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.
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Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
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Hebrews 10
10
1For the law, having a shadow of the coming good things, not the image itself of the things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually yearly, perfect those who approach. 2Since, would they not indeed have ceased being offered, on account of the worshippers once purged having no longer any conscience of sins? 3But in these there is a calling to mind of sins yearly. 4For blood of bulls and goats is incapable of taking away sins. 5Wherefore coming into the world he says, Sacrifice and offering thou willedst not; but thou hast prepared me a body. 6Thou tookest no pleasure in burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin.
7Then I said, Lo, I come (in the roll of the book it is written of me) to do, O God, thy will. 8Above, saying Sacrifices and offerings and burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou willedst not, neither tookest pleasure in (which are offered according to the law); 9then he said, Lo, I come to do thy will. He takes away the first that he may establish the second; 10by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11And every priest stands daily ministering, and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But he, having offered one sacrifice for sins, sat down in perpetuity at the right hand of God, 13waiting from henceforth until his enemies be set for the footstool of his feet. 14For by one offering he has perfected in perpetuity the sanctified. 15And the Holy Spirit also bears us witness of it; for after what was said: 16This is the covenant which I will establish towards them after those days, saith the Lord: Giving my laws into their hearts, I will write them also in their understandings; 17and their sins and their lawlessnesses I will never remember any more. 18But where there is remission of these, there is no longer a sacrifice for sin.
19Having therefore, brethren, boldness for entering into the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus, 20the new and living way which he has dedicated for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, 21and having a great priest over the house of God, 22let us approach with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, sprinkled as to our hearts from a wicked conscience, and washed as to our body with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the confession of the hope unwavering, (for he is faithful who has promised;) 24and let us consider one another for provoking to love and good works; 25not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the custom is with some; but encouraging one another, and by so much the more as ye see the day drawing near. 26For where we sin wilfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains any sacrifice for sins, 27but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and heat of fire about to devour the adversaries. 28Any one that has disregarded Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses: 29of how much worse punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and esteemed the blood of the covenant, whereby he has been sanctified, common, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him that said, To me belongs vengeance; I will recompense, saith the Lord: and again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31It is a fearful thing falling into the hands of the living God. 32But call to mind the earlier days in which, having been enlightened, ye endured much conflict of sufferings; 33on the one hand, when ye were made a spectacle both in reproaches and afflictions; and on the other, when ye became partakers with those who were passing through them. 34For ye both sympathised with prisoners and accepted with joy the plunder of your goods, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better substance, and an abiding one. 35Cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense. 36For ye have need of endurance in order that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise. 37For yet a very little while he that comes will come, and will not delay. 38But the just shall live by faith; and, if he draw back, my soul does not take pleasure in him. 39But we are not drawers back to perdition, but of faith to saving the soul.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.