Hebrews 5 3

Hebrews 5:3 kjv

And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

Hebrews 5:3 nkjv

Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins.

Hebrews 5:3 niv

This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

Hebrews 5:3 esv

Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.

Hebrews 5:3 nlt

That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs.

Hebrews 5 verses

Hebrews 5 3 Meaning

Hebrews 5:3 states that the human high priest is inherently obligated to offer sacrifices not only for the sins of the people but also for his own sins. This necessity arises from his shared human nature and its inherent weakness and fallenness, distinguishing him sharply from Jesus Christ, who alone was without sin and thus had no need for personal atonement.

Hebrews 5 3 Context

Hebrews chapter 5 initiates a detailed exposition of the qualifications and nature of priesthood, culminating in the preeminence of Jesus Christ as the ultimate High Priest. Verse 3 builds upon the description of the human high priest's ability to deal gently with the ignorant and errant (Heb 5:2) because he himself is subject to human weakness. This weakness mandates that the priest, just like the people, must offer sacrifices to atone for his own sins. This profound detail of the Old Covenant priesthood highlights its inherent limitation and temporary nature, contrasting sharply with the perfect and permanent priesthood of Christ, who, being sinless, needed no such personal atonement. The historical and cultural backdrop is the elaborate Levitical sacrificial system, particularly the rituals for sin offerings and the annual Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), where the high priest specifically made atonement for himself and his household before proceeding to atone for the nation.

Hebrews 5 3 Word analysis

• and for this cause (καὶ διὰ τοῦτο - kai dia touto): This connective phrase points back to the preceding statement (Heb 5:2), which describes the human high priest's capacity to sympathize and deal gently due to his own personal weaknesses. "For this cause" indicates that his shared human fallibility is precisely why he has this crucial, self-sacrificial obligation. It establishes a cause-and-effect relationship: his weakness necessitates his own offering for sin.
• he ought (ὀφείλει - opheilei): This Greek verb expresses a strong moral or legal obligation, a necessity, or a debt that must be paid. It's not a suggestion but a binding duty. The high priest must perform this act because his nature demands it. It signifies an indebtedness to divine justice for his own transgressions.
• as for the people (καθὼς καὶ περὶ τοῦ λαοῦ - kathōs kai peri tou laou): "Kathos kai" establishes a clear parallelism, meaning "just as" or "even as." This phrase confirms the priest's primary duty was to intercede and offer atonement on behalf of the Israelite community, mirroring established Levitical law and practice.
• so also for himself (οὕτως καὶ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ - houtōs kai peri heautou): This completes the parallelism, underscoring that the high priest is subject to the same divine requirements as the people he serves. The "also for himself" (καὶ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ) emphasizes that his holy office does not exempt him from the universal human condition of sin and the need for its atonement. It reveals his humanity and susceptibility to transgression.
• to offer for sins (προσφέρειν περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν - prospherein peri hamartiōn):
  • to offer (προσφέρειν - prospherein): This verb signifies "to bring to," "to present," or "to offer a sacrifice." It's the standard term for presenting cultic sacrifices to God.
  • for sins (περὶ ἁμαρτιῶν - peri hamartiōn): "Peri" (concerning/for) used with the genitive case often indicates the purpose or object of an action. "Hamartiōn" (sins) is in the plural, emphasizing the various transgressions, whether conscious or unconscious, of both omission and commission. This phrase directly refers to the sin offerings prescribed in the Law (e.g., Leviticus chapters 4, 5, 16), which specifically deal with atonement for individual or corporate sin.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:
• "and for this cause he ought... to offer for sins": This phrase succinctly captures the inescapable mandate placed upon every human high priest due to his fallen nature. His office, despite its sacredness, does not negate his personal sinfulness, making ritual atonement for himself a foundational requirement of his ministry.
• "as for the people, so also for himself": This symmetrical structure is profoundly significant. It powerfully illustrates the universal reach of sin and the priest's solidarity with the very people he is ministering to. He understands their need for forgiveness because he shares that very need. It implicitly sets up the radical distinction with Christ, who offers only for the sins of others.

Hebrews 5 3 Bonus section

The requirement for the Old Testament high priest to offer for his own sins was a continuous reminder of his humanity and the inherent limitations of the Old Covenant system itself. This constant ritual underscored the provisional nature of animal sacrifices, which could only "cover" sins temporarily and symbolically, rather than fully remove them. The repeated need for the high priest's personal atonement every Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) served as a profound object lesson on the weakness of the Mosaic Law to bring ultimate perfection (Heb 7:19). This imperfection necessitates the introduction of a new, better priest, and a better covenant, as fully unveiled in the rest of Hebrews. The verse therefore is not merely historical exposition, but vital theological preparation for appreciating the superior, unique, and final high priestly work of Jesus Christ, who perfectly fulfilled the shadows of the Old Covenant priesthood.

Hebrews 5 3 Commentary

Hebrews 5:3 is a pivotal verse in the book, foundational for understanding the unique excellence of Jesus Christ's high priestly ministry. It profoundly highlights the essential imperfection of every Levitical high priest under the Old Covenant. Unlike popular spiritual leaders who might seem above common weaknesses, the divinely appointed high priest had to acknowledge and atone for his own sinfulness before God. This was not a minor detail but a mandated obligation, showcasing the priest's shared vulnerability with the congregation he served. He could deal gently with the erring not merely out of intellectual understanding, but from personal experience of sin and the necessity of its atonement. This constant, repeated need for self-atonement within the Mosaic system underscored its temporary and incomplete nature. It painted a stark picture of human frailty even in the most sacred of offices, pointing forward to the coming of a perfect High Priest who, by His sinless nature, would require no sacrifice for Himself and whose singular offering would permanently resolve the problem of sin for all humanity.

• Example 1: Imagine a doctor needing medicine for himself before he can treat others; the Levitical priest, though a spiritual physician, needed a spiritual cure first.
• Example 2: A leader in ancient Israel had to confess his own personal shortcomings through a sin offering before being spiritually clear to lead communal atonement.