Hebrews 9 18

Hebrews 9:18 kjv

Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

Hebrews 9:18 nkjv

Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood.

Hebrews 9:18 niv

This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.

Hebrews 9:18 esv

Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood.

Hebrews 9:18 nlt

That is why even the first covenant was put into effect with the blood of an animal.

Hebrews 9 verses

Hebrews 9 18 Meaning

Hebrews 9:18 affirms that even the initial covenant between God and His people, the Mosaic Law, could not be formally established or consecrated without the shedding of blood. This verse establishes a consistent divine principle that covenant inauguration and purification are inherently linked to a sacrifice involving blood, laying a critical theological groundwork for understanding the indispensable role of Christ's blood in inaugurating the new, superior covenant.

Hebrews 9 18 Context

Hebrews chapter 9 serves as a detailed explanation and strong argument for the superiority of Christ's sacrifice and priestly ministry over the Old Covenant system. The preceding verses (Heb 9:1-10) describe the physical Tabernacle and its services, highlighting the limitations of access to God under the Old Covenant and the temporary nature of its rituals. Hebrews 9:11-14 then introduces Jesus as the High Priest of the new covenant, who entered the heavenly sanctuary not with animal blood but with His own, achieving eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:15-17 emphasizes the necessity of a death for a "will" or covenant to be validated. Verse 18 then functions as a crucial bridge, applying this principle retroactively to the Old Covenant: just as a will requires death, and the New Covenant required Christ's death, so too the Old Covenant was not inaugurated apart from a shedding of blood, thus affirming a consistent divine requirement across dispensations for solemn divine covenants. This verse sets the stage for further elaboration on the necessity of blood for purification in Heb 9:19-22, further cementing the Old Covenant's foundational principle of sacrifice as a type of the New. The letter's broader historical context is a Christian community, likely Jewish believers, facing pressure or temptation to revert to elements of Judaism. The author's consistent comparison highlights Christ's unparalleled superiority, showing why regression is a betrayal of a greater, complete salvation.

Hebrews 9 18 Word analysis

• Therefore (διὰ τοῦτο, dia touto): This adverbial phrase signals a conclusion or a logical consequence derived from the preceding arguments, particularly from Heb 9:15-17 concerning the necessity of a death for a covenant/will to be active. It emphasizes that what holds true for the New Covenant also applied to the Old.
• even (οὐδὲ, oude): This particle emphasizes the absolute nature of the statement, functioning as "not even" or "no, not even." It highlights that the principle applied without exception to the foundational first covenant.
• the first covenant (ἡ πρώτη, he protē): This refers explicitly to the Old Covenant established through Moses at Mount Sinai (Exodus 24). It is the predecessor and type of the New Covenant mediated by Christ.
• was not inaugurated (οὐδὲ... ἐγκαινίσθη, oude... egkainisthe):
  • egkainisthe (from egkainizō) means "to make new," "to dedicate," "to inaugurate," "to consecrate," or "to ratify." It denotes the official and solemn establishment or commencement of something significant, like a new building (Deuteronomy 20:5) or, in this context, a divine covenant. The passive voice indicates God's role in initiating and ratifying the covenant.
  • The inclusion of "not" (oude) emphasizes that without the specified condition (blood), the inauguration would not have occurred.
• without blood (ἄνευ αἵματος, aneu haimatos):
  • aneu is a preposition meaning "without," signifying absence or lack.
  • haimatos (genitive of haima) means "blood." In the Old Testament, blood symbolized life (Lev 17:11) and was central to the sacrificial system for atonement and purification. This phrase highlights the absolute and non-negotiable requirement for blood shedding in the Old Covenant's ratification and functioning.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "Therefore even the first covenant": This phrase ties the Old Covenant directly into the logical chain about the necessity of death for a testament (covenant). It demonstrates consistency in God's divine principles for covenant-making across different eras, preparing the reader for the subsequent argument that if the old required it, the new—being superior—certainly required a perfect sacrifice.
  • "was not inaugurated without blood": This critical clause underscores the foundational truth that the very commencement of the Old Covenant system depended on sacrificial blood. It establishes that blood was not a minor or incidental component but the essential element for God to enter into solemn covenant relations with humanity under the Law, laying the indispensable historical and theological basis for the ultimate blood sacrifice of Christ.

Hebrews 9 18 Bonus section

• The concept of "inaugurating" (egkainizō) extends beyond simple ratification to include the idea of consecration or dedication, implying that the first covenant, its tabernacle, and its priestly services were all "set apart" for sacred use through the application of blood, similar to how the temple was dedicated. This prefigures the spiritual dedication and cleansing brought by Christ’s sacrifice.
• The phrase "without blood" directly invokes the Old Testament teaching on the sanctity of life and the life-giving power contained within blood (Lev 17:11), which made it the unique medium for atonement. The author reminds the audience of this core theological truth.
• This verse counters any potential misunderstanding that the New Covenant's basis in grace would eliminate the necessity of a profound atonement. Instead, it strengthens the argument that grace provides the ultimate atoning sacrifice, maintaining the necessary standards of divine justice and holiness first revealed in the Old Covenant.

Hebrews 9 18 Commentary

Hebrews 9:18 profoundly asserts a consistent divine principle throughout redemptive history: covenants established by God with humanity fundamentally require the shedding of blood for their inauguration and validity. The Mosaic Covenant, the "first," serves as irrefutable historical proof of this. The author's point is not simply that blood was present at Sinai, but that without it, the covenant could not have been inaugurated. This principle highlights God's unwavering holiness and the profound seriousness of sin, which demands the ultimate penalty—life itself—as a prerequisite for atonement and covenant relationship. By grounding the New Covenant in this long-established truth, the author emphasizes that Christ's blood sacrifice is not an arbitrary innovation but the perfect culmination and fulfillment of God's unchanging way of providing access to Himself. It underscores that grace does not bypass justice but provides the means for its perfect satisfaction, validating God's eternal solution for human sin through a divine life given. The consistency demonstrated across covenants builds theological assurance that Christ’s blood truly ratified an eternal covenant.