Hebrews 8

1 The main point of [all] that [I] have written is that we have a Supreme Priest like that. He has sat down to rule [MTY] with God [EUP] at the place of greatest honor in heaven.

Now concerning the things that have been spoken, the principal point is this: We have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

2 He ministers in the Most Holy Place, that is, in the true place [of worship in heaven]. That is a place that [Moses’] tent [represented]. The Lord set up the true place of worship. No human [set it up].

a minister of the holy places, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

3 Every Supreme Priest was appointed {[God] appointed every Supreme Priest} to offer [to God] gifts and sacrifices [for people who sinned]. So, since [Christ became a Supreme Priest], he also had to offer something.

For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore, it is necessary that this one also have something which he may offer.

4 Since there are already [Jewish] priests who offer gifts as God’s laws [require], if Christ were [now living] on the earth, he would not be a Supreme Priest.

For if he were on earth, he could not be a priest; because there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

5 The [Jewish] priests perform rituals which are only a model [DOU] of [what Christ would do in heaven] [MTY]. What [God] told Moses when Moses was about to set up the tent [for worshipping him supports the idea that those rituals were only a model. God said], “Be sure that you [(sg)] make everything according to the model that I showed you on [Sinai] Mountain!”

and these serve the copy and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: See now, says he, that you make all things according to the pattern shown you in the mount.

6 But now as it is, [Christ] ministers in a more excellent way [than the Jewish priests do]. Likewise, the [new] covenant that he established [between God and people] is better [than the old one. When the new covenant was established] {[God established the new covenant]}, he promised us better things [than the laws that God gave Moses did].

But now he has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as he is the mediator of a better covenant, which is established with reference to better promises.

7 If that first covenant had been perfectly adequate [LIT], God would not have thought that he needed another [covenant/agreement to replace it]. But [it was not adequate, so he needed a new one].

For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second.

8 Because God declared [that the Israelites] were guilty [of not obeying the first covenant, he wanted a new covenant. This is what] ([a prophet/Jeremiah]) [wrote about that]: The Lord says, “Listen! There will soon be a time when I will make a new covenant with the people [MTY] of Israel and the people [MTY] of Judah.

For, finding fault with them, he says: Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will ratify a new covenant for the house of Israel, and for the house of Judah:

9 That covenant will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I led them out of Egypt [MET] [like a father leads a child] by the hand. They did not continue to [obey] my covenant, so I rejected them,” says the Lord.

not like the covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt: because they continued not in my covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord.

10 “This is the covenant that I will make with the Israelites [MTY], after [the first covenant has ended] [MTY],” says the Lord: “I will enable them to understand my laws [MTY], and I will enable them to obey them (OR, truly know them) [MTY] sincerely. I will be their God, and they will be my people [DOU].

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, says the Lord; putting my laws into their understanding, I will also write them upon their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people;

11 [As a result], no one will [need to] teach a fellow citizen or tell his fellow kinsmen, ‘[You need to] know the Lord,’ because all [my people] will know me: [My people] of every status [will know me].

and they shall not teach, every one his citizen, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest;

12 I will mercifully [forgive them for] the wicked things they have done. I will no longer [consider] that [they are guilty for] [DOU] [their] sins.”

because I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more.

13 Since God spoke about a new [covenant], he considered that the first [covenant] was no longer in use, and that it would soon disappear, just like [anything that] gets old [will disappear] [MET, DOU].

In saying, A new covenant, he has regarded the first as out of use. Now, that which is out of use, and has become old, is ready to disappear.