Hebrews 9

1 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.

Now that first covenant did indeed have regulations for divine service and the earthly sanctuary.

2 A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place.

Yes, a tabernacle was set up: the first part, which is called the Holy Place, in which were the lamp stand, the table and the showbread;

3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,

and behind the second curtain an area called the Holy of Holies,

4 containing 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.

having a golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold—in it were a golden jar holding the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant;

5 Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

while above it were cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat (this is not the place to go into detail about them).

6 When everything had been prepared in this way, the priests entered regularly into the first room to perform their sacred duties.

Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests continually went into the first part, performing the divine services,

7 But 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.

but into the second one only the high priest could go, once a year and only with blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins of ignorance;

8 By 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.

the Holy Spirit was making clear that the way into the Most Holy Place was not yet open to the public while the first tabernacle was still in existence.

9 It is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper.

It was a figure during the time then present, a time when both gifts and sacrifices were being offered that were incapable of clearing the conscience of the worshiper—

10 They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.

they were only about foods and drinks and various ceremonial washings and physical regulations, things imposed until the time of restructuring.

11 But 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.

But Christ entered once for all into the real Holy Places, having obtained eternal redemption—He had come as High Priest of the good things that are about to be, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,

12 He 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. (aiōnios g166)

and with His own blood, not that of goats and calves. (aiōnios g166)

13 For 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,

For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who had been ceremonially defiled, restored ceremonial purity to the body,

14 how 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! (aiōnios g166)

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the Holy Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (aiōnios g166)

15 Therefore 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. (aiōnios g166)

For this reason He is mediator of a new covenant, so that those who have been called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant. (aiōnios g166)

16 In the case of a will, it is necessary to establish the death of the one who made it,

Now where there is a will, the death of the one who made it must be established;

17 because a will does not take effect until the one who made it has died; it cannot be executed while he is still alive.

because a will is in force after men are dead, since it never takes effect while the one who made it lives.

18 That is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.

Therefore, not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood;

19 For 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,

because when every commandment of the Law had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the scroll itself and all the people,

20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”

saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has decreed to you.”

21 In the same way, he sprinkled with blood the tabernacle and all the vessels used in worship.

Then he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the divine service with the blood in the same way.

22 According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

In fact, according to the Law nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

23 So 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.

So then, it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with such, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than those.

24 For 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.

For Christ did not enter into Holy Places made by hands, mere copies of the true ones, but into Heaven itself, now to appear in God's presence on our behalf;

25 Nor 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.

but not in order to offer Himself repeatedly, like the high priest who entered the Most Holy Place year by year with another's blood

26 Otherwise, 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. (aiōn g165)

—otherwise He would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world; but now, once for all at the end of the ages, He has been revealed to nullify sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (aiōn g165)

27 Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,

Also, inasmuch as men are destined to die but once, after which the judgment,

28 so 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.

so the Christ also, having been offered once for all to bear the sins of many—He will appear a second time to those who are eagerly waiting for Him, apart from sin, into salvation.