Hebrews 10
10
Christʼs Sacrifice Once for All
1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming — not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. 4It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
6with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
7Then I said, ‘Here I am — it is written about me in the scroll —
I have come to do your will, my God.’ ”#10:7 Psalm 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)
8First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” — though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:
16“This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”#10:16 Jer. 31:33
17Then he adds:
“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”#10:17 Jer. 31:34
18And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
A Call to Persevere in Faith
19Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”#10:30 Deut. 32:35 and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”#10:30 Deut. 32:36; Psalm 135:14 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37For,
“In just a little while,
he who is coming will come
and will not delay.”#10:37 Isaiah 26:20; Hab. 2:3
38And,
“But my righteous#10:38 Some manuscripts But the righteous one will live by faith.
And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back.”#10:38 Hab. 2:4 (see Septuagint)
39But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
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Hebrews 10
10
1The law is just a shadow of the good that was to come, and not the actual reality. So it can never through the repeated sacrifices offered year after year make right those who come to worship God. 2Otherwise wouldn't the sacrifices have stopped being offered? If the worshipers had been made clean once and for all, they wouldn't have had guilty consciences any longer. 3But in fact those sacrifices remind people of sins year after year, 4because it's impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to remove sins.
5That's why when Christ#10:5. The original simply says “he.” Christ is inferred from 9:24, 9:28. came into the world he said, “You didn't want sacrifices or offerings, but you did prepare a body for me. 6Burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin gave you no pleasure. 7Then I said, ‘God, see I've come to do what you want me to do, just as it says about me in the book.’”#10:7. Actually “the heading of a scroll,” meaning the Scriptures. The quoatation is from Psalms 40:6-8. 8As mentioned above, “You didn't want sacrifices or offerings, and burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin gave you no pleasure,” (even though they are offered in accordance with the law's requirements). 9Then he said, “See, I've come to do what you want.” He gets rid of the first agreement so he can set up the second, 10through which we all are made holy through Jesus Christ offering his body once and for all time.
11Every priest officiates in the services day after day, again and again offering the same sacrifices that can never remove sins. 12But this Priest, after he had offered for sins a single sacrifice that lasts forever, sat down at God's right hand. 13Now he waits until all his enemies are conquered, becoming like a footstool for him. 14For by a single sacrifice he has set right forever those who are being made holy. 15As the Holy Spirit also tells us, for having said, 16“This is the agreement that I will make with them later on, says the Lord. I will put my laws inside them, and I will write them in their minds.” Then he adds, 17“I won't remember their sins and lawlessness anymore.”#10:17. Quoting Jeremiah 31:33-34. 18Once free from such things, sin offerings are no longer needed.
19Now we have the confidence, brothers and sisters, to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus. 20Through his life and death,#10:20. “His life and death”: Literally, “his body.” he opened up a brand-new, living way through the veil to God. 21Since we have such a great priest placed in charge over the house of God, 22let us come close to God with sincere minds, totally trusting in him. Our minds have been sprinkled to purify them from our evil way of thinking, and our bodies have been washed clean by pure water. 23So let us hold onto the hope we're telling others about, never hesitating, for God who promised is trustworthy. 24Let's think about how we can motivate one another to love and to do what is good. 25We should not give up meeting together, as some have done. In fact we should be encouraging one another, especially as you see the End#10:25. Literally, “the Day.” approaching.
26For if we deliberately go on sinning after we've understood the truth, there's no longer any sacrifice for sins. 27All that's left is fear, expecting the impending judgment and the terrible fire that destroys those who are hostile to God. 28Someone who rejects the law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29How much worse do you think someone will deserve their punishment if they have trampled underfoot the Son of God, if they have disregarded the blood that sealed the agreement and makes us holy, treating it as ordinary and trivial, and have abused the Spirit of grace? 30We know God, and he said, “I will make sure that justice is done; I will give people what they deserve.” He also said, “The Lord will judge his people.”#10:30. Quoting Deuteronomy 32:35-36; Psalms 135:14. 31It's terrifying to come under the power of the living God.
32Just remember the past when, after you understood the truth,#10:32. Literally, “were enlightened.” you experienced a great deal of suffering. 33Sometimes you were made a spectacle of, being insulted and attacked; at other times you stood in solidarity with those who were suffering. 34You showed your sympathy for those in prison, and took it cheerfully when your possessions were confiscated, knowing that you have something better coming that will truly last.
35So don't lose your confidence in God—it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to be patient so that having done what God wants, you'll receive what he has promised. 37“In just a little while he will come, as he said—he won't delay. 38Those who do what is right will live by trusting in God, and if they draw back from their commitment, I won't be pleased with them.”#10:38. This is a rather free reference to Isaiah 26:20 and Habakkuk 2:3-4. Clearly the one promising to return is viewed in this context as Jesus. 39But we're not the kind of people who draw back and end up being lost. We are those who trust in God to save us.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com