WG: Offer Up / Sacrificial Bearing
Overview
The offering/bearing-upward concept in the NT centers on the act of presenting sacrifices to God and vicariously bearing sin. Seven Greek words form a cluster that spans the root verb of carrying (phérō), its sacrificial compounds (anaphérō, prosphérō), the cognate offering-noun (prosphorá), the sacrifice itself (thysia), the burnt offering (holokautōma), and the sin being dealt with (hamartia). Hebrews is the primary convergence point, where 3–4 members appear together in single verses.
Word Group Members
| Strong's |
Word |
Transliteration |
POS |
Occurrences |
Role in Concept |
Library Entry |
| G399 |
ἀναφέρω |
anaphérō |
verb |
9 |
The upward act — bearing sacrifice or sin upward to God |
G399-anaphero.md |
| G4374 |
προσφέρω |
prosphérō |
verb |
45 |
The presenting act — bringing an offering toward God |
G4374-prosphero.md |
| G4376 |
προσφορά |
prosphorá |
noun |
9 |
The cognate noun — the offering/presentation itself; dominant in Heb 10 for Christ's definitive offering |
G4376-prosphora.md |
| G5342 |
φέρω |
phérō |
verb |
58 |
The root verb — general bearing/carrying, base of both compounds |
TODO(need G5342 study) |
| G2378 |
θυσία |
thysía |
noun |
29 |
The offering itself — the sacrifice presented |
G2378-thysia.md |
| G3646 |
ὁλοκαύτωμα |
holokaútōma |
noun |
3 |
The specific type — whole burnt offering consumed entirely by fire |
TODO(need G3646 study) |
| G266 |
ἁμαρτία |
hamartía |
noun |
151 |
The object dealt with — sin that is offered for or borne vicariously |
G266-hamartia.md |
Relationships
Shared Roots
- φέρω (G5342) is the root of both ἀναφέρω (G399) (ἀνά + φέρω = bear upward) and προσφέρω (G4374) (πρός + φέρω = bear toward/present)
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)
| Word A |
Word B |
Shared Verses |
Typical Context |
| θυσία (G2378) |
προσφέρω (G4374) |
9 |
"offer sacrifice" — the standard construction pairing the act with its object |
| ἁμαρτία (G266) |
προσφέρω (G4374) |
8 |
"offering for sins" — sin as the reason for the offering |
| θυσία (G2378) |
ἁμαρτία (G266) |
7 |
"sacrifice for sin" — sacrifice addressing the problem of sin |
| ἀναφέρω (G399) |
θυσία (G2378) |
3 |
"offer up sacrifice" — the ascending act applied to sacrifice |
| ἀναφέρω (G399) |
ἁμαρτία (G266) |
3 |
"bear sins" / "offer up for sins" — vicarious bearing |
| θυσία (G2378) |
προσφορά (G4376) |
3 |
"sacrifice and offering" — paired comprehensively in Heb 10:5, 8; Eph 5:2 |
| προσφορά (G4376) |
ἁμαρτία (G266) |
2 |
"offering for sin" — Christ's offering addressing sin (Heb 10:18) |
| προσφορά (G4376) |
ἁγιάζω (G37) |
3 |
"sanctified through the offering" — offering producing sanctification |
| θυσία (G2378) |
ὁλοκαύτωμα (G3646) |
2 |
"sacrifice and burnt offering" — paired offering types |
| ἁμαρτία (G266) |
ὁλοκαύτωμα (G3646) |
2 |
"burnt offerings for sin" — whole burnt offering addressing sin |
LXX Overlaps (Shared Hebrew Sources)
| Hebrew Source |
Strong's |
Greek Members Bridged |
Notes |
| עֹלָה (ʻolah) |
H5930 |
G3646 (163×), G399 (57×), G2378 (77×), G4374 (23×) |
The burnt offering — primary bridge connecting 4 of 6 members |
| שֶׁלֶם (shelem) |
H8002 |
G2378 (60×), G3646 (24×), G399 (13×), G4374 (11×) |
The peace/fellowship offering — same 4 members |
| מִנְחָה (minchah) |
H4503 |
G2378 (142×), G4374 (25×), G5342 (23×) |
The grain/meal offering — bridges the two offering verbs with thysia |
| אִשֶּׁה (ishsheh) |
H801 |
G3646 (20×), G399 (12×), G4374 (10×) |
Fire offering — liturgical term for offerings made by fire |
| זֶבַח (zebach) |
H2077 |
G2378 (130×), G3646 (32×) |
Slaughtered sacrifice — bridges the two offering nouns |
| קׇרְבָּן (qorban) |
H7133 |
G4374 (31×), G2378 (38×) |
"Something brought near" — bridges the presenting verb with sacrifice |
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together
- Heb 10:8 — [G2378 + G4376 + G4374 + G3646] "Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein"
- Heb 10:10 — [G4376 + G37] "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all"
- Heb 10:14 — [G4376 + G37] "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified"
- Heb 7:27 — [G399 + G2378 + G266] "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's"
- Heb 9:28 — [G399 + G266 + G4374] "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many"
- Heb 10:11 — [G2378 + G266 + G4374] "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins"
- Heb 10:12 — [G2378 + G266 + G4374] "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God"
- Heb 5:1 — [G2378 + G266 + G4374] "For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins"
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Last updated: 2026-05-03