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Verse

Hebrews 9:22

ESV Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
NIV In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
NASB And almost all things are cleansed with blood, according to the Law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
CSB According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
NLT In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.
KJV And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
NKJV And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

What does Hebrews 9:22 mean?

Under the old covenant, sacrificial blood was required to sanctify almost everything. Forgiveness for sins, in particular, was dependent on the death of an animal. Up to this point, the writer of Hebrews has been pointing out that the old covenant was always intended, by God, as a symbol of the new covenant. The physical rituals and artifacts of the temple were given by God specifically to point towards the ministry of Jesus Christ. In many cases, those components of the old covenant were meant to be seen as limited specifically as proof that God intended to provide a more permanent solution.

Immediately prior to this verse, the writer has pointed out that even at the very beginning of the covenant between God and Israel, blood was shed in order to establish that arrangement.

Here, the writer makes it clear that the blood which was spilled in both the old and new covenants is necessary—forgiveness from sin is not possible without it. Under the old covenant, this meant repeated offerings of animal sacrifices (Hebrews 7:27). In the new covenant, this means a single, perfect, once-for-all shedding of blood by Christ. Upcoming verses will focus on how this sacrifice by Jesus fulfills the symbolism of the old covenant and resolves the weaknesses of the temple rituals.
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