Hebrews 9

1Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. 2For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. 3And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; 4which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; 5and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. 6Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. 7But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: 8the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: 9which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; 10which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

11But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 18Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. 19For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, 20saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. 22And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

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Hebrews 9: KJV

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Rights in the Authorized (King James) Version in the United Kingdom are vested in the Crown. Published by permission of the Crown’s patentee, Cambridge University Press.

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Hebrews 9

The Old Pattern of Worship

1Now in the first covenant there were specific rules for worship including a sanctuary on earth to worship in. 2When you entered the tabernacle you would first come into the holy chamber where you would find the lampstand # 9:2 See Ex. 25:31–40; Lev. 24:1–4. and the bread of his presence on the fellowship table. # 9:2 See Ex. 25:23–30; 39:36. This fellowship table had twelve loaves of sacred bread. See also Lev. 24:5–9. 3Then as you pass through the next curtain # 9:3 See Ex. 26:31–35. you would enter the innermost chamber called, the holiest sanctuary of all. # 9:3 Or “holy of holies,” that is, the holiest place of all. 4It contained the golden altar of incense and the ark of covenant mercy, which was a wooden box covered entirely with gold. And placed inside the ark of covenant mercy was the golden jar with mystery-manna inside, # 9:4 The Hebrew word for “manna,” the wilderness bread, means “mystery” or “What is it?” Aaron’s resurrection rod, which had sprouted, and the stone tablets engraved with the covenant laws. 5On top of the lid of the ark were two cherubim, angels of splendor, with outstretched wings overshadowing the throne of mercy. # 9:5 Or “the place of atonement.” See Ex. 25:18–22. But now is not the time to discuss further the significant details of these things.

6So with this prescribed pattern of worship the priests would routinely go in and out of the first chamber to perform their religious duties. 7And the high priest was permitted to enter into the Holiest Sanctuary of All only once a year and he could never enter without first offering sacrificial blood for both his own sins and for the sins of the people.

8Now the Holy Spirit uses the symbols of this pattern of worship to reveal that the perfect way of holiness # 9:8 As translated from the Aramaic. The Greek is “the way into the Holy Place.” had not yet been unveiled. For as long as the tabernacle stood 9it was an illustration # 9:9 The Aramaic can be translated “mystery.” that pointed to our present time of fulfillment, demonstrating that offerings and animal sacrifices had failed to perfectly cleanse the conscience of the worshiper. 10For this old pattern of worship was a matter of external rules and rituals concerning food and drink and ceremonial washings which was imposed upon us until the appointed time of heart-restoration had arrived. # 9:10 The Greek word diothosis is used only here in the New Testament. It means “to set things right,” or “to snap a broken bone back into place,” by implication restoration.

The Heavenly Pattern of Worship

11But now the Anointed One has become the King-Priest of every wonderful thing that has come. # 9:11 The Aramaic can be translated “the good things that he did.” Some Greek manuscripts have “good things that are coming.” For he serves in a greater, more perfect heavenly tabernacle not made by men, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12And he has entered once and forever into the Holiest Sanctuary of All, not with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the sacred blood of his own sacrifice. And he alone has made our salvation # 9:12 Or “He has paid the ransom [redemption] forever.” secure forever!

13Under the old covenant the blood of bulls, goats, and the ashes of a heifer were sprinkled on those who were defiled and effectively cleansed them outwardly from their ceremonial impurities. 14Yet how much more will the sacred blood of the Messiah thoroughly cleanse our consciences! For by the power of the eternal Spirit he has offered himself to God as the perfect # 9:14 Or “unblemished.” Sacrifice that now frees # 9:14 Or “purifies.” us from our dead works # 9:14 Or “what we did when we were corpses.” to worship and serve the living God.

15So Jesus is the One who has enacted a new covenant with a new relationship with God so that those who accept the invitation # 9:15 Or “those who are called.” will receive the eternal inheritance he has promised to his heirs. For he died to release us from the guilt of the violations committed under the first covenant.

16-17Now a person’s last will and testament can only take effect after one has been proven to have died; otherwise the will cannot be in force while the person who made it is still alive. 18So this is why not even the first covenant was inaugurated without the blood of animals. 19For Moses ratified the covenant after he gave the people all the commandments of the law. He took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and a hyssop branch, and sprinkled both the people and the book of the covenant, # 9:19 See Ex. 24:3, 7. 20saying,

“This is the blood of the covenant that God commands you to keep.” # 9:20 See Ex. 24:8. The blood of Jesus gave birth to the new covenant for the forgiveness of sins. See Matt. 26:28.

21And later Moses also sprinkled the tabernacle with blood and every utensil and item used in their service of worship. 22Actually, nearly everything under the law was purified with blood, since forgiveness only comes through an outpouring of blood.

23And so it was necessary for all the earthly symbols # 9:23 Or “outlines” or “sketches.” of the heavenly realities to be purified with these animal sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves required a superior sacrifice than these. 24For the Messiah did not enter into the earthly tabernacle made by men, which was but an echo of the true sanctuary, but he entered into heaven itself to appear before the face # 9:24 As translated from the Aramaic (Hebrew), which has no word equivalent for “presence,” only “face.” To come into God’s presence meant that you come before his face. of God in our place. 25Under the old system year after year the high priest entered the most holy sanctuary with blood that was not his own. But the Messiah did not need to repeatedly offer himself year after year, 26for that would mean he must suffer repeatedly ever since the fall of the world. # 9:26 Or “from the foundation of the world.” The Greek word katabole can also mean “laying down” or “falling down” (of the world through sin), which by implication means Adam’s sin. But now he has appeared at the fulfillment of the ages to abolish # 9:26 The Aramaic can be translated “annihilate sin.” sin once and for all by the sacrifice of himself!

27Every human being is appointed to die once, and then to face God’s judgment. # 9:27 The Greek is literally “a court trial.” 28But when we die we will be face-to-face with Christ, the One who experienced death once for all to bear the sins of many! # 9:28 The Aramaic can be translated “to burn away [obliterate] the sins of many.” See Isa. 53:12. And now to those who eagerly await him, he will appear a second time; not to deal with sin, but to bring us the fullness of salvation. # 9:28 There is a salvation that is yet to be unveiled. See 1 Peter 1:5.

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