Hebrews 9:26
What does Hebrews 9:26 mean?
A plain-English look at Hebrews 9:26 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Hebrews 9:26 means
If Christ had to offer Himself repeatedly, He would have suffered many times since the world’s foundation. But He has appeared once, at the end of the ages, to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. This is the climactic assertion: the cross is the singular, history-defining act that removes sin’s guilt. “The end of the ages” signals the fulfillment phase of God’s redemptive plan. Nothing more needs to be added; nothing higher could be offered. The efficacy lies in who suffered and what He accomplished—He put away sin. Believers rest not in cycles of sacrifice but in a completed atonement that stands over all time with unchanging power.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000else 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611For 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901else 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For then he would have undergone a number of deaths from the time of the making of the world: but now he has come to us at the end of the old order, to put away sin by the offering of himself.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862since it had behoved him many times to suffer from the foundation of the world, but now once, at the full end of the ages, for putting away of sin through his sacrifice, he hath been manifested;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752For then he ought to have suffered often from the beginning of the world. But now once, at the end of ages, he hath appeared for the destruction of sin by the sacrifice of himself.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890since he had [then] been obliged often to suffer from the foundation of the world. But now once in the consummation of the ages he has been manifested for [the] putting away of sin by his sacrifice.
Context
Verse 26 intensifies the once-for-all theme introduced in verse 25. It contrasts hypothetical repeated sufferings with the actual, single manifestation of Christ to put away sin. The argument now turns in verses 27–28 to a parallel: as humans die once and then face judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear many sins and will appear a second time to bring salvation to those who await Him. The conclusion ties the finality of His sacrifice to the certainty of His return.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ephesians 1:10
unto a dispensation of the fulness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things upon the earth; in him, I say,
- John 1:29
On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!
- Job 7:21
And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust; And thou wilt seek me diligently, but I shall not be.
- 1 Peter 2:24
who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.
- Revelation 17:8
The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come.
- 2 Samuel 12:13
And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against Jehovah. And Nathan said unto David, Jehovah also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
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