What Does Hebrews 5:3 Mean in the King James?
And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The priest brings an offering for the very condition he shares with the people.
THE MEANING
The person who carries an offering for others is included in the need it addresses. “As for the people, so also for himself” leaves no role of care outside the human condition: responsibility does not erase the caregiver’s own need.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that helping others makes a person exempt from the need they help others face.
THE ROOT
προσφέρειν
prospherein
GROWS FROM
φερ-
pher-
Carry, bear, bring; with πρός (pros, toward), προσφέρω means to bring toward or present.
“offer” in this verse is prospherein. The verb holds movement inside the offering: something is carried toward God. The priest brings it for the people and for himself, placing both within the same act of approach.
ALSO GROWS
prospherō: bring toward; present, offer
προσφέρω
This related verb makes the movement toward a recipient visible in the act translated “offer.”
prosphorá: offering; what is brought toward
προσφορά
The related noun keeps the offering connected to what the priest carries for both the people and himself.
ἁμαρτία
hamartía
GROWS FROM
ἁμαρτ-
hamart-
Miss; fail to reach or hit the mark.
The Greek phrase means “concerning missings,” and the priest’s own missings belong to the same category as the people’s. English can make “sins” sound like a label for others, but this verse includes the one who serves among those the offering concerns.
ALSO GROWS
hamartánō: to miss, err, do wrong
ἁμαρτάνω
The verb names the act behind the condition for which an offering is brought.
hamartōlós: sinner; one who misses
ἁμαρτωλός
This related word names a person by the same condition, showing why the priest is not outside the people’s need.
THE PATTERN
The one who brings an offering for others remains included in the need it addresses.
And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;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.THE THREAD
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.The same Greek word, ἁμαρτία (hamartía, missing), lies behind “sins” here and “sin” in Hebrews 4:15. The verses hold human vulnerability alongside a distinction: the high priest shares our testing, yet is without missing.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us