Hebrews 10
10
Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All
1The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 2If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.
3But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 4For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5That is why, when Christ#10:5 Greek he; also in 10:8. came into the world, he said to God,
“You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.
But you have given me a body to offer.
6You were not pleased with burnt offerings
or other offerings for sin.
7Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—
as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”#10:5-7 Ps 40:6-8 (Greek version).
8First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 10For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
11Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 14For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
15And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,
16“This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day,#10:16a Greek after those days. says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”#10:16b Jer 31:33a.
17Then he says,
“I will never again remember
their sins and lawless deeds.”#10:17 Jer 31:34b.
18And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.
A Call to Persevere
19And so, dear brothers and sisters,#10:19 Greek brothers. we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20By his death,#10:20 Greek Through his flesh. Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
23Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
26Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. 27There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. 28For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. 30For we know the one who said,
“I will take revenge.
I will pay them back.”#10:30a Deut 32:35.
He also said,
“The Lord will judge his own people.”#10:30b Deut 32:36.
31It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ.#10:32 Greek when you were first enlightened. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 33Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 34You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.
35So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 36Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
37“For in just a little while,
the Coming One will come and not delay.
38And my righteous ones will live by faith.#10:38 Or my righteous ones will live by their faithfulness; Greek reads my righteous one will live by faith.
But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”#10:37-38 Hab 2:3-4.
39But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.
Currently Selected:
Hebrews 10: NLT
Highlight
Copy
Compare
Share
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
For more information about the NLT:
Hebrews 10
10
Animal Sacrifices Insufficient
1For the law, having a #Heb. 8:5shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, #Heb. 7:19; 9:9can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4For #Mic. 6:6, 7it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
Christ’s Death Fulfills God’s Will
5Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:
#Ps. 40:6–8“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me.
6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
You had no pleasure.
7Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—
In the volume of the book it is written of Me—
To do Your will, O God.’ ”
8Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), 9then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10#John 17:19; (Eph. 5:26; Heb. 2:11; 10:14, 29; 13:12)By that will we have been sanctified #(Heb. 9:12)through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified
11And every priest stands #Num. 28:3ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12#Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down #Ps. 110:1at the right hand of God, 13from that time waiting #Ps. 110:1; Heb. 1:13till His enemies are made His footstool. 14For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
15But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
16#Jer. 31:33, 34; Heb. 8:10“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17then He adds, #Jer. 31:34“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Hold Fast Your Confession
19Therefore, brethren, having #(Eph. 2:18); Heb. 4:16boldness to enter #Heb. 9:8, 12the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and #John 14:6; (Heb. 7:24, 25)living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22let us #Heb. 7:19; 10:1draw near with a true heart #Eph. 3:12in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for #1 Cor. 1:9; 10:13; 1 Thess. 5:24; Heb. 11:11He who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25#Acts 2:42not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and #Rom. 13:11so much the more as you see #Phil. 4:5the Day approaching.
The Just Live by Faith
26For #Num. 15:30if we sin willfully #2 Pet. 2:20after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there #Heb. 6:6no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and #Zeph. 1:18fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three #Deut. 17:2–6; 19:15; Matt. 18:16; Heb. 2:2witnesses. 29#(Heb. 2:3)Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, #1 Cor. 11:29counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, #(Matt. 12:31)and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know Him who said, #Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:19“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, #Deut. 32:36“The Lord will judge His people.” 31#(Luke 12:5)It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32But #Gal. 3:4; Heb. 6:9, 10recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: 33partly while you were made #1 Cor. 4:9; Heb. 12:4a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while #Phil. 1:7you became companions of those who were so treated; 34for you had compassion on me #2 Tim. 1:16in my chains, and #Matt. 5:12joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that #Matt. 6:20you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. 35Therefore do not cast away your confidence, #Matt. 5:12which has great reward. 36#Luke 21:19; Heb. 12:1For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, #(Col. 3:24)you may receive the promise:
37“For #Luke 18:8yet a little while,
And #Hab. 2:3, 4; Heb. 10:25; Rev. 22:20He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
38Now #Hab. 2:3, 4; Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
39But we are not of those #2 Pet. 2:20who draw back to perdition, but of those who #Acts 16:31believe to the saving of the soul.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.