• Hebrews 10:38
    The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures

    • 38 ὁ the δὲ but δίκαιός righteous (one) μου of me ἐκ out of πίστεως faith ζήσεται, will live, καὶ and ἐὰν if ever ὑποστείληται, he should draw self under, οὐκ not εὐδοκεῖ is thinking well ἡ the ψυχή soul μου of me ἐν in αὐτῷ. him.

  • Hebrews Study Notes—Chapter 10
    New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition)

    • 10:38

      “But my righteous one will live by reason of faith”: Paul here quotes from Hab 2:4, as he does in two of his other letters. (See study notes on Ro 1:17; Ga 3:11.) The Hebrew Christians were doubtless familiar with Habakkuk’s prophecy. Habakkuk apparently prophesied about two decades before the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. During that period, wickedness flourished and worshippers of Jehovah did not know when God would bring about justice, so they needed strong faith. (Hab 1:1-4; 3:17, 18) Similarly, the Hebrew Christians living in Jerusalem and Judea about the year 61 C.E.​—close to the complete end of the Jewish system of things​—needed to keep their faith strong.

      by reason of faith: See study note on Ro 1:17.

      “if he shrinks back, I have no pleasure in him”: Paul here quotes from the first part of Hab 2:4. He uses the wording of the Greek Septuagint, which may be translated: “If anyone shrinks back, I have [or, “my soul has”] no pleasure in him.” This wording does not appear in any available Hebrew manuscript. Some scholars have suggested that the Septuagint was based on earlier Hebrew manuscripts that no longer exist. In any event, under the influence of God’s holy spirit, Paul included this wording here.

      I have: Or “my soul has.”​—See Glossary, “Soul.”