Hebrews 9
9
Old Rules about Worship
1That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. 2There were two rooms in that Tabernacle.#9:2 Or tent; also in 9:11, 21. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place. 3Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room#9:3 Greek second tent. called the Most Holy Place. 4In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.
6When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room#9:6 Greek first tent. as they performed their religious duties. 7But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle#9:8 Or the first room; Greek reads the first tent. and the system it represented were still in use.
9This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. 10For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.
Christ Is the Perfect Sacrifice
11So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come.#9:11 Some manuscripts read that are about to come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. 12With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.
13Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds#9:14 Greek from dead works. so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. 15That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.
16Now when someone leaves a will,#9:16a Or covenant; also in 9:17. it is necessary to prove that the person who made it is dead.#9:16b Or Now when someone makes a covenant, it is necessary to ratify it with the death of a sacrifice. 17The will goes into effect only after the person’s death. While the person who made it is still alive, the will cannot be put into effect.
18That is why even the first covenant was put into effect with the blood of an animal. 19For after Moses had read each of God’s commandments to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats,#9:19 Some manuscripts do not include and goats. along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God’s law and all the people, using hyssop branches and scarlet wool. 20Then he said, “This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you.”#9:20 Exod 24:8. 21And in the same way, he sprinkled blood on the Tabernacle and on everything used for worship. 22In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.
23That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals.
24For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. 25And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. 26If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age#9:26 Greek the ages. to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.
27And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, 28so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.
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Hebrews 9
9
The Earthly Sanctuary
1Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and #Ex. 25:8; (Heb. 8:2; 9:11, 24)the earthly sanctuary. 2For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; 3#Ex. 26:31–35; 40:3and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4which had the #Lev. 16:12golden censer and #Ex. 25:10the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were #Ex. 16:33the golden pot that had the manna, #Num. 17:1–10Aaron’s rod that budded, and #Ex. 25:16; 34:29; Deut. 10:2–5the tablets of the covenant; 5and #Ex. 25:17, 20; Lev. 16:2; 1 Kin. 8:7above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
Limitations of the Earthly Service
6Now when these things had been thus prepared, #Num. 18:2–6; 28:3the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7But into the second part the high priest went alone #Ex. 30:10; Lev. 16:34; Heb. 10:3once a year, not without blood, which he offered for #Heb. 5:3himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; 8the Holy Spirit indicating this, that #(John 14:6; Heb. 10:20)the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered #(Gal. 3:21); Heb. 7:19which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— 10concerned only with #Lev. 11:2; Col. 2:16foods and drinks, #Num. 19:7various washings, #Eph. 2:15and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.
The Heavenly Sanctuary
11But Christ came as High Priest of #(Eph. 1:3–11); Heb. 10:1the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12Not #Heb. 10:4with the blood of goats and calves, but #Is. 53:12; Eph. 1:7with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place #Zech. 3:9once for all, #(Dan. 9:24)having obtained eternal redemption. 13For if #Lev. 16:14, 15; Heb. 9:19; 10:4the blood of bulls and goats and #Num. 19:2the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, #1 John 1:7cleanse your conscience from #Heb. 6:1dead works #Luke 1:74to serve the living God? 15And for this reason #Rom. 3:25He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that #Heb. 3:1those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
The Mediator’s Death Necessary
16For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17For #Gal. 3:15a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18#Ex. 24:6Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, #Ex. 24:5, 6he took the blood of calves and goats, #Lev. 14:4, 7; Num. 19:6, 18with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20saying, #(Matt. 26:28)“This is the #Ex. 24:3–8blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” 21Then likewise #Ex. 29:12, 36he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and #Lev. 17:11without shedding of blood there is no remission.
Greatness of Christ’s Sacrifice
23Therefore it was necessary that #Heb. 8:5the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For #Heb. 6:20Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of #Heb. 8:2the true, but into heaven itself, now #Rom. 8:34to appear in the presence of God for us; 25not that He should offer Himself often, as #Heb. 9:7the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27#Gen. 3:19; Eccl. 3:20And as it is appointed for men to die once, #(2 Cor. 5:10); 1 John 4:17but after this the judgment, 28so #Rom. 6:10Christ was #Is. 53:12; 1 Pet. 2:24offered once to bear the sins #Matt. 26:28of many. To those who #1 Cor. 1:7; Titus 2:13eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.
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