BOOK 58 OF 66 · GENERAL EPISTLES · KING JAMES BIBLE

Hebrews 9

Hebrews book home•Chapter 9 of 13•28 verses

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Hebrews 9 Overview

Hebrews compares the first covenant’s earthly sanctuary and repeated priestly service with Christ’s entrance into the greater heavenly tabernacle by His own blood. Animal blood provided ceremonial cleansing, but Christ’s blood purges the conscience. He appears once in the end of the world to put away sin by His sacrifice and will appear a second time unto salvation for those who look for Him.

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9Chapter

28Verses

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Before you read Hebrews 9

Coming from

Hebrews declares that believers have such a high priest seated at God’s right hand, ministering in the true heavenly sanctuary. Christ is mediator of a better covenant established on better promises. The writer quotes Jeremiah’s new covenant promise and concludes that by calling the covenant new, God made the first old and ready to vanish away.

In this chapter

Leads into

Hebrews declares that the law’s sacrifices were shadows that could never make worshipers perfect, because repeated offerings continually remembered sins. Christ came to do God’s will, offered His body once for all, and by one offering perfected forever those who are sanctified. Believers therefore have boldness to enter the holiest, must hold fast and encourage one another, and are warned strongly against despising the Son’s sacrifice.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The chapter distinguishes ceremonial cleansing under Moses from the deeper efficacy of Christ’s blood.

‘Without shedding of blood is no remission’ belongs to the sacrificial covenant argument and reaches its fulfillment in Christ’s own blood, not ongoing animal sacrifice.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Christ’s blood accomplishes what animal blood could not

It purges the conscience and obtains eternal redemption.

His sacrifice is once, not repeated

He appears once to put away sin by sacrifice of Himself.

Christ’s return completes the hope of His people

He will appear the second time apart from bearing sin again.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Leviticus 16

The Day of Atonement supplies the sanctuary and high-priest background.

Matthew 26:28

Jesus says His blood is shed for remission of sins.

1 Peter 1:18–19

Redemption is through Christ’s precious blood, not corruptible things.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not teach that animal sacrifices ever removed sin in the same way Christ does

Hebrews carefully distinguishes their limited function.

Do not make Christ’s sacrifice repeatable

The chapter emphasizes once-for-all entrance and sacrifice.

Do not interpret His second appearing as another sin-bearing death

That work is already accomplished.

Read Hebrews 9 watching for…

The earthly sanctuary layout.

What the high priest did yearly.

Christ’s greater tabernacle and blood.

The word ‘once.’

The first and second appearances of Christ.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-10The first covenant had an earthly sanctuary, priestly service, and ordinances 11-15Christ enters the greater tabernacle with his own blood and obtains eternal redemption 16-22A testament requires death, and blood is used in the dedication and cleansing of the covenant 23-28Christ appears once to put away sin by sacrifice and will appear again unto salvation

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.