Hebrews 9:22 teaches that under the old covenant law, almost everything was purified through blood, and that forgiveness of sins did not happen without a death. The verse is part of a longer argument by the unknown author of Hebrews, written to Jewish Christians who knew the temple sacrifices well and needed to understand how Jesus’ sacrifice fit into that system.
According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.
Hebrews 9:22 (WEB)
What Hebrews 9:22 Means
The phrase “according to the law” points back to the Mosaic law the readers already knew. The author says that under that system, nearly everything was cleansed by blood. The word “nearly” is worth noticing, because the author is describing a general pattern and not claiming that every object or person in every case required blood.
The second half of the verse states the principle behind the practice: without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. The word translated “remission” means release or pardon from sin’s penalty. The verse explains why the sacrificial system was built around blood, since the sacrifice was a life given in place of the life owed for sin.
The verse does not promise that every ritual automatically produces forgiveness, and it does not describe God as someone who needs to be persuaded by bloodshed. It describes what the law taught the people about sin and atonement, and it sets the stage for the author’s claim that Christ’s sacrifice fulfills and surpasses those earlier offerings.
The Context of Hebrews 9:22
Hebrews was written to a community of believers facing pressure, possibly tempted to return to the familiar temple worship. The author argues that Jesus is the greater high priest and that his covenant is better than the old one. Chapter 9 contrasts the earthly tabernacle, with its repeated animal sacrifices, against Christ’s single offering of himself.
Verses 19 through 21 describe Moses sprinkling blood on the people, the book, and the tabernacle, which shows the blood at the center of covenant ceremonies. Verse 23 then says the heavenly realities required better sacrifices than these, and verses 24 and 25 move the focus to Christ entering heaven itself. Read in this sequence, Hebrews 9:22 is a premise that prepares the reader to accept the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice.
Key Phrases in Hebrews 9:22
Hebrews 9:26
Or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
(WEB)
This verse continues the thought by stating that Christ appeared once to put away sin through the sacrifice of himself. It shows that the single offering of Christ fulfills what the repeated sacrifices of the law could only foreshadow.
Leviticus 17:11
For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.
(WEB)
This Old Testament verse gives the reason blood carries atoning power, because life is in the blood and God gave it on the altar to make atonement. It is the source behind the principle Hebrews 9:22 describes.
A Short Prayer From Hebrews 9:22
Lord, you have shown us that forgiveness has always come at a cost, and that the cost was paid by Christ himself. I confess that I often treat my sin lightly or carry guilt as if I must settle it on my own. Help me to receive the forgiveness your Son secured, to take sin seriously, and to live in gratitude for the sacrifice that made my cleansing possible. Teach me to rest in your mercy and to walk in the freedom it brings. Amen.
