---
title: Hebrews 10:4
url: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/hebrews-10-4/
markdown: https://jw-apologetics.app/verses/hebrews-10-4.md
type: verse
perspective: Protestant (historic Nicene) response to Jehovah's Witness teaching
reference: Hebrews 10:4
testament: NT
section: Letters
index: https://jw-apologetics.app/llms.txt
---

# Hebrews 10:4

## Text (Berean Standard Bible)

> because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

## JW Usage

Jehovah's Witnesses accept that animal sacrifices could not permanently remove sin, which is why Jesus' ransom sacrifice was necessary. However, the Watchtower argues that the ransom required only a perfect human equivalent for Adam — strict mathematical equivalence. Since Adam lost a perfect human life, God's justice demanded a perfect human life in return, no more and no less. This is why, in JW theology, Jesus could not be God: a divine sacrifice would exceed the requirement and violate the balance of divine justice.

## Protestant Usage

Hebrews 10:4 establishes why exact-equivalence sacrifices failed: "it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." The old covenant sacrifices were finite offerings repeated year after year (10:1) precisely because they were insufficient. Their failure proves that only a sacrifice of greater-than-finite value could accomplish what they could not. Christ's sacrifice succeeds "once for all time" (10:10) because of the infinite worth of the one offering himself — not because it matches Adam's life exactly. Hebrews 10:14 confirms: "by one sacrificial offering he has made those who are being sanctified perfect forever." If strict equivalence worked, the animal sacrifices — which were exact-equivalence offerings matching the value of the offerer — would have succeeded. Their failure is the proof that the ransom mechanism requires something greater, not something equal.

## Arguments Using This Verse

- [The Corresponding Ransom Chain](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/ransom-chain.md) — Romans 5 — Not Like the Trespass [Salvation]
- [No Man Can Redeem — But Jesus Did](https://jw-apologetics.app/arguments/ransom-who-can-redeem.md) — Psalm 49:7-9, 15 / Hebrews 9:12-14 / Acts 20:28 [Salvation]