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Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
Hebrews 5:8 · King James Version
Parallel translations
  • WEB though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered.
  • BSB Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.
  • NKJV though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
  • NASB Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.
  • NLT Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.

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

Although he was the eternal Son, Jesus learned obedience through what he suffered. He experientially walked the path of obedience under trial.

Overview

This does not imply Jesus moved from disobedience to obedience; rather, as a man he learned obedience by living it out through real suffering, fully proving his faithfulness. His sinless endurance qualifies him to be our representative and high priest. It also encourages believers that suffering can be a school of obedience under God's hand.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 11

  • Phil 2:8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
  • Heb 10:5–9Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
  • John 4:34Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
  • Isa 50:5–6The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
  • John 15:10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
  • John 6:38For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
  • Heb 3:6But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
  • Heb 1:8But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
  • Heb 1:5For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
  • Matt 3:15And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
  • Heb 1:2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (2)

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 5:8YouTube · 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 5:8 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.