What is the meaning of expiation?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Two related theological terms describe what Jesus accomplished through His death: expiation and propitiation. Expiation refers to the removal of sin and guilt through a substitutionary sacrifice—sin is borne away so that the sinner is cleansed and forgiven (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24). Propitiation includes this idea but goes further, emphasizing that God’s righteous wrath against sin has been fully satisfied through that same sacrifice.

Modern English Bibles rarely use the word “expiation.” The 1995 version of the NASB includes it once (Numbers 35:33), and the RSV uses it several times, translating Hebrew and Greek terms that other versions render as atonement, purification, or cleansing. The key Greek word hilastērion (and its related forms) is often translated as atonement or propitiation (i.e., Romans 3:25; Hebrews 2:17). While scholars debate which English term best fits specific contexts, most modern translations choose words that encompass both aspects of Christ’s work—the removal of sin and the appeasement of divine wrath.

Although “expiation” is seldom used anymore, the concept remains central to the gospel. Jesus’ sacrifice cleanses sin, removes guilt, and reconciles sinners to God, fulfilling what every Old Testament offering foreshadowed (Hebrews 1:3; 9:14).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Old Testament provides the foundation for understanding expiation, as it introduces the concept of sin being covered, cleansed, or borne away through sacrifice. The Hebrew term most often translated as atonement is kaphar, meaning “to cover” or “to make reconciliation.” Through the sacrificial system, God taught His people that sin required death and that forgiveness came only through the shedding of blood. When the priest made atonement, he symbolically removed guilt from the sinner, cleansing the person or the community before God (Leviticus 4:20, 16:30). This removal of guilt captures the essence of what later came to be called expiation.
• In some older translations, such as the Revised Standard Version, expiation appears in verses like Numbers 35:33 to describe the removal of guilt and defilement from the land through sacrifice. The English Standard Version, by contrast, generally uses the broader term atonement for those same Hebrew expressions. This reflects a deliberate shift in emphasis. Expiation highlights the cleansing or guilt-removing aspect of sacrifice, while atonement conveys both the removal of sin and the restoration of the relationship between God and His people. Translators often favor atonement because it encompasses the full scope of what the Old Testament sacrificial system achieved symbolically and what Christ would later fulfill completely.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The New Testament presents two closely related ideas—expiation and propitiation—that together describe the saving work of Christ. Expiation focuses on sin itself, involving the removal or cleansing of guilt through a substitutionary sacrifice. The emphasis is on what happens to the sinner’s guilt—it is taken away, covered, and cleansed. Propitiation, on the other hand, includes expiation but also emphasizes what happens toward God—His righteous wrath is satisfied and His favor restored. Both terms describe essential aspects of Christ’s atoning work on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24).
• In older English translations such as the Revised Standard Version, expiation appears in verses like Romans 3:25 and Hebrews 2:17 to translate the Greek word hilastērion and its related forms. The English Standard Version, however, translates these same verses using the word propitiation, a word that encompasses both the removal of sin and the satisfaction of God’s wrath.
• Even though the word expiation rarely appears in modern Bibles, its meaning remains essential for understanding salvation. Scripture clearly teaches that Jesus bore sin and removed guilt through His death, cleansing believers and reconciling them to God (Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:7). Expiation is, therefore, a valid theological description of what Christ accomplished, even if translators often choose broader terms like atonement or propitiation to convey the complete picture of His redemptive work.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Every person stands guilty before God because of sin. Sin is not only the wrong things we do but the corruption of the heart that separates us from a holy God. Left uncleaned, sin defiles the conscience, damages others, and condemns us under God’s righteous judgment. We do not simply need to feel better about ourselves—we need our guilt removed and our hearts purified before the One who made us.

But cleansing alone is not enough. If God were to erase guilt without dealing with justice, He would deny His own holiness because He would allow sin to be unpunished. His wrath against sin must also be satisfied. The cross of Christ reveals how God did both at once. Jesus took our place, bearing sin’s penalty and suffering the judgment our rebellion deserved. In doing so, He satisfied divine justice—what theologians call propitiation—while also removing our guilt and cleansing us completely—what they call expiation.

Through faith in Jesus, both needs are met. We are forgiven because our sin has been borne away, and we are reconciled because God’s wrath has been turned aside. The result is peace with God and a clean conscience. Christ’s sacrifice does not merely wash away sin—it removes the need to judge it, leaving every believer washed, accepted, and forever secure.

UNDERSTAND

• Expiation is the removal of sin and guilt through Christ’s sacrifice.
• Old Testament sacrifices foreshadowed this cleansing.
• Expiation, paired with propitiation, reconciles us to God fully.

REFLECT

• How does knowing that Jesus fully removed your guilt through His sacrifice change the way you view your struggles with sin?
• How can you live more consciously in the freedom and cleansing that expiation provides?
• How does understanding both expiation and propitiation deepen your gratitude for Christ’s work on the cross?

ENGAGE

• How do Old Testament sacrifices help us better understand expiation?
• How does the distinction between expiation (cleansing sin) and propitiation (satisfying God’s wrath) shape our understanding of salvation?
• How can we encourage one another to live in the reality of being fully forgiven and reconciled to God?