For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.
Parallel translations
- WEB God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
- KJV God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
- BSB God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect.
- NKJV God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
- NASB because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.
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
God had planned something better for us, so that the saints of old would be made complete only together with us. Old and new covenant believers share one salvation, perfected in Christ.
Overview
The Old Testament faithful are not made perfect apart from new covenant believers, because God's better provision—the finished work of Christ—belongs to both. Their perfection awaited the redemption Christ would accomplish. Thus all of God's people across the ages form one body, brought to completion together through the one Mediator, Jesus, uniting the testaments in a single plan of grace.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Rev 6:11A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.
- Heb 10:11–14Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,
- Heb 8:6But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which on better promises has been given as law.
- Heb 7:19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
- Heb 5:9Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation,
- Heb 9:23It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
- Heb 9:8–15The Holy Spirit is indicating this, that the way into the Holy Place wasn’t yet revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing;
- Rom 3:25–26whom God sent to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith in his blood, for a demonstration of his righteousness through the passing over of prior sins, in God’s forbearance;
- Heb 12:23–24to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
- Heb 7:22By so much, Jesus has become the collateral of a better covenant.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
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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 11:40 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.