< Hebrews 10 >

1 For in the law there was a shadow of the good things to come; not the substance of the things themselves. Therefore, although the same sacrifices were every year offered, they could never perfect those who offered them.
For, since the Law exhibits only an outline of the blessings to come and not a perfect representation of the things themselves, the priests can never, by repeating the same sacrifices which they continually offer year after year, give complete freedom from sin to those who draw near.
2 For, if they had perfected them, they would long ago have desisted from their offerings; because their conscience could no more disquiet them, who were once purified, on account of their sins.
For then would not the sacrifices have ceased to be offered, because the consciences of the worshippers--who in that case would now have been cleansed once for all--would no longer be burdened with sins?
3 But in those sacrifices, they every year recognized their sins.
But in those sacrifices sins are recalled to memory year after year.
4 For the blood of bulls and of goats cannot purge away sins.
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Therefore, when entering the world, he said: In sacrifices and oblations, thou hast not had pleasure; but thou hast clothed me with a body.
That is why, when He comes into the world, He says, "Sacrifice and offering Thou has not desired, but a body Thou hast prepared for Me.
6 And holocausts on account of sins, thou hast not asked.
In whole burnt-offerings and in sin-offerings Thou hast taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said: Behold I come, as it is written of me in the beginning of the books, to do thy pleasure, O God.
Then I said, 'I have come--in the roll of the book it is written concerning Me--to do Thy will, O God.'"
8 He first said: Sacrifices and oblations and holocausts for sins, which were offered according to the law, thou desiredst not;
After saying the words I have just quoted, "Sacrifices and offerings or whole burnt-offerings and sin-offerings Thou hast not desired or taken pleasure in" --all such being offered in obedience to the Law--
9 and afterwards he said: Behold I come to do thy pleasure, O God: hereby, he abolished the former, that he might establish the latter.
He then adds, "I have come to do Thy will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second.
10 For by this his pleasure, we are sanctified; through the offering of the body of Jesus the Messiah a single time.
It is through that divine will that we have been set free from sin, through the offering of Jesus Christ as our sacrifice once for all.
11 For every high priest who stood and ministered daily, offered again and again the same sacrifices, which never were sufficient to purge away sins.
And while every priest stands ministering, day after day, and constantly offering the same sacrifices--though such can never rid us of our sins--
12 But this Priest offered one sacrifice for sins, and for ever sat down at the right hand of God;
this Priest, on the contrary, after offering for sins a single sacrifice of perpetual efficacy, took His seat at God's right hand,
13 and thenceforth waited, until his foes should be placed as a footstool under his feet.
waiting from that time onward until His enemies be put as a footstool under His feet.
14 For by one offering, he hath perfected for ever, them who are sanctified by him.
For by a single offering He has for ever completed the blessing for those whom He is setting free from sin.
15 And the Holy Spirit also testifieth to us, by saying:
And the Holy Spirit also gives us His testimony; for when He had said,
16 This is the covenant which I will give them after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my law into their minds, and inscribe it on their hearts;
"'This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those days,' says the Lord: 'I will put My laws upon their hearts and will write them on their minds;'"
17 and their iniquity and their sins, I will not remember against them.
He adds, "And their sins and offences I will remember no longer."
18 Now, where there is a remission of sins, there is no offering for sin demanded.
But where these have been forgiven no further offering for sin is required.
19 We have therefore, my brethren, assurance in entering into the sanctuary, by the blood of Jesus, and by a way of life,
Since then, brethren, we have free access to the Holy place through the blood of Jesus,
20 which he hath now consecrated for us, through the veil, that is his flesh.
by the new and ever-living way which He opened up for us through the rending of the veil--that is to say, of His earthly nature--
21 And we have a high priest over the house of God.
and since we have a great Priest who has authority over the house of God,
22 Let us, therefore draw near, with a true heart, and with the confidence of faith, being sprinkled as to our hearts, and pure from an evil conscience, and our body being washed with pure water.
let us draw near with sincerity and unfaltering faith, having had our hearts sprinkled, once for all, from consciences oppressed with sin, and our bodies bathed in pure water.
23 And let us persevere in the profession of our hope, and not waver; for he is faithful who hath made the promise to us.
Let us hold firmly to an unflinching avowal of our hope, for He is faithful who gave us the promises.
24 And let us look on each other, for the excitement of love and good works.
And let us bestow thought on one another with a view to arousing one another to brotherly love and right conduct;
25 And let us not forsake our meetings, as is the custom of some; but entreat ye one another; and the more, as ye see that day draw near.
not neglecting--as some habitually do--to meet together, but encouraging one another, and doing this all the more since you can see the day of Christ approaching.
26 For if a man sin, voluntarily, after he hath received a knowledge of the truth, there is no longer a sacrifice which may be offered for sins:
For if we wilfully persist in sin after having received the full knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains in reserve any other sacrifice for sins.
27 but the fearful judgment impendeth, and the zeal of fire that consumeth the adversaries.
There remains nothing but a certain awful expectation of judgement, and the fury of a fire which before long will devour the enemies of the truth.
28 For if he, who transgressed the law of Moses, died without mercies, at the mouth of two or three witnesses;
Any one who bids defiance to the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 how much more, think ye, will he receive capital punishment, who hath trodden upon the Son of God, and hath accounted the blood of his covenant, by which he is sanctified, as the blood of all men, and hath treated the Spirit of grace with contumely?
How much severer punishment, think you, will he be held to deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, has not regarded as holy that Covenant-blood with which he was set free from sin, and has insulted the Spirit from whom comes grace?
30 For we know him who hath said, Retribution is mine; and I will repay: and again, The Lord will judge his people.
For we know who it is that has said, "Vengeance belongs to Me: I will pay back;" and again, "The Lord will be His people's judge."
31 It is very terrible, to fall into the hands of the living God.
It is an awful thing to fall into the hands of the ever-living God.
32 Therefore, recollect ye the former days, those in which ye received baptism, and endured a great conflict of sufferings, with reproach and affliction;
But continually recall to mind the days now past, when on being first enlightened you went through a great conflict and many sufferings.
33 and ye were a gazing stock, and also were the associates of persons who endured these things:
This was partly through allowing yourselves to be made a public spectacle amid reproaches and persecutions, and partly through coming forward to share the sufferings of those who were thus treated.
34 and ye were grieved for those who were imprisoned; and ye cheerfully endured the plundering of your goods, because ye knew that ye had a possession in heaven, superior and not transitory.
For you not only showed sympathy with those who were imprisoned, but you even submitted with joy when your property was taken from you, being well aware that you have in your own selves a more valuable possession and one which will remain.
35 Therefore cast not away your assurance which is to have a great reward.
Therefore do not cast from you your confident hope, for it will receive a vast reward.
36 For ye have need of patience; that ye may do the pleasure of God, and may receive the promise.
For you stand in need of patient endurance, so that, as the result of having done the will of God, you may receive the promised blessing.
37 Because, yet a little, and it is a very little time, when he that cometh, will come, and will not delay.
For there is still but a short time and then "The coming One will come and will not delay.
38 Now the just by my faith, will live: but if he draw back, my soul will not have pleasure in him.
But it is by faith that My righteous servant shall live; and if he shrinks back, My soul takes no pleasure in him."
39 But we are not of that drawing-back, which leadeth to perdition; but of that faith, which maketh us possess our soul.
But we are not people who shrink back and perish, but are among those who believe and gain possession of their souls.

< Hebrews 10 >