Bible Strands
Hebrews 9:22
According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The author of Hebrews addresses Jewish believers familiar with the Mosaic covenant, explaining the transition from the old tabernacle rituals to Christ’s superior sacrifice.
The words — σχεδὸν (schedon) means almost, and καθαρίζεται (katharizetai) means are purified, capturing the text’s direct claim that nearly all items required blood for cleansing.
The thread — This principle roots in Leviticus 17:11, which ties blood to atonement, and connects to Hebrews 9:21, which describes the sprinkling of the tabernacle and vessels, and Hebrews 9:23, which contrasts earthly purification with the need for better sacrifices for heavenly realities.
Why it lands — The text states that forgiveness under the law depends entirely on bloodshed, requiring the reader to accept that earthly rituals were temporary copies pointing to a superior sacrifice.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for your souls upon the altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.
- Leviticus 6:7 In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for anything he may have done to incur guilt.”
- Leviticus 4:35 And he shall remove all the fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the peace offerings, and he shall burn it on the altar along with the food offerings to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.
- Leviticus 5:18 He is to bring to the priest an unblemished ram of proper value from the flock as a guilt offering. Then the priest will make atonement on his behalf for the wrong he has committed in ignorance, and he will be forgiven.
- Leviticus 14:14 The priest is to take some of the blood from the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.
- Leviticus 5:10 And the priest must prepare the second bird as a burnt offering according to the ordinance. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.
- Leviticus 14:6 And he is to take the live bird together with the cedar wood, scarlet yarn, and hyssop, and dip them into the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the fresh water.
- Leviticus 4:20 He shall offer this bull just as he did the bull for the sin offering; in this way the priest will make atonement on their behalf, and they will be forgiven.
- Leviticus 4:26 He must burn all its fat on the altar, like the fat of the peace offerings; thus the priest will make atonement for that man’s sin, and he will be forgiven.
- Leviticus 5:12 He is to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful from it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar atop the food offerings to the LORD; it is a sin offering.