Hebrews 9:13-14
What is written? (ESV)
For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
What does it say?
If the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sanctified defiled people for outward purification, how much more will Christ’s blood purify our consciences from dead works so that we may serve the living God? Christ offered Himself without blemish to God through the eternal Spirit.
What is its immediate context?
Hebrews is a letter encouraging Jewish Christians to “hold fast” because their faith in Christ is “better” than the Mosaic law they were under in numerous ways.
How Hebrews 9:13-14 is applied across Bible answers
Who do we worship when gathered together?
Christians are purified through Christ's sacrifice in order to, among other things, worship God.
Did Jesus sin?
Jesus offered Himself "without blemish".
Is baptism for the forgiveness of sins?
Under the Old Law, people were "consecrated" by the sprinkling of blood from animals (Exodus 24), but Christ's blood is now what cleanses us.
The context for this passage continues well down into chapter 10 (and beyond), but for this question, the conclusion of his point in this passage is noted in Hebrews 10:19-22 - "our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water".
