Hebrews 5 · Verse 3

Hebrews 5:3

And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
Hebrews 5:3, King James Version

Hebrews 5:3 in other translations

BSBThat is why he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.
WEBBecause of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.
ASVand by reason thereof is bound, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
YLTand because of this infirmity he ought, as for the people, so also for himself to offer for sins;
DARBYand, on account of this infirmity, he ought, even as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
BBEAnd being feeble, he has to make sin-offerings for himself as well as for the people.
WebsterAnd by reason of this he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

What does Hebrews 5:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. by reason hereof--"on account of this" infirmity. he ought ... also for himself, to offer for sins--the Levitical priest ought; in this our High Priest is superior to the Levitical. The second "for" is a different Greek term from the first; "in behalf of the people ... on account of sins."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 3. And by reason hereof. Because he is a sinner--an imperfect man.

As for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. To make an expiation for sins. He needs the same atonement; he offers the sacrifice for himself which he does for others, Lev 9:7 The same thing is true of the ministers of religion now. They come before God feeling that they have need of the benefit of the came atonement which they preach to others; they plead the merits of the same blood for their own salvation which they show to be indispensable for the salvation of others.

(*) "hereof" "On this account" (a) "so also" Lev 9:7

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 And by reason hereof - As he is also a transgressor of the commands of God, and unable to observe the law in its spirituality, he must offer sacrifices for sin, not only for the people, but for himself also: this must teach him to have a fellow feeling for others.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 5:1-10

The High Priest must be a man, a partaker of our nature. This shows that man had sinned. For God would not suffer sinful man to come to him alone. But every one is welcome to God, that comes to him by this High Priest; and as we value acceptance with God, and pardon, we must apply by faith to this our great High Priest Christ Jesus, who can intercede for those that are out of the way of truth, duty, and happiness…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 5:1-10 →

Hebrews 5:3 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiandG2532
δι᾽di᾽because ofG1223
αὐτὴνautēnthisG846
ὀφείλει,opheileihe is obligated,G3784
καθὼςkathōseven asG2531
περὶperiforG4012
τοῦtoutheG3588
λαοῦlaoupeopleG2992
οὕτωςhoutōssoG3779
καὶkaialsoG2532
περὶperiforG4012
αὐτοῦautouhimselfG1438
προσφέρεινprosphereinto offer sacrificesG4374
περὶperiforG4012
ἁμαρτιῶν.hamartiōnsins.G266

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Hebrews 5:3

  • Leviticus 9:7

    And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the Lord commanded.

  • Leviticus 16:6

    And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

  • Hebrews 9:7

    But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

  • Hebrews 7:27

    Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

  • Leviticus 16:15

    Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

  • Leviticus 4:3-12

    If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the Lord for a sin offering. And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock’s head, and kill the bullock before the Lord. And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock’s blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation: And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord, before the vail of the sanctuary. …

  • Leviticus 8:14-21

    And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering. And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it. And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the altar. But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the Lord commanded Moses. …

  • Exodus 29:12-19

    And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar. And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar. But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering. Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
as.
7:27; 9:7; Ex 29:12-19; Le 4:3-12; 8:14-21; 9:7; 16:6,15

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Hebrews 5:2

    Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

  • Hebrews 5:3

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

  • Hebrews 5:4

    And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

Read all of Hebrews 5

Hebrews 5:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y por causa de ella debe, como por sí mismo, así también por el pueblo, ofrecer por los pecados.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		et, à cause de cette infirmité, il doit offrir pour les péchés, comme pour le peuple, ainsi aussi pour lui-même.
German
Elberfelder 1871		und um dieser willen muß er, wie für das Volk, so auch für sich selbst opfern für die Sünden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et propterea debet, quemadmodum pro populo, ita etiam et pro semetipso offerre pro peccatis.