but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.
Parallel translations
- WEB but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself, and for the errors of the people.
- KJV 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:
- BSB But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
- NKJV But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance;
- NLT But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Only the high priest entered the inner room, once a year, and only with sacrificial blood for his own and the people's sins. Access to God was severely restricted.
Overview
This describes the Day of Atonement, when the high priest alone entered the Most Holy Place with blood. The restrictions, once a year, one man, never without blood, reveal humanity's separation from God under the old system. The author uses this to magnify Christ, who entered God's presence once for all by his own blood, securing what the yearly ritual could only picture.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Lev 16:34“This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel once in the year because of all their sins.” It was done as Yahweh commanded Moses.
- Lev 5:18He shall bring a ram without defect from of the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning the thing in which he sinned and didn’t know it, and he will be forgiven.
- Exod 30:10Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year; with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh.”
- Heb 7:27who doesn’t need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself.
- Heb 10:19–20Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
- Heb 9:24–25For Christ hasn’t entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
- Isa 3:12As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. My people, those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.
- Isa 9:16For those who lead this people lead them astray; and those who are led by them are destroyed.
- Hos 4:12My people consult with their wooden idol, and answer to a stick of wood. Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have been unfaithful to their God.
- Isa 28:7They also reel with wine, and stagger with strong drink. The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink. They are swallowed up by wine. They stagger with strong drink. They err in vision. They stumble in judgment.
- 2 Chr 33:9Manasseh seduced Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did more evil than the nations whom Yahweh destroyed before the children of Israel did.
- Isa 29:14therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their prudent men will be hidden.”
- Heb 10:3But in those sacrifices there is a yearly reminder of sins.
- Ps 19:12Who can discern his errors? Forgive me from hidden errors.
- Lev 16:2–20and Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron your brother, not to come at all times into the Most Holy Place within the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark; lest he die: for I will appear in the cloud on the mercy seat.
- Amos 2:14Flight will perish from the swift; and the strong won’t strengthen his force; neither shall the mighty deliver himself;
- Heb 5:2–3The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness.
- Ps 95:10Forty long years I was grieved with that generation, and said, “It is a people that errs in their heart. They have not known my ways.”
- 2 Sam 6:7Yahweh’s anger burned against Uzzah; and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by God’s ark.
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Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 9:7 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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