Our Hymnbook

What Can Wash Away My Sin

Robert Lowry, 1876

Verse 1

What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

What can make me whole again?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus

Oh! Precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Verse 2

For my cleansing, this I see,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

For my pardon this my plea,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Verse 3

Nothing can for sin atone,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

Naught of good that I have done,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Verse 4

This is all my hope and peace,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus;

This is all my righteousness,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Verse 5

Now by this I’ll overcome-

Nothing but the blood of Jesus,

Now by this I’ll reach my home-

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For musicians

Open the Chords view to see the chords over the words, move the song into any key, and download the chart. Written in G.

Download chord chart

Behind the hymn

"What Can Wash Away My Sin" (also known as "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus") was written by Robert Lowry in 1876, a Baptist pastor and professor at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Lowry was both a gifted preacher and a prolific composer who wrote the tunes for many well-known hymns, including the refrain for "I Need Thee Every Hour" and the music for "Shall We Gather at the River." He wrote this hymn during a period when the theology of Christ's atoning blood was central to evangelical preaching and hymnody. The simple question-and-answer format — "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus" — makes it one of the most direct and memorable gospel songs ever written. Each verse explores a different aspect of what the blood of Christ accomplishes: forgiveness, righteousness, hope, and peace. Its repetitive structure and straightforward theology have made it a favorite for evangelistic services, baptisms, and communion services for nearly 150 years.

Previous26. There is One Gospel All hymns Next28. The Church's One Foundation

Lyrics