What does “Do not throw away your confidence” mean in Hebrews 10:35?

Hebrews 10:35 states, “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward” (ESV). The KJV and NKJV say “cast” instead of “throw.” The Greek word translated as “confidence” is parrēsian. This Greek term encompasses a sense of boldness and assurance. A form of the same word is used in Hebrews 4:16, where believers are encouraged to “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence.” Biblical confidence is not based on self-assurance or human strength but on the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Christ. Therefore, when the writer says, “Do not throw away your confidence” in Hebrews 10:35, the command is to maintain boldness and assurance, even amid persecution.

The epistle of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who were facing hardship and persecution. The trials had caused some of them to consider reverting to Judaism or abandon the faith altogether. Aware of their struggles, the writer of Hebrews encouraged them to remain steadfast in their faith and not return to their former ways. In this context, the warning not to “throw away your confidence” is especially poignant, speaking directly to the temptation to abandon the faith they had embraced.

Hebrews 10:35 comes after a lengthy discussion on the supremacy of Christ’s sacrifice over the old sacrificial system. The Old Testament sacrificial system was temporary, and the sacrifices had to be repeated day after day. The sacrifice of Christ, however, was once-and-for-all, providing believers with direct and permanent access to God:

“Brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19–22, ESV).

The exhortation not to “throw away your confidence” is firmly rooted in Christ’s finished work and the profound assurance it provides believers.

To not throw away our confidence means to remain steadfast in the faith. Believers must not abandon their boldness and assurance in Christ, even when circumstances might tempt them to do so. The trials we face are real and sometimes daunting, but the promise of reward is far greater. This reward is directly linked to holding on to our confidence in Christ.

Hebrews 10:35 says the believer’s confidence has “a great reward” (NKJV). It is an eternal reward, even. The following verse stirs believers to perseverance: “You have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:36, NKJV). The reward for perseverance is witnessing the fulfillment of all God’s promises, including eternal life and communion with Him. Confidence amid persecution is tied to our hope in the promises of God.

The promise of reward is a recurring biblical theme. In Matthew 5:11–12, Jesus spoke of the rewards awaiting the faithful. Paul also reminded the Corinthians that their labor in the Lord will reap a benefit: “My beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58, NKJV). The command, “Do not throw away your confidence,” in Hebrews 10:35 reminds believers that God sees and honors the perseverance of His people.