Devine Scripture

Hebrews 9:25

What does Hebrews 9:25 mean?

A plain-English look at Hebrews 9:25 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Hebrews 9:25 means

Christ’s heavenly ministry does not involve offering Himself repeatedly, as if He must re-enact His sacrifice each time. That would mirror the high priest who went yearly into the holy place with blood not his own. The point is to separate Christ from any cycle of repetition. His sacrifice is of a different order—sufficient in one act to accomplish what countless animal offerings could not. To think otherwise would be to reduce His work to the level of the old system, which the whole chapter has shown to be provisional. The uniqueness of His person and offering guarantees the uniqueness of His priestly presentation in heaven—once offered, perpetually effective.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not his own;

KJV

King James Version · 1611

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

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not his own;

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And he did not have to make an offering of himself again and again, as the high priest goes into the holy place every year with blood which is not his;

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

nor that he may many times offer himself, even as the chief priest doth enter into the holy places every year with blood of others;

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

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

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

nor in order that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy places every year with blood not his own;

Context

Following verse 24’s statement that Christ appears in heaven for us, verse 25 guards against misunderstanding: His offering is not repeated. Verse 26 will press the logic further: if repetition were needed, He would have suffered often; but now He has appeared once, at the end of the ages, to put away sin by sacrificing Himself. This contrast with the annual Day of Atonement rites reinforces the finality and sufficiency of Christ’s cross-work, setting up the concluding parallel with human destiny in verses 27–28.

v.24For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us:

v.25This passage

v.26else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Cross references

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

  • Hebrews 9:26

    else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

  • Exodus 30:10

    And Aaron shall make atonement upon the horns of it once in the year; with the blood of the sin-offering of atonement once in the year shall he make atonement for it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto Jehovah.

  • Hebrews 10:19

    Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

  • Hebrews 9:7

    but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the errors of the people:

  • Hebrews 10:10

    By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

  • 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?

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