Hebrews 10:23

"Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)"


The common word for "faith" is the Greek word "pistis." However, the word used here is "elpidos" which is translated as "hope."

"The KJV translation of Hebrews 10:23 leaves most people wondering as well. The KJV has the phrase 'the profession of our faith.' Literally the first term should be translated 'confession,' but it is the KJV's very unusual translation of the Greek term 'hope' as 'faith' that is difficult to understand. The Greek term appears thirteen times in the TR, and each time it is translated 'hope' with this one exception." (The King James Only Controversy, 226).

This does not mean that it is a mistranslation. In fact, the KJV translators stated that they were not bound by strict word counts and that sometimes the context demands that the same Greek word be translated differently. The English words "faith" and "hope" carry the idea of trust, assurance that what has been told will occur. The Thesaurus for my Microsoft Works has for the word "hope," "confidence: faith, reliance, trust, belief, assurance." Further, there is within Scripture a clear connection between faith and hope. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for" (Hebrews 11:1) Notice the clear Biblical connection of faith with hope. The Scripture state, "By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (Romans 5:2).

And in reference to Abraham, the word of God says:

"Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb" (Romans 4:18-19)

We are saved by hope (Romans 8:24) and yet we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). We are told to place our faith and hope in God (1 Peter 1:21). The context of Hebrews chapter ten informs us that we are to have full assurance of faith (vs.22) and the One we are trusting is "faithful" (vs. 23). The context of the Greek word "elpis" in this verse can be expressed by the English words faith, hope, or trust. The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, even though it cites the American Standard Version, says of this verse:

"'Confession of our hope' (ASV). And unwavering confession of faith in the living Christ. God undergirds our hope by his own promises, for he is faithful who promised. This then speaks of further affirmation based upon faith in the faithfulness of God." ([Nashville: The Southwestern Company, 1962], 1420).

Kittle notes the comparison of faith and hope when defining the Greek word "elpis" (hope). He even notes that in the Greek LXX there is an "interrelating" of the two Greek words for faith and hope.

"If hope is fixed on God, it embraces at once the three elements of expectation of the future, trust, and the patience of waiting. Any one of these aspects may be emphasized. The definition of 'pistis' as 'elpizomenon upostasis' in H[e]b[rews] 11:1 is quite in keeping with the OT interrelating of 'pisteuein' and 'elpizein' and the usage of the LXX, which has 'upostasis' as well as 'elpis'." (Theological Dictionary Of The New Testament, Vol. II. p.531).

Faith, trust, and hope are used interchangeably. A related word of "elpis" (hope) is "elpizo." It is translated as "hope" in places such as Luke 6:34 and Romans 8:25. However, it is mostly translated as "trust" in places such as Matthew 12:21 and Romans 15:24. A related word of "pistis" (faith) is "pistuo." It is translated as "believe" in places such as Matthew 8:13 and John 3:16. However, it is also translated as "trust" in 1 Timothy 1:11 (as is another form of it in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 which is translated as "trust").

The context of Hebrews chapters ten and eleven, demands that this type of trust be translated as "faith" instead of its normal translation of "hope." Also, since we are told to "hold fast the profession" we must compare the Scriptures to know that our profession deals with "faith" (1 Timothy 6:12).

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