting burning?
- Ps 76:7You, even you, are to be feared. Who can stand in your sight when you are angry?
- Ps 90:11Who knows the power of your anger, your wrath according to the fear that is due to you?
- Matt 16:16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
- Heb 10:27but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.
- Ps 50:22“Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you into pieces, and there be no one to deliver.
- Luke 21:11There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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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 10:31 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.