Hebrews 9:11 kjv
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Hebrews 9:11 nkjv
But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
Hebrews 9:11 niv
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation.
Hebrews 9:11 esv
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)
Hebrews 9:11 nlt
So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world.
Hebrews 9 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Heb 3:1 | Therefore, holy brothers, ...consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, | Christ as Apostle and High Priest |
| Heb 4:14 | Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, | Christ's heavenly priesthood and passage |
| Heb 5:5-6 | ...You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” | Christ's eternal priesthood |
| Heb 7:26 | For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, | Christ's sinless perfection as High Priest |
| Heb 8:1-2 | We have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not by man. | Christ ministers in the true heavenly sanctuary |
| Heb 9:24 | For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, | Christ's entrance into heavenly reality |
| Heb 9:26 | ...He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. | Christ's single, decisive appearance |
| Heb 10:1 | For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, | Old Law as shadow of future good things |
| Heb 10:19-20 | Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way... | New access to God through Christ |
| Col 2:16-17 | Therefore let no one pass judgment on you... These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. | Old Covenant practices were a shadow |
| Acts 7:48 | “Yet the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands..." | God not limited by human structures |
| Acts 17:24 | The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, | God's transcendence over human temples |
| Isa 42:5 | Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, | God as Creator, implying divine origin of true tabernacle |
| Heb 7:22 | ...Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. | Christ as guarantor of a better covenant |
| Heb 8:6 | But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant He mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. | Superiority of Christ's ministry and new covenant |
| Rom 8:18-25 | For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. ... For in this hope we were saved. | Future "good things" as ultimate glory and hope |
| 1 Pet 1:3-5 | ...has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable... | "Good things to come" as a heavenly inheritance |
| Gal 4:4-5 | But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law... | Christ's arrival at the proper time |
| Eph 1:3 | Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, | Present experience of "good things" |
| Rev 21:3 | “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. | Ultimate fulfillment of heavenly dwelling |
Hebrews 9 verses
Hebrews 9 11 Meaning
Hebrews 9:11 presents Jesus Christ as the true and superior High Priest. Unlike the Levitical high priests who served in an earthly, temporary tabernacle, Christ arrived to mediate spiritual and eternal blessings. He operates through a heavenly, non-humanly constructed "tabernacle"—a reality infinitely greater and more perfect than the physical sanctuary of the Old Covenant. This signifies His ministry grants access to enduring divine "good things to come" which supersede the limited, symbolic offerings of the past.
Hebrews 9 11 Context
Hebrews chapter 9 serves as a theological bridge between the old and new covenants, specifically contrasting the tabernacle worship with Christ's perfect ministry. Verses 1-10 detail the design and limitations of the earthly tabernacle and its rituals. The writer emphasizes that the Old Covenant rituals, while God-given, were merely symbolic ("a copy and shadow") and temporary. They could not truly cleanse consciences or bring believers into direct communion with God. This section underscores the inadequacy of the old system. Hebrews 9:11, therefore, introduces the decisive turning point by presenting Christ as the supreme solution, whose arrival fundamentally transforms and perfects what the old system merely prefigured. The subsequent verses (Heb 9:12 onwards) then elaborate on the efficacy and finality of Christ's sacrifice and His entrance into the heavenly sanctuary.
Hebrews 9 11 Word analysis
- But Christ (Χριστὸς δὲ - Christos de): The contrast is stark. While the previous verses described the old, limited system, "But Christ" powerfully shifts the focus to the new, superior reality embodied in Jesus, the Messiah and Anointed One. This name signifies His unique, divine commission.
- being come (παραγενόμενος - paragenomenos): A participle indicating His advent or appearance. It marks a definite point in history when Christ inaugurated His redemptive work and high priestly ministry, contrasting with the continuous, repetitive, and unavailing services of the Levitical priests. His arrival is purposeful and decisive.
- an high priest (ἀρχιερεὺς - archiereus): Christ fulfills the role of High Priest. This connects Him directly to the theme of mediation and atonement, yet His priesthood is of a superior order, unlike the human, flawed Levitical priests. He embodies the perfect fulfillment of this office.
- of good things to come (τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν - tōn mellontōn agathōn): Refers to the spiritual, eternal, and ultimate blessings of the New Covenant inaugurated by Christ. These are not merely material or earthly, but encompass salvation, access to God, forgiveness, adoption, resurrection, and eternal life in the presence of God. They are "to come" in the sense that their full realization is eschatological, yet their power is already experienced by believers. These contrast with the limited "good things" (temporary atonement, ceremonial cleanness) provided by the Old Covenant sacrifices.
- by (διὰ - dia): Indicating the means or instrument through which Christ's high priestly work operates and these good things are procured.
- a greater and more perfect tabernacle (τῆς μείζονος καὶ τελειοτέρας σκηνῆς - tēs meizonos kai teleioteras skēnēs): This is a crucial concept. It refers to the true, heavenly sanctuary in which Christ ministers. It is "greater" in scope, significance, and power, and "more perfect" in its inherent nature, design, and effectiveness compared to the earthly, temporary, and flawed Mosaic tabernacle. This heavenly reality is not subject to decay or imperfection.
- not made with hands (οὐ χειροποιήτου - ou cheiropoietou): This phrase emphasizes the divine, non-human origin of this tabernacle. It highlights its spiritual and supernatural essence, setting it apart from all human constructions, whether the tabernacle or Solomon's temple. This underscores its eternal and perfect nature.
- that is to say, not of this building (τοῦτ' ἔστιν οὐ ταύτης τῆς κτίσεως - tout' estin ou tautēs tēs ktiseōs): This explanatory phrase further clarifies "not made with hands." "Of this building/creation" refers to the created order of the material world. By stating it is "not of this building," the writer firmly places the true tabernacle outside the earthly realm, reiterating its divine, heavenly, and uncreated (or supernaturally created) nature. It reinforces the contrast between the perishable earthly copy and the imperishable heavenly reality.
Hebrews 9 11 Bonus section
The "good things to come" refer to the blessings that were foretold in the Old Testament but truly manifested with the coming of Christ and His New Covenant. These blessings are not fully realized until the eschaton but are definitively inaugurated in the present. They include not only the spiritual realities experienced in this life (e.g., forgiveness, direct access to God, Holy Spirit indwelling) but also the future hope of resurrection and eternal glory in the presence of God. This establishes a "already-not yet" tension, where the benefits are given now in principle but will be completed in the future. The emphasis on the "greater and more perfect tabernacle" also underscores that Christian worship and access to God are spiritual and heavenly, not tied to a specific earthly location or ritual building. This liberation from physical structures points to the universal nature of Christ's High Priesthood and the availability of His benefits to all who believe, regardless of geographical location or physical temple.
Hebrews 9 11 Commentary
Hebrews 9:11 is a pivotal verse in the argument for Christ's superiority and the New Covenant's supremacy. It starkly contrasts Christ's unique high priestly ministry with the inadequate system of the Old Testament. While Levitical priests continually offered sacrifices in a man-made, earthly sanctuary, Christ, by His advent, functioned as the ultimate High Priest, providing "good things to come"—eternal and spiritual blessings. His ministry is not bound by a physical temple but takes place "through a greater and more perfect tabernacle." This "tabernacle" is widely understood as the heavenly sanctuary itself, not part of the physical creation ("not made with hands, not of this building"), emphasizing its divine origin and spiritual reality. This means Christ secured eternal access to God through His single, perfect sacrifice, allowing believers to confidently approach the divine presence. The verse asserts that Christ initiated an age of ultimate spiritual fulfillment, where God's promises find their true substance, providing eternal cleansing and a new, living way to God.