Leviticus 4:31 Then he is to remove all the fat, just as it is removed from the peace offering, and the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

Bible > Leviticus > Chapter 4 > Verse 31

◄ Leviticus 4:31 ►

New International Version
They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for them, and they will be forgiven.

New Living Translation
Then he must remove all the goat’s fat, just as he does with the fat of the peace offering. He will burn the fat on the altar, and it will be a pleasing aroma to the LORD. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the LORD, and they will be forgiven.

English Standard Version
And all its fat he shall remove, as the fat is removed from the peace offerings, and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasing aroma to the LORD. And the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.

Berean Standard Bible
Then he is to remove all the fat, just as it is removed from the peace offering, and the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

King James Bible
And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

New King James Version
He shall remove all its fat, as fat is removed from the sacrifice of the peace offering; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet aroma to the LORD. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

New American Standard Bible
Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as a soothing aroma to the LORD. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

NASB 1995
‘Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

NASB 1977
‘Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to Yahweh. Thus the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

Amplified Bible
Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar as a sweet and soothing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

Christian Standard Bible
He is to remove all its fat just as the fat is removed from the fellowship sacrifice. The priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf, and he will be forgiven.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He is to remove all its fat just as the fat is removed from the fellowship sacrifice. The priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement on his behalf, and he will be forgiven.”

American Standard Version
And all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor unto Jehovah; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.

Contemporary English Version
After this, the priest will remove all of the fat, just as he does when an animal is sacrificed to ask my blessing. The priest will then send the fat up in smoke with a smell that pleases me. This animal is sacrificed so that I will forgive you ordinary people when you sin.

English Revised Version
And all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He will remove all the fat the same way it is removed from the fellowship offering. The priest will burn it on the altar for a soothing aroma to the LORD. So the priest will make peace with the LORD for that person, and that person will be forgiven.

Good News Translation
Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat is removed from the animals killed for the fellowship offerings, and he shall burn it on the altar as an odor pleasing to the LORD. In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for the man's sin, and he will be forgiven.

International Standard Version
He is to remove all the fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice for the peace offering. Then the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. This is how the priest will make atonement for him. It will be forgiven him.

Majority Standard Bible
Then he is to remove all the fat, just as it is removed from the peace offering, and the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

NET Bible
Then he must remove all of its fat (just as fat was removed from the peace offering sacrifice) and the priest must offer it up in smoke on the altar for a soothing aroma to the LORD. So the priest will make atonement on his behalf and he will be forgiven.

New Heart English Bible
All its fat he shall take away, like the fat is taken away from off of the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma to the LORD; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he shall take away all its fat, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor to the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

World English Bible
All its fat he shall take away, like the fat is taken away from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and he turns aside all its fat, as the fat has been turned aside from off the sacrifice of the peace-offerings, and the priest has made incense on the altar for refreshing fragrance to YHWH; and the priest has made atonement for him, and it has been forgiven him.

Young's Literal Translation
and all its fat he doth turn aside, as the fat hath been turned aside from off the sacrifice of the peace-offerings, and the priest hath made perfume on the altar, for sweet fragrance to Jehovah; and the priest hath made atonement for him, and it hath been forgiven him.

Smith's Literal Translation
And all the fat he will take away, as the fat shall be taken away from the sacrifice of peace; and the priest burnt upon the altar, for an odor of sweetness to Jehovah: and the priest shall expiate for him, and it shall be forgiven to him.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
But taking off all the fat, as is wont to be taken away of the victims of peace offerings, he shall burn it upon the altar, for a sweet savour to the Lord: and he shall pray for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But taking away all the fat, just as it is usually taken away from the victims of peace offerings, he shall burn it upon the altar as a sweet odor to the Lord. And he shall pray for him, and he shall be released from it.

New American Bible
He shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the communion sacrifice. The priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet odor to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement, so that the individual may be forgiven.

New Revised Standard Version
He shall remove all its fat, as the fat is removed from the offering of well-being, and the priest shall turn it into smoke on the altar for a pleasing odor to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement on your behalf, and you shall be forgiven.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour to the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him and it shall be forgiven him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he shall take from it all the fat just as the fat from the sacrifice of burnt offering is taken, and the Priest will offer it up on the altar for a sweet savor offering to LORD JEHOVAH, and the Priest shall atone for him and it shall be forgiven to him.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And all the fat thereof shall he take away, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offerings; and the priest shall make it smoke upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he shall take away all the fat, as the fat is taken away from the sacrifice of peace-offering, and the priest shall offer it on the altar for a smell of sweet savour to the Lord; and the priest shall make atonement for him, and his sin shall be forgiven him.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Laws for Sin Offerings
…30Then the priest is to take some of its blood with his finger, put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 31Then he is to remove all the fat, just as it is removed from the peace offering, and the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven. 32If, however, he brings a lamb as a sin offering, he must bring an unblemished female.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Hebrews 9:22
According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Hebrews 10:4
because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 10:10-12
And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. / Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. / But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.

1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Romans 3:25
God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand.

Ephesians 5:2
and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.

1 Peter 1:18-19
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, / but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.

Hebrews 9:14
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!

Hebrews 13:11-12
Although the high priest brings the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, the bodies are burned outside the camp. / And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate, to sanctify the people by His own blood.

1 Corinthians 5:7
Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Isaiah 53:10
Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

Numbers 15:25
The priest is to make atonement for the whole congregation of Israel, so that they may be forgiven; for the sin was unintentional and they have brought to the LORD a food offering and a sin offering, presented before the LORD for their unintentional sin.

Numbers 15:27-28
Also, if one person sins unintentionally, he is to present a year-old female goat as a sin offering. / And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD on behalf of the person who erred by sinning unintentionally; and when atonement has been made for him, he will be forgiven.

Leviticus 5:10
And the priest must prepare the second bird as a burnt offering according to the ordinance. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.

Leviticus 5:13
In this way the priest will make atonement for him for any of these sins he has committed, and he will be forgiven. The remainder will belong to the priest, like the grain offering.”

Treasury of Scripture

And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet smell to the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

all the fat

Leviticus 4:8-10,19,26,35
And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, …

Leviticus 3:3-5,9-11,14-16
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, …

a sweet

Leviticus 1:9,13,17
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD…

Leviticus 3:3,5
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, …

Leviticus 8:21
And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, and an offering made by fire unto the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

and the priest

Leviticus 4:26,35
And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him…

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Leviticus 4

1. The sin offering of ignorance
3. for the priest
13. for the congregation
22. for the ruler
27. for any of the people

Berean Study Bible

Then he shall remove all the fat
In the Hebrew text, the word for "fat" is "חֵלֶב" (chelev), which refers to the choicest or best part of the animal. In ancient Israelite culture, fat was considered the richest part of the animal, symbolizing abundance and blessing. The removal of fat signifies offering the best to God, acknowledging His provision and sovereignty. This act of setting aside the best for God is a reminder of the call to give our best in worship and service, reflecting a heart fully devoted to Him.

just as the fat is removed from the peace offering
The peace offering, or "שֶׁלֶם" (shelem), was a voluntary act of worship, expressing thanksgiving and fellowship with God. By paralleling the sin offering with the peace offering, the text emphasizes the continuity and consistency in the sacrificial system. It highlights the importance of approaching God with a heart of gratitude and reconciliation, even when seeking forgiveness. This connection underscores the holistic nature of worship, where atonement and thanksgiving are intertwined.

and the priest shall burn it on the altar
The act of burning the fat on the altar, "מִזְבֵּחַ" (mizbeach), signifies the complete dedication of the offering to God. The altar, a sacred place of sacrifice, represents the meeting point between the divine and the human. The burning process transforms the physical into the spiritual, symbolizing the ascent of the offering to God. This act serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative power of God's presence, where our offerings, when given in faith, are sanctified and accepted.

as a pleasing aroma to the LORD
The phrase "pleasing aroma," or "רֵיחַ נִיחוֹחַ" (rei'ach nichoach), conveys the idea of divine satisfaction and acceptance. In the ancient Near Eastern context, aromas were often associated with the presence and favor of deities. For the Israelites, this imagery communicates God's pleasure in the sincere worship and repentance of His people. It reassures believers that their genuine acts of contrition and devotion are received by God with grace and favor.

In this way the priest will make atonement for him
The Hebrew word for "atonement" is "כָּפַר" (kaphar), meaning to cover or to reconcile. The priest, acting as a mediator, facilitates the process of reconciliation between the sinner and God. This foreshadows the ultimate atonement made by Christ, our High Priest, who reconciles us to God through His sacrifice. It emphasizes the necessity of mediation and the grace extended to us through divine provision.

and he will be forgiven
Forgiveness, or "סָלַח" (salach), is a profound act of divine mercy. It signifies the removal of guilt and the restoration of relationship with God. This assurance of forgiveness is central to the covenant relationship between God and His people. It highlights the boundless grace of God, who is always ready to forgive those who come to Him with a contrite heart. This promise of forgiveness is a source of hope and encouragement, reminding believers of the steadfast love and faithfulness of God.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

And
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

he shall remove
יָסִ֗יר (yā·sîr)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the fat
חֶלְבָּ֣הּ (ḥel·bāh)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 2459: Fat, richest, choice part

just as
כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

[it]
חֵלֶב֮ (ḥê·leḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2459: Fat, richest, choice part

is removed
הוּסַ֣ר (hū·sar)
Verb - Hofal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5493: To turn aside

from
מֵעַ֣ל (mê·‘al)
Preposition-m
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the peace offering,
הַשְּׁלָמִים֒ (haš·šə·lā·mîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 8002: A sacrifice for alliance or friendship, peace offering

and the priest
הַכֹּהֵן֙ (hak·kō·hên)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

is to burn
וְהִקְטִ֤יר (wə·hiq·ṭîr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6999: To smoke, turn into fragrance by fire

it on the altar
הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה (ham·miz·bê·ḥāh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4196: An altar

as a pleasing
נִיחֹ֖חַ (nî·ḥō·aḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5207: A quieting, soothing, tranquilizing

aroma
לְרֵ֥יחַ (lə·rê·aḥ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7381: To smell, perceive odor

to the LORD.
לַיהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

In this way the priest
הַכֹּהֵ֖ן (hak·kō·hên)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

will make atonement
וְכִפֶּ֥ר (wə·ḵip·per)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3722: To cover, to expiate, condone, to placate, cancel

for him,
עָלָ֛יו (‘ā·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

and he will be forgiven.
וְנִסְלַ֥ח (wə·nis·laḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5545: To forgive, pardon

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OT Law: Leviticus 4:31 All its fat he shall take away (Le Lv Lev.)