The word "atonement" occurs 81 times in the Old Testament and only once in the New Testament (Romans 5:11). It is the Hebrew word "kaphar" and the Greek word "katallage":

Strong's # 3722 kaphar kaw-far' a primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel:-- appease, make (an atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile(-liation).

Strong's #2643 katallage kat-al-lag-ay' from 2644; exchange (figuratively, adjustment), i.e. restoration to (the divine) favor:--atonement, reconciliation(-ing). see GREEK for 2644

In the New Testament we are much more likely to find words like cover, forgive, cleanse, purified, pure, purge, propitiation, reconcile, mercy, and merciful. All these words are contained in Strong's definitions for kaphar and katallage translated as atonement and all are atoning words.

Our own English word "atonement", translated from "kaphar" originally meant "at-one-ment", i.e. being "at one", meaning in harmony, unified, joined or at peace.

In the Old Testament, atonement was intimately linked with forgiveness (purification or cleansing) from sin.

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. Leviticus 4:26

And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him. Leviticus 5:10

And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering: And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean. Leviticus 14:19-20

The only verse in the New Testament containing the actual word "atonement" describes it very clearly. Atonement consists of two parts. 1) reconciliation and 2) salvation.

For if, when we were enemies, we were [1] reconciled to Yahweh by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be [2] saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in Yahweh through our Yahweh, Yahushua the Messiah, by whom we have now received the atonement. Romans 5:10-11

Notice, we are RECONCILED by the Son's DEATH.

And we are SAVED by His LIFE.

Most theories of atonement incorrectly claim that we are SAVED by the DEATH. This is a false, pagan teaching and requires several (one, some or all) of the following pagan concepts to function.

1. Appeasement of a false god through a (pagan) blood sacrifice.

2. The nature of a stern, unmerciful false god.

3. The false concept of substitution (transference) of sin, placing them on the Son

4. The false concept that the Son could be sinless while weighted down by transferred sins (if they could be transferred).

5. The false concept of substitution of penalty.

6. The false concept that a penalty was required.

7. The false concept that suffering can save.

8. The false concept that the omnipotent Yahweh was too weak to overcome Satan without paying a "ransom".

9. The false concept that salvation can be bought (purchased) or sold.

10. If the atoning sacrifice of the Son was death on the cross, then the evil Romans and Jews provided our salvation by acting as officiating priests.

11. If the atoning sacrifice of the Son was death on the cross, then it was no different than the criminals' deaths on either side.

12. Any concept that salvation is something man does (even the man Yahushua [Jesus]), rather than something Yahweh does to effect man, is false.

13. The Bible clearly teaches that people are responsible for their own sins. The concept of transference is false.

14. Punishment of an innocent person to impress on others the seriousness of sin is a false concept.

15. The concept that man affects God through atonement is false. Instead, God affects man (God doesn't need to change, man does).


ANY theory claiming salvation by "death" or violence is false.

Paul, in Romans 5:10 clearly states that we are "SAVED by his LIFE", we are "RECONCILED to Yahweh by the DEATH"...

Following are sample verses describing reconciliation - many include "blood", "offering" or "death".

And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it. Leviticus 8:15

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. 2 Chronicles 29:24

And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new moons, and in the Sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for the house of Israel. Ezekiel 45:17

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Daniel 9:24

And all things are of יהוה [Yahweh, our god], who hath reconciled us to himself by Yahushua the Messiah, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that יהוה was in the Messiah, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to יהוה, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17

There is only one verse linking justification with the blood of the Son:

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Romans 5:9

However, JUSTIFICATION is NOT SALVATION. In this verse, Paul compares salvation as "Much more then, being now justified".

There are MANY verses that link justification with faith, grace, works and words (Matthew 12:37, Acts 13:39, Romans 2:13, Romans 3:24-28, Romans 5:1, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 3:8,11,24, Titus 3:7, James 2:24,25).

No verse equates "Justification" with "Salvation". Justification may be required for salvation, but justification is NOT salvation. BOTH the just and the unjust will be resurrected.

And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. Acts 24:15

There is no way that Romans 5:9 can be made to say that there is salvation by his blood. Everything in the Bible says that all we have to do is call on the name of Yahweh to be saved (Joel 2:32 see "Yahweh" is the ONLY name that SAVES).

Any view that the Messiah was a blood sacrifice to appease god (for any reason), is prima facie, false and pagan. Physical blood cannot purify spiritual sin, even if it is the blood of the Messiah.

There are two possible groups of theories. Atonement was either violence based or love based. Any theory claiming that Yahweh God required violence to accomplish salvation is wrong (Satanic) prima facie.

The following, violent possible scenarios will prove this:

Either Yahweh God killed His Son by violence (directly or indirectly by requiring it) or Satan caused His death. This doesn't imply that foreknowledge is causative, of course it was known what Satan would do. Foreknowledge didn't force Satan to do it.

It should be easy to agree that Yahweh God didn't kill His son directly, and we can probably agree that it wasn't a suicide.

So, either:
1) Satan did it and it was a requirement of Yahweh, whereby Satan became the instrument of salvation (no)
OR
2) It wasn't a requirement but Satan did it anyway (this being the last possible option, we have to agree that the violent "execution" didn't provide salvation).

Now we can realize that the atoning sacrifice was more than just the cross and Paul confirms it:

Let this mind be in you, which was also in the Messiah Yahushua [Jesus]: Who, being in the form of Elohim [God], [1] thought it not robbery to be equal with יהוה [Yahweh]: But [2] made himself of no reputation, and [3] took upon him the form of a servant, and was [4] made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he [5] humbled himself, and [6] became obedient unto death, even [7] the death of the stake [mistranslated cross]. Wherefore יהוה [Yahweh] also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: Philippians 2:5-9

The only way to bring the Bible into harmony is to realize that ALL seven parts of this verse are included in the "atonement". To ignore the first six and then magnify the 7th until it is everything, turns the atonement into a pagan blood sacrifice.

The following page lists some of the more common theories of atonement with their strengths and errors. It is useful for unmasking errors that Satan has introduced into the atonement. If you are less interested in studying theory, skip, instead to the True Biblical Atonement