Romans 5:11

"And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement" (Romans 5: 11).

The Old and New Testament words translated as "atonement" differ in meaning. Atonement in Hebrew is "kaphar," which means "covering." The Old Testament sacrifices of goats and bulls covered sin but didn't put away sin. The Greek New Testament word for atonement, "katallage," literally means "making one" and would be better translated "reconciliation." Becoming one with God was impossible through the Old Testament sacrifices; it took the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to reconcile man with God.