αἷμα

Αἷμα is the ordinary Greek noun for blood. In the New Testament it can name physical blood, violent death, shared human descent, the blood of witnesses, sacrificial blood, and the blood of Jesus. The noun itself does not mean atonement; particular passages give Christ's blood its covenantal, sacrificial, cleansing, redemptive, or victory-bearing significance.

Leviticus 17:11 supplies essential scriptural background by joining blood, life, altar, and atonement. Hebrews 9:22 carefully says that under the law nearly everything is cleansed with blood and that forgiveness does not occur without bloodshed. The surrounding argument then contrasts repeated animal offerings with Christ's self-offering and its effect on the conscience. These passages warrant strong sacrificial claims while their qualifications should remain visible.

Matthew 26:28 identifies the cup with Jesus' covenant blood poured out for many for forgiveness. Romans 3:25 presents Christ in relation to his blood, faith, atonement, and the demonstration of God's righteousness. Ephesians 1:7 speaks of redemption and forgiveness in Christ's blood. Revelation 1:5 praises Jesus as the ruler who frees his people from sins by his blood. Each passage contributes to a canonical account of Christ's death, but the lexical entry should not force every use of αἷμα into one atonement model or treat the noun alone as proof of a complete theory.

The local New Testament index currently counts about 97 uses. The word retains its ordinary physical sense, can refer to bloodshed and human kinship, and receives particular sacrificial and covenantal significance in passages about Christ. Hebrews develops sustained contrasts between animal blood and Christ's self-offering, while Revelation speaks both of Christ's blood and the blood of faithful witnesses.