Hebrews 9

1 Now even the first covenant had its ordinances of public worship, and its sanctuary, a material one.

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

2 For a tent was built, the outer one called the Holy Place, in which were the lamp and the table and the loaves of the Presence;

For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first room were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of the Presence; this is called the Holy Place.

3 and behind the second veil was the tent called the Holy of Holies.

Behind the second veil was a room called the Holy of Holies.

4 In it was the golden altar of incense, and also the Ark of the Covenant covered all over with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

It had a golden censer and the ark of the covenant, which was overlaid on all sides with gold. In the ark were the golden jar containing the manna, the rod of Aaron that had budded, and the tablets of the covenant.

5 while above it, overshadowing the mercy-seat, were the cherubim of glory. But I must not speak about these in detail.

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

6 Such then were the arrangements. Into the outer tent the priests enter continually in the performance of their duties;

When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room of the tabernacle, performing their sacred duties.

7 but into the inner tent the high priest only goes alone, once a year, and that not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the ignorances of the people.

But into the second room, the high priest alone entered only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people.

8 The Holy Spirit teaching by this that the way into the Holiest has not yet been disclosed while the first tent is still standing.

By this arrangement the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the holy places had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.

9 This is a parable, for the present time, according to which gifts and sacrifices are offered that are not able, as far as conscience is concerned, to perfect the worshiper;

This is a symbol for the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,

10 since they consist only in meats and drinks and various ablutions, carnal ordinances, imposed until the time of reformation.

but deal only with food and drink, and various washings and regulations for the flesh, imposed until the time of reformation.

11 But when Christ came, a High Priest of good things to come, he passed through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is to say, not of this material creation,

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands (that is, not of this creation),

12 not taking the blood of goats and oxen, but his own blood, and entered once for all into the Holy Place, obtaining for us an eternal redemption. (aiōnios g166)

he entered once for all into the holy places, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. (aiōnios g166)

13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleansing of the flesh,

For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,

14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through his eternal spirit offered himself free from blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works unto the service of an ever-living God! (aiōnios g166)

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your consciences from dead works to serve the living God? (aiōnios g166)

15 And because of this he is the Mediator of a new testament, in order that, since a death has taken place to atone for offenses committed under the first testament, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (aiōnios g166)

That is why he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. (aiōnios g166)

16 For where there is a testament, there must also be brought forward in evidence the death of the testator.

For in the case of a will, it is necessary to establish the death of the one who made it,

17 For a testament is only of force in case of the dead, being never valid so long as the testator lives.

because a will takes effect only after the person's death; it is never in force while the person who made it is alive.

18 Accordingly we find that not without blood was the first testament enacted.

That is why even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood.

19 For after every commandment according to the law had been spoken by Moses to the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people.

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 itself and all the people,

20 saying, This is the blood of that testament which God commanded in regard to you.

saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.”

21 Moreover the tabernacle and all the vessels of service he sprinkled likewise, and indeed, according to the Law,

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

22 almost everything is purified by blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.

Indeed, according to the law nearly everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission.

23 While, then, it was necessary that the copies of the heavenly things should be cleansed by such sacrifices, the heavenly things themselves required nobler sacrifices than these.

So it was necessary for the copies of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices, but for the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these.

24 For it was not into a Sanctuary made by hands, a mere type of the reality, that Christ entered, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the very presence of God on our behalf.

For Christ did not enter holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true ones; he entered heaven itself, so that he might now appear before God on our behalf.

25 Nor did he enter to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest entered into the sanctuary, year after year, with blood that was not his own;

Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the holy places year after year with blood that is not his own,

26 (for in that case he would have needed to suffer repeatedly, ever since the foundation of the world; )but now, once for all, at the end of the ages, he has appeared to abolish sin, but the offering of himself. (aiōn g165)

for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. (aiōn g165)

27 And since it is appointed to men once to die, and after that the judgment;

And just as it is appointed for men to die once and then face judgment,

28 so also the Christ, after being once for all offered to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who wait for him for salvation.

so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly waiting for him.