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Scripture Topic Guide

Bible Verses About Penal Substitution And The Atonement

Early Christian writings strongly teach that Jesus’ blood, death, and sacrifice bring forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation, and cleansing. Writers like Clement of Rome, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Origen, Tertullian, Cyprian, and the Apostolic Constitutions speak this way in many places, and several tie Christ to ransom, propitiation, or the sinner’s place. The evidence for a fully developed penal-substitution model is mixed, though:

some texts stress Christ bearing sins, taking the place of sinners, or giving himself as a ransom, while others use broader sacrifice, healing, and reconciliation language. So the early church clearly taught substitutionary and sacrificial atonement, but the precise later formula of penal substitution is only partly explicit and often indirect.

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Key Passages

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How to Study Penal Substitution And The Atonement

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Start with the clearest command or anchor text Read the primary passage in context before building doctrine from supporting references.
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Scripture Map

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35 references

Supporting Passages

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Direct Gospel wording for the cup and forgiveness

And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Forgiveness through redemption language

If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.

Ransom imposed language from the law

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Blood of Christ purifies conscience

One kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings.

Old Testament sin offering background

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Without shedding of blood no remission

And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should be made for all Israel.

Atonement by blood in temple law

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.

High priest sacrifice background in Hebrews

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Offering of Christ’s body once for all

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Sacrifice of himself as background text

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

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings,

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Redemption through his blood

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.

Direct atonement command in Leviticus

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

Words of institution with covenant blood

And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Precious blood like a lamb

Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

Ransom found language

And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.

Same covenant blood language

Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Same cup saying with shed blood

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Roman text on propitiation by his blood

If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.

And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

Scripture passage attached to the early Christian evidence page.