1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is ^eseated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the ^ftrue ^gtent¹ that the Lord set up, ^hnot man. 3 For ⁱevery high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a ^jcopy and ^kshadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, ^l“See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ² has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the ^mcovenant he ⁿmediates is ^obetter, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 For ^pif that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

8 For he finds fault with them when he says:³

13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. 2 For a ^utent⁴ was prepared, the first section, in which were the ^vlampstand and the ^wtable and the ^xbread of the Presence.⁵ It is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a second section⁶ 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).⁷ 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.

11 But when Christ appeared as a ⁿhigh priest of the ^ogood things that have come,⁸ 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, sanctify⁹ 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 our^{10 u}conscience from ^vdead works to serve the living God.

15 Therefore he is the ^wmediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal ^xinheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.¹¹ 16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18 Therefore ^ynot even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and ^zscarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and ^awithout the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

23 Thus it was necessary for the ^bcopies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 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.