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You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.
Hebrews 10:34 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB For you both had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens.
  • KJV For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
  • NKJV for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.
  • NASB For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better and lasting possession.
  • NLT You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

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

They showed compassion to prisoners and joyfully accepted the loss of their property, knowing they had a better, lasting possession in heaven. Eternal hope freed them to suffer loss with joy.

Overview

The readers had sympathized with imprisoned believers and even welcomed the seizure of their goods 'joyfully', because they knew of 'a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens'. Their hope in lasting heavenly treasure relativized earthly loss. This eternal perspective is a model for enduring hardship for Christ's sake.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 24

  • 1 Pet 1:4and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,
  • 2 Tim 1:16May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he has often refreshed me and was unashamed of my chains.
  • Eph 6:20for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it fearlessly, as I should.
  • Matt 6:19–20Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
  • Matt 5:11–12Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
  • Acts 21:33The commander came up and arrested Paul, ordering that he be bound with two chains. Then he asked who he was and what he had done.
  • Eph 3:1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles...
  • 1 Tim 6:19treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
  • Col 1:5the faith and love proceeding from the hope stored up for you in heaven, of which you have already heard in the word of truth, the gospel
  • Acts 5:41The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
  • Heb 11:16Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.
  • Luke 12:33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys.
  • Col 3:2–4Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
  • Heb 13:3Remember those in prison as if you were bound with them, and those who are mistreated as if you were suffering with them.
  • 1 Jn 3:2Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.
  • Jas 1:2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds,
  • Eph 4:1As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:
  • Phil 1:7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart. For in my chains and in my defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partners in grace with me.
  • Luke 10:42But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.”
  • 2 Tim 2:9for which I suffer to the extent of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained!
  • Acts 28:20So for this reason I have called to see you and speak with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
  • Matt 19:21Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”
  • 2 Tim 4:8From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.
  • 2 Cor 5:1Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Hebrews videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Hebrews 10:34YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on HebrewsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

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 10:34 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.