The Earthly Holy Place
1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. 2 For a utent1 was prepared, the first section, in which were the vlampstand and the wtable and the xbread of the Presence.2 It is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a second section3 called the yMost Holy Place, 4 having the zgolden altar of incense and the aark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden urn holding the bmanna, and cAaron’s staff that dbudded, and the etablets of the covenant. 5 Above it were the fcherubim of glory overshadowing the gmercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
6 These preparations having thus been made, hthe priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but ionce a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers jfor himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the kway into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age).4 According to this arrangement, lgifts and sacrifices are offered mthat cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
Redemption Through the Blood of Christ
11 But when Christ appeared as a nhigh priest of the ogood things that have come,5 then through the greater and more perfect ptent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he qentered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and rthe sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify6 for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered shimself without blemish to God, tpurify our7 uconscience from vdead works to serve the living God.
24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places cmade with hands, which are copies of the dtrue things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has eappeared fonce for all at the gend of the ages to hput away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and iafter that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to jbear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly kwaiting for him.
Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All
1 For since the law has but a lshadow of the mgood things to come instead of the true form of these realities, nit can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been ocleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Consequently, when Christ1 came pinto the world, he said,
q“Sacrifices and offerings ryou have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and sburnt offerings and tsin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been usanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ vonce for all.
11 And every priest stands wdaily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ2 had xoffered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, yhe sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has zperfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
