Devine Scripture

Hebrews 9:13

What does Hebrews 9:13 mean?

A plain-English look at Hebrews 9:13 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Hebrews 9:13 means

The writer acknowledges the Old Covenant’s efficacy at its own level: the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on the defiled, did sanctify for the cleanness of the flesh. These rites restored ceremonial status and allowed worshippers to rejoin the congregation’s worship. They were God’s appointed means for maintaining purity in the community. Yet their scope was limited to the outward and temporal. This affirmation prevents us from despising what God had commanded, even as it highlights that such provisions were preparatory. They were effective training wheels, so to speak, teaching holiness, impurity, and cleansing, until the time when a sacrifice would reach not just the body but the conscience and the heart.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh:

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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:

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh:

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

For if the blood of goats and oxen, and the dust from the burning of a young cow, being put on the unclean, make the flesh clean:

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

for if the blood of bulls, and goats, and ashes of an heifer, sprinkling those defiled, doth sanctify to the purifying of the flesh,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

For if the blood of goats and of oxen, and the ashes of an heifer, being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh:

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and a heifer's ashes sprinkling the defiled, sanctifies for the purity of the flesh,

Context

Verse 13 sets up a lesser-to-greater argument. Having stated Christ’s once-for-all entrance by His own blood (verse 12), the author reminds readers that animal rites did have real, though limited, power to sanctify outwardly. That sets the stage for verse 14’s climactic assertion: Christ’s blood cleanses the conscience to serve the living God. The flow moves from acknowledging the old order’s God-given function to proclaiming the surpassing effectiveness of Christ’s self-offering, grounding the new covenant’s promise of inward renewal and true service.

v.12nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.

v.13This passage

v.14how 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?

Cross references

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

  • Numbers 19:2

    This is the statute of the law which Jehovah hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke.

  • Psalms 51:7

    Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

  • 1 Peter 1:22

    Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently:

  • Numbers 8:7

    And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of expiation upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and cleanse themselves.

  • Leviticus 16:14

    and he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy-seat on the east; and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

  • Acts 15:9

    and he made no distinction between us and them, cleansing their hearts by faith.

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