Hebrews 9:26
in Hebrews 9Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
else 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
For 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.
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This verse in Hebrews 9
Commentary
4 notes on this verseFor then must he often have suffered - In the counsel of God, Christ was considered the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, Rev 13:8, so that all believers before his advent were equally interested in his sacrificial death with those who have lived since his coming. Humanly speaking, the virtue of the annual atonement could not last long, and must be repeated; Christ’s sacrifice is ever the same; his life’s blood is still considered as in the act of being continually poured out. See Rev 5:
This site's exposition
not entered into the holy places made with hands
on Hebrews 9:24-26
Christ has not entered a sanctuary made with hands, a mere figure of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf, a permanent priestly appearing rather than a single ritual moment. Verse 25 rules out any thought of repetition, nor yet that he should offer himself often as the yearly high priest did with blood not his own; verse 26 answers what repetition would have required, he must then have suffered often since the foundation of the world. Instead he has appeared once, hapax, in the end of the world, sunteleia, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, the once thread's other summit alongside verse 12.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
That he could not have atoned for them without suffering. At the consummation of the ages - The sacrifice of Christ divides the whole age or duration of the world into two parts, and extends its virtue backward and forward, from this middle point wherein they meet to abolish both the guilt and power of sin.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
WHEN the old dispensation was becoming worn out, and like a vesture ready to be laid aside. When the end of the typical twilight had come, then Jesus Christ came forth from the Father and brought the dawning with Him. When the often appearing of the Aaronic priests had not availed for the putting away of sin, He came whose once appearing perfected the work.
The words behind it
24 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἐπεὶ | epei | Otherwise | G1893 → | 26 times |
| ἔδει | edei | it was necessary for | G1163 → | 101 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πολλάκις | pollakis | repeatedly | G4178 → | 18 times |
| παθεῖν | pathein | to have suffered | G3958 → | 42 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| καταβολῆς | kataboles | [the] foundation | G2602 → | 11 times |
| κόσμου, | kosmou | of [the] world, | G2889 → | 185 times |
| νυνὶ | nuni | now | G3570 → | |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| ἅπαξ | hapax | once | G530 → | 14 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | in | G1909 → | 883 times |
| συντελείᾳ | sunteleia | [the] consummation | G4930 → | |
| τῶν | ton | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αἰώνων | aionon | ages | G165 → | 121 times |
| εἰς | eis | for | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| ἀθέτησιν | athetesin | [the] putting away | G115 → | |
| τῆς | tes | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁμαρτίας | hamartias | of sin | G266 → | 173 times |
| διὰ | dia | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θυσίας | thusias | sacrifice | G2378 → | 28 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Himself | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πεφανέρωται. | pephanerotai | He has been revealed. | G5319 → |
ἐπεὶOtherwise
epeiG1893 →26 times
ἔδειit was necessary for
edeiG1163 →101 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
πολλάκιςrepeatedly
pollakisG4178 →18 times
παθεῖνto have suffered
patheinG3958 →42 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
καταβολῆς[the] foundation
katabolesG2602 →11 times
κόσμου,of [the] world,
kosmouG2889 →185 times
νυνὶnow
nuniG3570 →
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
ἅπαξonce
hapaxG530 →14 times
ἐπὶin
epiG1909 →883 times
συντελείᾳ[the] consummation
sunteleiaG4930 →
τῶνof the
tonG3588 →19766 times
αἰώνωνages
aiononG165 →121 times
εἰςfor
eisG1519 →1755 times
ἀθέτησιν[the] putting away
athetesinG115 →
τῆς<the>
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἁμαρτίαςof sin
hamartiasG266 →173 times
διὰthrough
diaG1223 →664 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
θυσίαςsacrifice
thusiasG2378 →28 times
αὐτοῦof Himself
autouG846 →5565 times
πεφανέρωται.He has been revealed.
pephanerotaiG5319 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 1:2But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.
it leads to
- John 1:3
Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.
- 1 Corinthians 8:6
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and…
- Colossians 1:16–18
For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.
- John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- 1 Peter 1:20
He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
- John 1:3
Through
Hebrews 9:12He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.
it leads to
- Hebrews 10:4
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
- Hebrews 10:4
Through
1 Peter 1:20He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
it leads to
- Revelation 13:8
And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Ephesians 1:4
For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
- Revelation 13:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
On this verse
About Hebrews

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 911: “The Putting Away Of Sin” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament.
