And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.
Parallel translations
- WEB The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom.
- BSB And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
- NKJV Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
- NASB And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
- NLT And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
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
At Jesus' death the temple veil tears from top to bottom. The way into God's presence is opened.
Overview
The curtain separated the Most Holy Place, where God's presence dwelt, from the rest of the temple. Torn from top to bottom, it is plainly God's own act, signifying that Christ's death opens direct access to God (Hebrews 10:19-20). The old barrier is removed; through the crucified Savior sinners may now draw near.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Heb 10:19–23Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
- Luke 23:45And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
- Heb 9:3–12And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
- Matt 27:51–53And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
- Lev 16:2–19And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
- Exod 26:31–34And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
- Heb 4:14–16Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
- Heb 6:19Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
- Exod 40:20–21And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark:
- 2 Chr 3:8–14And he made the most holy house, the length whereof was according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits: and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 15:38 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.