Hebrews 10:3 Meaning and Explanation
“But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Rather than removing sin, the yearly sacrifices served as an annual reminder of it.
What Does Hebrews 10:3 Mean?
This verse names plainly what the repeated offerings actually did. On the Day of Atonement each year, the nation's sins were brought back to mind and confessed afresh before God.
Instead of closing the account, the old system reopened it annually. The sacrifices kept sin in view, a yearly summons to remember the debt still owed. This was not a flaw but a purpose: the rite was teaching Israel to long for a cleansing it could not yet supply. The reminder of sin prepared hearts to welcome the One who would at last take it away and remember it no more.
Hebrews 10:3 in the Original Language
anamnesis (ἀνάμνησις), 'remembrance' -- a calling back to mind, a fresh recollection brought forward.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hebrews 10:3
What does Hebrews 10:3 mean?
Rather than removing sin, the yearly sacrifices served as an annual reminder of it.