Hebrews 10

1 For the Law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.

The law is just a shadow of the good that was to come, and not the actual reality. So it can never through the repeated sacrifices offered year after year make right those who come to worship God.

2 Or else would not they have ceased to be offered, because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins?

Otherwise wouldn't the sacrifices have stopped being offered? If the worshipers had been made clean once and for all, they wouldn't have had guilty consciences any longer.

3 But in those sacrifices there is yearly reminder of sins.

But in fact those sacrifices remind people of sins year after year,

4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

because it's impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to remove sins.

5 Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.

That's why when Christ came into the world he said, “You didn't want sacrifices or offerings, but you did prepare a body for me.

6 Whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you took no pleasure in.

Burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin gave you no pleasure.

7 Then I said, 'Look, I have come. It is written about me in the scroll of a book; to do your will, God.'"

Then I said, ‘God, see I've come to do what you want me to do, just as it says about me in the book.’”

8 Previously saying, "Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you did not desire, nor took pleasure in" (which are offered according to the Law),

As mentioned above, “You didn't want sacrifices or offerings, and burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin gave you no pleasure,” (even though they are offered in accordance with the law's requirements).

9 then he said, "Look, I have come to do your will." He takes away the first, that he may establish the second,

Then he said, “See, I've come to do what you want.” He gets rid of the first agreement so he can set up the second,

10 by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus (the) Messiah once for all.

through which we all are made holy through Jesus Christ offering his body once and for all time.

11 Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,

Every priest officiates in the services day after day, again and again offering the same sacrifices that can never remove sins.

12 but this one, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;

But this Priest, after he had offered for sins a single sacrifice that lasts forever, sat down at God's right hand.

13 from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet.

Now he waits until all his enemies are conquered, becoming like a footstool for him.

14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

For by a single sacrifice he has set right forever those who are being made holy.

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,

As the Holy Spirit also tells us, for having said,

16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them: 'After those days,' says the Lord, 'I will put my laws on their hearts, I will also write them on their minds.'"

“This is the agreement that I will make with them later on, says the Lord. I will put my laws inside them, and I will write them in their minds.” Then he adds,

17 "And I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more."

“I won't remember their sins and lawlessness anymore.”

18 Now where forgiveness of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

Once free from such things, sin offerings are no longer needed.

19 Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

Now we have the confidence, brothers and sisters, to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus.

20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the curtain, that is to say, his flesh;

Through his life and death, he opened up a brand-new, living way through the veil to God.

21 and having a great priest over the house of God,

Since we have such a great priest placed in charge over the house of God,

22 let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,

let us come close to God with sincere minds, totally trusting in him. Our minds have been sprinkled to purify them from our evil way of thinking, and our bodies have been washed clean by pure water.

23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.

So let us hold onto the hope we're telling others about, never hesitating, for God who promised is trustworthy.

24 Let us consider how to motivate one another to love and good works,

Let's think about how we can motivate one another to love and to do what is good.

25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.

We should not give up meeting together, as some have done. In fact we should be encouraging one another, especially as you see the End approaching.

26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,

For if we deliberately go on sinning after we've understood the truth, there's no longer any sacrifice for sins.

27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.

All that's left is fear, expecting the impending judgment and the terrible fire that destroys those who are hostile to God.

28 Anyone who disregards the Law of Moses dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.

Someone who rejects the law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.

29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

How much worse do you think someone will deserve their punishment if they have trampled underfoot the Son of God, if they have disregarded the blood that sealed the agreement and makes us holy, treating it as ordinary and trivial, and have abused the Spirit of grace?

30 For we know him who said, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay." Again, "The Lord will judge his people."

We know God, and he said, “I will make sure that justice is done; I will give people what they deserve.” He also said, “The Lord will judge his people.”

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

It's terrifying to come under the power of the living God.

32 But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings;

Just remember the past when, after you understood the truth, you experienced a great deal of suffering.

33 partly, being exposed to insults and abuse in public, and sometimes you came to share with others who were treated in the same way.

Sometimes you were made a spectacle of, being insulted and attacked; at other times you stood in solidarity with those who were suffering.

34 For you both had compassion on them that were in chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an enduring one.

You showed your sympathy for those in prison, and took it cheerfully when your possessions were confiscated, knowing that you have something better coming that will truly last.

35 Therefore do not throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.

So don't lose your confidence in God—it will be richly rewarded.

36 For you need patient endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

You need to be patient so that having done what God wants, you'll receive what he has promised.

37 "For in just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.

“In just a little while he will come, as he said—he won't delay.

38 But the righteous will live by faith, and if he holds back, my soul has no pleasure in him."

Those who do what is right will live by trusting in God, and if they draw back from their commitment, I won't be pleased with them.”

39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.

But we're not the kind of people who draw back and end up being lost. We are those who trust in God to save us.