though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered.
Parallel translations
- KJV Though he were a Son, yet learned he 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 human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.
- Heb 10:5–9Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire, but you prepared a body for me.
- John 4:34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to accomplish his work.
- Isa 50:5–6The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious. I have not turned back.
- John 15:10If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love.
- John 6:38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.
- Heb 3:6but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end.
- Heb 1:8But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom.
- Heb 1:5For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father?” and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?”
- Matt 3:15But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.
- Heb 1:2has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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.