Διὸ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον λέγει· θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι· ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ εὐδόκησας· (Hebrews 10:5–6)
Therefore, entering into the world he says: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; burnt offerings and offerings concerning sin you did not take pleasure in.”
Διὸ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον λέγει: Timeless Speech in a Temporal Clause
The verse begins with the conjunction Διὸ (“therefore”), a compound of διά and ὅ, meaning “for this reason.” It introduces a logical conclusion drawn from earlier discussion about the insufficiency of animal sacrifices. The participle εἰσερχόμενος (“entering”) is present middle participle, nominative masculine singular, modifying the understood subject of λέγει (“he says”). This construction — present participle + finite present verb — creates a vivid present narrative frame: “As he enters the world, he says…” This framing gives a timeless, literary immediacy to a quotation from Psalm 40, applied to the Messiah.
θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας: Parallel Negation
The author of Hebrews begins quoting the Septuagint version of Psalm 39:7 (LXX). The phrase θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν (“sacrifice and offering”) features two accusative singular feminine nouns — the direct objects of the verb ἠθέλησας (“you desired”). The verb is aorist active indicative, second person singular, from θέλω. The negative particle οὐκ precedes the verb, forming a clear negation: “you did not desire.” Grammatically, this structure offers balance and rhythm, a hallmark of Hebrew poetry mirrored in the Greek. Theologically, it emphasizes divine rejection of ritual sacrifice as sufficient.
σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι: Divine Preparation of a Body
The clause σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι (“but a body you prepared for me”) offers contrast through δὲ (“but”). σῶμα is accusative singular neuter, the object of the verb κατηρτίσω — an aorist active indicative, second person singular verb from καταρτίζω (“to prepare, fit, equip”). The reflexive pronoun μοι (“for me”) is dative singular, indicating the beneficiary of the action. This powerful theological statement pivots the argument: God did not want more sacrifices, he prepared a body. The phrase introduces the doctrine of incarnation through precise grammar.
ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας: Lexical Echoes of the Levitical System
These two nouns, ὁλοκαυτώματα (“whole burnt offerings”) and περὶ ἁμαρτίας (“[offerings] concerning sin”), further specify the kinds of sacrifices being rejected. ὁλοκαυτώματα is accusative plural neuter, the object of the next verb. The phrase περὶ ἁμαρτίας is a prepositional phrase used in the LXX and NT to refer to sin offerings. These were prescribed in Leviticus for atonement, but the author here claims that even these are ultimately insufficient, setting up Christ’s sacrifice as categorically superior.
οὐκ εὐδόκησας: The Rejection of Ritual
The verb εὐδόκησας (“you took pleasure in”) is aorist active indicative, second person singular, from εὐδοκέω. It mirrors ἠθέλησας from earlier, forming a parallel negation: “you did not desire… you did not take pleasure.” The use of the aorist tense in both verbs presents these rejections as definitive and final, not tentative or ongoing. The grammar emphasizes the completed nature of God’s decision — ritual sacrifices, no matter how elaborate, are insufficient to solve the problem of sin.
Poetic Syntax and Theological Pivot
These two verses form a finely crafted Greek rendering of Hebrew poetic logic. The repeated structure — [sacrificial item] + [negative verb] — contrasts with the central theological pivot: σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι. The Greek syntax emphasizes this shift through clear subject-object-verb structures and careful verbal aspect. The transition from Levitical ritual to embodied obedience is not just theological — it is grammatical. The very form of the sentence reflects the new covenant’s trajectory: from shadow to substance, from repetition to incarnation.
Parsing Table
| Greek Word | Form | Parsing | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| εἰσερχόμενος | Participle | Present Middle, Nom. Masc. Sing. | Temporal modifier of λέγει |
| λέγει | Verb | Present Active Indicative, 3rd Singular | Main verb of direct discourse |
| θυσίαν | Noun | Accusative Singular Feminine | Object of ἠθέλησας |
| ἠθέλησας | Verb | Aorist Active Indicative, 2nd Singular | “You did not desire” |
| σῶμα | Noun | Accusative Singular Neuter | Object of κατηρτίσω |
| κατηρτίσω | Verb | Aorist Active Indicative, 2nd Singular | “You prepared [a body]” |
| εὐδόκησας | Verb | Aorist Active Indicative, 2nd Singular | “You did not take pleasure [in]” |
The Sentence That Changes Sacrifice
Hebrews 10:5–6 transforms covenantal theology through grammatical precision. The sentence rejects the entire Levitical system of sacrifices not by polemic, but by quoting Scripture with a new lens: the body prepared. Each clause dismantles the shadow, and the central clause — “a body you prepared for me” — introduces the substance. The Greek grammar enacts this theological pivot with balance, clarity, and finality. The old covenant is not simply surpassed; it is fulfilled in the person whose very body became the altar, the offering, and the priest.
