Hebrews 9
1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary.
Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.
2 For a tabernacle was prepared. The first room, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of the presence, was called the holy place.
A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread. This was called the Holy Place.
3 Behind the second curtain was another room, called the most holy place.
Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,
4 It had a golden altar for incense. It also had the ark of the covenant, which was completely overlaid with gold. Inside it was a golden jar holding the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.
containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.
5 Above the ark of the covenant, glorious cherubim overshadowed the atonement lid, which we cannot now talk about in detail.
Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
6 After these things were prepared, the priests always entered the outer room of the tabernacle to perform their services.
When everything had been prepared in this way, the priests entered regularly into the first room to perform their sacred duties.
7 But only the high priest entered the second room once each year, and not without blood that he offered for himself and for the people's unintentional sins.
But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.
8 The Holy Spirit showed that the way into the most holy place had not yet appeared as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.
By this arrangement the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.
9 This was an illustration for the present time. Both the gifts and sacrifices that are now being offered are not able to perfect the worshiper's conscience.
It is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper.
10 They are only concerned with food and drink and various ceremonial washings, regulations for the body until the time of the new order.
They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.
11 Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come. He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that was not made by human hands, one not belonging to this created world.
But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation.
12 It was not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood that he entered into the most holy place once for all and secured our eternal redemption. (aiōnios g166)
He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption. (aiōnios g166)
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer's ashes on those who have become unclean sets them apart to God for the cleansing of their flesh,
For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean,
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (aiōnios g166)
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God! (aiōnios g166)
15 For this reason, he is the mediator of a new covenant. This is so that, since a death has taken place to free those under the first covenant from their sins, those who are called will receive the promise of an eternal inheritance. (aiōnios g166)
Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. (aiōnios g166)
16 For where there is a will, the death of the person who made it must be proven.
In the case of a will, it is necessary to establish the death of the one who made it,
17 For a will is only in force when there has been a death, because it has no force while the one who made it is still alive.
because a will does not take effect until the one who made it has died; it cannot be executed while he is still alive.
18 So not even the first covenant was established without blood.
That is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.
19 For when Moses had given every command in the law to all the people, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water, red wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the scroll 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 and all the people,
20 Then he said, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded for you.”
saying, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”
21 In the same manner, he sprinkled the blood on the tabernacle and all the containers used in the service.
In the same way, he sprinkled with blood the tabernacle and all the vessels used in worship.
22 According to the law, almost everything is cleansed with blood. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23 Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in heaven should be cleansed with these animal sacrifices. However, the heavenly things themselves had to be cleansed with much better sacrifices.
So it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ did not enter into the most holy place made with hands, which is only a copy of the true one. Instead he entered into heaven itself, to appear now in God's presence for us.
For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.
25 He did not go there in order to offer himself many times, as does the high priest, who enters the most holy place year by year with the blood of another.
Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
26 If that had been the case, then he would have had to suffer many times since the beginning of the world. But now he has appeared at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. (aiōn g165)
Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (aiōn g165)
27 Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that comes judgment,
Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
28 so also, Christ was offered once to take away the sins of many, and will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but for the salvation of those who are waiting for him.
so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.
