Hebrews 9:7
in Hebrews 9But 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth 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:
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This verse in Hebrews 9
Commentary
17 notes on this verseErrors - That is, sins of ignorance, to which only those atonements extended.
This site's exposition
entered regularly into the first room
on Hebrews 9:6-7
The priests entered regularly into the first room, and only the high priest entered the second room, once a year, and never without blood. This is the Day of Atonement of Leviticus 16. The chapter sets this yearly entry against Christ's single entry.
This site's exposition
only once a year
The day was the tenth of the seventh month. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown note that the high priest went in at least twice that day, and the entrances counted as one visit. John Wesley adds that these atonements reached only sins done in ignorance.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
And it happened that the Jews neither saw the things that were happening, as the veil was being torn. So it was not more for them than for those who were prefigured, that is, for us, "once a year, the high priest alone." Since he …
In Exodus, in the places concerning these things, it says that on the day the high priest entered the Holy of Holies with the holy incense. And it is written thus; "And he shall burn incense upon it." (that is, upon the golden altar that …
How then does the divine Paul say in this place, "once a year, the high priest alone?" And we say that he indeed entered with blood once a year: as is also said in the aforementioned place of Exodus; but to offer, on these days …
In order that, having again drawn back the veil of the word, we may with unveiled face behold the festival of the divine Passover, appealing thus to Jesus: Where wilt thou that we prepare to eat the Passover with thee? On receiving his reply that …
"But into the second the High Priest went alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people." Thou seest that the types were already laid down beforehand? for, lest they should say, "how is there but one sacrifice?" he shows that this was so from the beginning, since at least the more holy and the awful sacrifice was but one. And how did the High Priest offer once for all? Thus were they wont to do from the beginning, for then also (he says) "the High Priest" offered "once for all." And well said he, "not without blood." (Not indeed without blood, yet not this blood, for the business was not so great.) He signifies that there shall be a sacrifice, not consumed by fire, but rather distinguished by blood. For inasmuch as he called the Cross a sacrifice, though it had neither fire, nor logs, nor was offered many times, but had been offered in blood once for all; he shows that the ancient sacrifice also was of this kind, was offered "once for all" in blood. "Which he offers for himself;" again, "for himself; and for the errors of the people." He said not "sins"; but "errors," that they might not be high-minded. For even if thou hast not sinned intentionally, yet unintentionally thou hast erred, and from this no man is pure. And everywhere he adds the "for himself," showing that Christ is much greater. For if He be separated from our sins, how did He "offer for Himself"? Why then saidst thou these things (one says)? Because this is a mark of One that is superior.
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
Do you see the very prototypes, already set forth here? Lest they say: the sacrifice of Christ was offered once, how then did it sanctify all? He shows that this was so from ancient times, for even the most holy and awesome sacrifice in the …
426. – Then (v. 7) he mentions the office of the ministers in regard to the holy of holies. Here it should be noted that, as it says in Leviticus (16:30) on the day of atonement (which occurred on the tenth day of the seventh …
Figuratively, the curtain in the temple represents the same curtain that the apostle declares openly to the Hebrews, in the place where he also explains properly, according to the allegorical sense, the reason that "the priests go continually into the outer tent, performing their ritual …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
(4.) The high priest must not enter without blood, signifying that Christ, having undertaken to be our high priest, could not have been admitted into heaven without shedding his blood for us, and that none of us can enter either into God's gracious presence here or his glorious presence hereafter, but by the blood of Jesus.
The Priesthood of Christ. 8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:97%@v7-9
Though this is not expressed in so many words in Lev 16:2 only it is said that "Aaron came not at all times into the holy place within the vail"; yet it is the constant and generally received sense of the Jewish writers, in agreement with the apostle here, that the high priest went into the holy of holies but once a year (q), on the day of atonement, which was on the tenth of the month Tisri, and answers to part of September; not but that he went in more than once on that day, for he went in no less than four times (r); the first time he went in to offer incense; the second time with the blood of the bullock, to sprinkle it; the third time with the blood of the goat; and the fourth time to bring out the censer (s); and if he entered a fifth time, they say he was worthy of death; wherefore Philo the Jew (t) seems to be mistaken when he affirms that, if he went in three or four times on the same day, he suffered death, nor was there any pardon for him; and as it was but one day in a year he might enter, so when he did, no other man, either Israelite or priest, might go in along with him; he went in alone without any attendance: the Jews say (u), that a cord or thong was bound to the feet of the high priest when he went into the holy of holies, that if he died there, the rest might be able to draw him out; for it was not lawful for another priest to go in, no, not an high priest, none besides him on the day of atonement. […]
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
The two, or possibly more, entrances on that one day were regarded as parts of the one whole. not without blood-- (Heb 8:3). offered--Greek, "offers." errors--Greek, "ignorances": "inadvertent errors." They might have known, as the law was clearly promulged, and they were bound to study it; so that their ignorance was culpable (compare Ac 3:17;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
But into the second - That is, the holy of holies, or second part of the tabernacle, the high priest alone, once every year, that is, on one day in the year only, which was the day on which the general atonement was made. The high priest could enter into this place only on one day in the year; but on that day he might enter several times. See Lev. 16. Not without blood - The day prescribed by the law for this great solemnity was the tenth of the month Tisri, in which the high priest brought in the incense or perfumes, which he placed on the golden censer; he brought also the blood of the bullock; and sprinkled some portion of it seven times before the ark, and the veil which separated the holy place from the holy of holies. See Lev 16:14. He then came out, and, taking some of the blood of the goat which had been sacrificed, he sprinkled it between the veil and the ark of the covenant, Lev 16:15. Which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people - Ὑπερ των του λαου αγνοηματων· For transgressions of which they were not conscious: there were so many niceties in the ritual worship of the Jews, and so many ways in which they might offend against the law and incur guilt, that it was found necessary to institute sacrifices to atone for these sins of ignorance. And as the high priest was also clothed with infirmity, he required to have an interest in the same sacrifice, on the same account. This was a national sacrifice; and by it the people understood that they were absolved from all the errors of the past year, and that they now had a renewed right of access to the mercy-seat.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
But into the second - The second apartment or room, called the most holy place; Heb 9:3. Went the high priest alone once every year - On the great day of atonement; Exo 30:
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰς | eis | [Enters] into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δευτέραν | deuteran | second | G1208 → | 43 times |
| ἅπαξ | hapax | once | G530 → | 14 times |
| τοῦ | tou | in the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἐνιαυτοῦ | eniautou | year | G1763 → | 14 times |
| μόνος | monos | only | G3441 → | 110 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀρχιερεὺς | archiereus | high priest | G749 → | 122 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| χωρὶς | choris | without | G5565 → | 40 times |
| αἵματος | aimatos | blood | G129 → | 97 times |
| ὃ | ho | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| προσφέρει | prospherei | he offers | G4374 → | 47 times |
| ὑπὲρ | huper | for | G5228 → | 155 times |
| ἑαυτοῦ | he'autou | himself | G1438 → | 322 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λαοῦ | laou | people | G2992 → | 141 times |
| ἀγνοημάτων· | agnoematon | sins of ignorance; | G51 → |
εἰς[Enters] into
eisG1519 →1755 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
δευτέρανsecond
deuteranG1208 →43 times
ἅπαξonce
hapaxG530 →14 times
τοῦin the
touG3588 →19766 times
ἐνιαυτοῦyear
eniautouG1763 →14 times
μόνοςonly
monosG3441 →110 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἀρχιερεὺςhigh priest
archiereusG749 →122 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
χωρὶςwithout
chorisG5565 →40 times
αἵματοςblood
aimatosG129 →97 times
ὃwhich
hoG3739 →1405 times
προσφέρειhe offers
prosphereiG4374 →47 times
ὑπὲρfor
huperG5228 →155 times
ἑαυτοῦhimself
he'autouG1438 →322 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
λαοῦpeople
laouG2992 →141 times
ἀγνοημάτων·sins of ignorance;
agnoematonG51 →
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 7:27Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when…
it leads to
- Hebrews 9:12
He 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.
- Hebrews 9:28
so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
- Hebrews 9:14
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
- Ephesians 5:2
and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
- Hebrews 10:6–12
In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.
- Hebrews 9:12
Through
Exodus 30:10Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar…
it leads to
- Leviticus 16:18
Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and…
- Hebrews 9:22–23
According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
- Leviticus 16:18
Through
Leviticus 16:34This is to be a permanent statute for you, to make atonement once a year for the Israelites because of all their sins.” And all this was done as the LORD had commanded Moses.
it leads to
- Hebrews 9:25
Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
- Hebrews 9:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies35
On this verse
On this chapter
- Prayers, Merits, and the Dead
- The General Epistles
- Blue, Purple and Scarlet
- Clean and Unclean
- The Covenants
- The Hebrew Feasts
Show the next 6 titles
- Forgiving Yourself: What Scripture Says
- Heaven
- The Anchor of the Soul
- How the Cross Saves: The Views of the Atonement
- Incense and the Censers
- The Words Tom and Tamim
Show the next 6 titles
About Hebrews

This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, On the Tabernacle 2.8.71; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 10; Edersheim, The Temple: Its Ministry and Services; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 15; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.
