Hebrews 10

1 For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the real forms of those things themselves. Those who approach God can never be made perfect by the same sacrifices that the priests continually bring year after year.

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 Otherwise, would the sacrifices not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed one time and would no longer have any consciousness of sin.

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 with those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year.

But in those sacrifices sins are recalled to memory year after year.

4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 When Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me;

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 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not take pleasure.

In whole burnt-offerings and in sin-offerings Thou hast taken no pleasure.

7 Then I said, 'See, here I am— as it is written about me in the scroll— to do your will.'”

Then I said, 'I have come--in the roll of the book it is written concerning Me--to do Thy will, O God.'"

8 First he said, “It was neither sacrifices, nor offerings, nor whole burnt offerings, nor sacrifices for sin that you desired. Nor did you take pleasure in them.” These are sacrifices that are offered according to the law.

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 Then he said, “See, here I am to do your will.” He takes away the first practice in order to establish the second practice.

He then adds, "I have come to do Thy will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second.

10 By that will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

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 Day after day every priest stands and performs his service to God. He offers the same sacrifices again and again—sacrifices that can never take 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 when Christ offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he 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 He is waiting until his enemies are made a stool for his feet.

waiting from that time onward until His enemies be put as a footstool under His feet.

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

For by a single offering He has for ever completed the blessing for those whom He is setting free from sin.

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us. First he said,

And the Holy Spirit also gives us His testimony; for when He had said,

16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.

"'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 Their sins and lawless deeds I will remember no longer.”

He adds, "And their sins and offences I will remember no longer."

18 Now where there is forgiveness for these, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.

But where these have been forgiven no further offering for sin is required.

19 Therefore, brothers, we have confidence to enter into the most holy place by the blood of Jesus.

Since then, brethren, we have free access to the Holy place through the blood of Jesus,

20 That is the new and living way that he has opened for us through the curtain, that is, by means of 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 Because we have a great priest over the house of God,

and since we have a great Priest who has authority over the house of God,

22 let us approach with true hearts in the full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and having our bodies 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 Let us also hold tightly to the confession of our hope without wavering, because God, who has promised, is faithful.

Let us hold firmly to an unflinching avowal of our hope, for He is faithful who gave us the promises.

24 Let us consider how to motivate one another to love and good deeds.

And let us bestow thought on one another with a view to arousing one another to brotherly love and right conduct;

25 Let us not stop meeting together, as some have done. Instead, encourage one another more and more, and all the more as you see the day coming closer.

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 we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, a sacrifice for sins no longer exists.

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 Instead, there is only a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume God's enemies.

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 Anyone who has rejected the law of Moses dies without mercy at the testimony 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 worse punishment do you think one deserves who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, who treated the blood of the covenant as unholy—the blood by which he was sanctified—and insulted the Spirit of grace?

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 the one who said, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay back.” 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 a fearful thing 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 But remember the former days, after you were enlightened, how you endured a great struggle in suffering.

But continually recall to mind the days now past, when on being first enlightened you went through a great conflict and many sufferings.

33 You were exposed to public ridicule by insults and persecution, and you were sharing with those who went through such suffering.

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 For you had compassion on those who were prisoners, and you accepted with joy the seizure of your possessions. You knew that you yourselves had a better and everlasting possession.

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 So do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

Therefore do not cast from you your confident hope, for it will receive a vast reward.

36 For you need patience, so that you may receive what God has promised, after you have done his will.

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 “For in a very little while, the one who is coming will indeed come and not delay.

For there is still but a short time and then "The coming One will come and will not delay.

38 My righteous one will live by faith. If he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with 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 any of those who turn back to destruction. Instead, we are some of those who have faith for keeping our soul.

But we are not people who shrink back and perish, but are among those who believe and gain possession of their souls.