Hebrews 9
9
Earthly and Heavenly Worship
1The first covenant had rules for worship and an earthly place for worship as well. 2#Ex 26.1–30; 25.31–40; 25.23–30A Tent was put up, the outer one, which was called the Holy Place. In it were the lampstand and the table with the bread offered to God. 3#Ex 26.31–33Behind the second curtain was the Tent called the Most Holy Place. 4#Ex 30.1–6; 25.10–16; 16.33; Num 17.8–10; Ex 25.16; Deut 10.3–5In it were the gold altar for the burning of incense and the Covenant Box all covered with gold and containing the gold jar with the manna in it, Aaron's stick that had sprouted leaves, and the two stone tablets with the commandments written on them. 5#Ex 25.18–22Above the Box were the winged creatures representing God's presence, with their wings spread over the place where sins were forgiven. But now is not the time to explain everything in detail.
6 #
Num 18.2–6
This is how those things have been arranged. The priests go into the outer Tent every day to perform their duties, 7#Lev 16.2–34but only the High Priest goes into the inner Tent, and he does so only once a year. He takes with him blood which he offers to God on behalf of himself and for the sins which the people have committed without knowing they were sinning. 8The Holy Spirit clearly teaches from all these arrangements that the way into the Most Holy Place has not yet been opened as long as the outer Tent still stands. 9This is an illustration which points to the present time. It means that the offerings and animal sacrifices presented to God cannot make the worshipper's heart perfect, 10since they have to do only with food, drink, and various purification ceremonies. These are all outward rules, which apply only until the time when God will establish the new order.
11But Christ has already come as the High Priest of the good things that are already here.#9.11 already here; some manuscripts have coming. The tent in which he serves is greater and more perfect; it is not a tent made by human hands, that is, it is not a part of this created world. 12When Christ went through the tent and entered once and for all into the Most Holy Place, he did not take the blood of goats and bulls to offer as a sacrifice; rather, he took his own blood and obtained eternal salvation for us. 13#Lev 16.15–16; Num 19.9, 17–19The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a burnt calf are sprinkled on the people who are ritually unclean, and this purifies them by taking away their ritual impurity. 14Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.
15For this reason Christ is the one who arranges a new covenant, so that those who have been called by God may receive the eternal blessings that God has promised. This can be done because there has been a death which sets people free from the wrongs they did while the first covenant was in force.
16In the case of a will it is necessary to prove that the person who made it has died, 17for a will means nothing while the person who made it is alive; it comes into effect only after his death. 18That is why even the first covenant#9.18 covenant: In Greek the same word means “will” and “covenant”. came into effect only with the use of blood. 19#Ex 24.6–8First, Moses proclaimed to the people all the commandments as set forth in the Law. Then he took the blood of bulls and goats, mixed it with water, and sprinkled it on the book of the Law and all the people, using a sprig of hyssop and some red wool. 20He said, “This is the blood which seals the covenant that God has commanded you to obey.” 21#Lev 8.15In the same way Moses also sprinkled the blood on the Sacred Tent and over all the things used in worship. 22#Lev 17.11Indeed, according to the Law almost everything is purified by blood, and sins are forgiven only if blood is poured out.
Christ's Sacrifice Takes Away Sins
23Those things, which are copies of the heavenly originals, had to be purified in that way. But the heavenly things themselves require much better sacrifices. 24For Christ did not go into a Holy Place made by human hands, which was a copy of the real one. He went into heaven itself, where he now appears on our behalf in the presence of God. 25The Jewish High Priest goes into the Most Holy Place every year with the blood of an animal. But Christ did not go in to offer himself many times, 26for then he would have had to suffer many times ever since the creation of the world. Instead, now when all ages of time are nearing the end, he has appeared once and for all, to remove sin through the sacrifice of himself. 27Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God. 28#Is 53.12In the same manner Christ also was offered in sacrifice once to take away the sins of many. He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are waiting for him.
Currently Selected:
Hebrews 9: GNBUK
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Hebrews 9
9
Christ Offered a Superior Sacrifice
1The first promise had rules for the priests’ service. It also had a holy place on earth. 2A tent was set up. The first part of this tent was called the holy place. The lamp stand, the table, and the bread of the presence were in this part of the tent. 3Behind the second curtain was the part of the tent called the most holy place. 4It contained the gold incense burner and the ark of the Lord’s promise. The ark was completely covered with gold. In the ark were the gold jar filled with manna, Aaron’s staff that had blossomed, and the tablets on which the promise #9:4 Or “covenant.” was written. 5Above the ark were the angels #9:5 Or “cherubim.” of glory ⌞with their wings⌟ overshadowing the throne of mercy. (Discussing these things in detail isn’t possible now.)
6That is how these two parts of the tent were set up. The priests always went into the first part of the tent to perform their duties. 7But only the chief priest went into the second part of the tent. Once a year he entered and brought blood that he offered for himself and for the things that the people did wrong unintentionally. 8The Holy Spirit used this to show that the way into the most holy place was not open while the tent was still in use.
9The first part of the tent is an example for the present time. The gifts and sacrifices that were brought there could not give the worshiper a clear conscience. 10These gifts and sacrifices were meant to be food, drink, and items used in various purification ceremonies. These ceremonies were required for the body until God would establish a new way of doing things.
11But Christ came as a chief priest of the good things that are now here. Christ went through a better, more perfect tent that was not made by human hands and that is not part of this created world. 12He used his own blood, not the blood of goats and bulls, for the sacrifice. He went into the most holy place and offered this sacrifice once and for all to free us forever.
13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of cows sprinkled on unclean #9:13 “Unclean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is not presentable to God. people made their bodies holy and clean. 14The blood of Christ, who had no defect, does even more. Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself to God and cleansed our consciences from the useless things we had done. Now we can serve the living God.
15Because Christ offered himself to God, he is able to bring a new promise from God. Through his death he paid the price to set people free from the sins they committed under the first promise. He did this so that those who are called can be guaranteed an inheritance that will last forever.
16In order for a will to take effect, it must be shown that the one who made it has died. 17A will is used only after a person is dead because it goes into effect only when a person dies.
18That is why even the first promise was made with blood. 19As Scripture tells us, Moses told all the people every commandment. Then he took the blood of calves and goats together with some water, red yarn, and hyssop and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20He said, “Here is the blood that seals the promise God has made to you.” 21In the same way, Moses sprinkled blood on the tent and on everything used in worship. 22As Moses’ Teachings tell us, blood was used to cleanse almost everything, because if no blood is shed, no sins can be forgiven.
23The copies of the things in heaven had to be cleansed by these sacrifices. But the heavenly things themselves had to be cleansed by better sacrifices. 24Christ didn’t go into a holy place made by human hands. He didn’t go into a model of the real thing. Instead, he went into heaven to appear in God’s presence on our behalf. 25Every year the chief priest went into the holy place to make a sacrifice with blood that isn’t his own. However, Christ didn’t go into heaven to sacrifice himself again and again. 26Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the world was created. But now, at the end of the ages, he has appeared once to remove sin by his sacrifice. 27People die once, and after that they are judged. 28Likewise, Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of humanity, and after that he will appear a second time. This time he will not deal with sin, but he will save those who eagerly wait for him.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.