Devine Scripture

Hebrews 8:3

What does Hebrews 8:3 mean?

A plain-English look at Hebrews 8:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Hebrews 8:3 means

All high priests exist to offer gifts and sacrifices; that is their calling. Therefore, Christ, being truly High Priest, must also have an offering appropriate to His office. The point is not yet to detail the nature of His sacrifice (that follows in chapters 9–10), but to affirm its necessity and reality. Unlike repeated earthly offerings, Christ’s offering is of such worth that His priestly session in heaven is justified. His sacrificial work is not theoretical; it grounds His ongoing ministry. The verse insists that Christ fulfills, not bypasses, the true intent of priesthood—presenting a worthy offering before God on behalf of His people.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that thishigh priestalso have somewhat to offer.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that thishigh priestalso have somewhat to offer.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Now every high priest is given authority to take to God the things which are given and to make offerings; so that it is necessary for this man, like them, to have something for an offering.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for every chief priest to offer both gifts and sacrifices is appointed, whence <FI>it is<Fi> necessary for this one to have also something that he may offer;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that he also should have some thing to offer.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For every high priest is constituted for the offering both of gifts and sacrifices; whence it is needful that this one also should have something which he may offer.

Context

The author moves from Christ’s place of service to the essential duty of a high priest. This creates an expectation: what does Christ, in the true tabernacle, offer? Verses 4–5 will deny that His ministry simply duplicates the Levitical service; rather, earthly priests continue their law-prescribed offerings. The argument is narrowing toward the superiority and distinctiveness of Christ’s priesthood, which will then support the claim in verse 6 that His ministry mediates a better covenant. Understanding this sequence helps the reader see why a new covenant is not an optional improvement but a necessary provision.

v.2a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.

v.3This passage

v.4Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts according to the law;

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Ephesians 5:2

    and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.

  • Hebrews 10:9

    then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

  • John 6:51

    I am the living bread which came down out of heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: yea and the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.

  • Hebrews 9:14

    how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

  • Hebrews 7:27

    who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself.

  • Hebrews 5:1

    For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

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