1Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.
2A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place.
3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,
4containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.
5Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
6When everything had been prepared in this way, the priests entered regularly into the first room to perform their sacred duties.
7But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
8By this arrangement the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.
9It is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper.
10They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.
11But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation.
12He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.
13For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean,
14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
15Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
16In the case of a will, it is necessary to establish the death of the one who made it,
17because a will does not take effect until the one who made it has died; it cannot be executed while he is still alive.
18That is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.
19For when Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people,
20saying, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”
21In the same way, he sprinkled with blood the tabernacle and all the vessels used in worship.
22According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23So it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.
25Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
26Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
27Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
28so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
1For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
2If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins.
3Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,
4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me.
6In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.
7Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do Your will, O God.’”
8In the passage above He says, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (although they are offered according to the law).
9Then He adds, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second.
10And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.
13Since that time, He waits for His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet,
14because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.
15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says:
16“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”
17Then He adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”
18And where these have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer needed.
19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body,
21and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
24And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.
25Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
26If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,
27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries.
28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?
30For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32Remember the early days that you were in the light. In those days, you endured a great conflict in the face of suffering.
33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who were so treated.
34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.
35So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.
36You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.
37For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.
38But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
