Hebrews 10
10
Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice
1The Law is a shadow of the good things that are coming, not the real things themselves. It never can perfect the ones who are trying to draw near to God through the same sacrifices that are offered continually every year. 2Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered? If the people carrying out their religious duties had been completely cleansed once, no one would have been aware of sin anymore. 3Instead, these sacrifices are a reminder of sin every year, 4because it’s impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5Therefore, when he comes into the world he says,
“You didn’t want a sacrifice or an offering, ”
“but you prepared a body for me; ”
6“you weren’t pleased with entirely burned offerings or a sin offering. ”
7“So then I said, ”
“Look, I’ve come to do your will, God.”
“This has been written about me in the scroll.”#10.7 Ps 40:6-8
8He says above, “You didn’t want ”and “you weren’t pleased with a sacrifice or an offering ”or “with entirely burned offerings or a purification offering,”#10.8 Ps 40:6 which are offered because the Law requires them. 9Then he said, “Look, I’ve come to do your will”.#10.9 Ps 40:7-8 He puts an end to the first to establish the second. 10We have been made holy by God’s will through the offering of Jesus Christ’s body once for all.
11Every priest stands every day serving and offering the same sacrifices over and over, sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12But when this priest offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right side of God. 13Since then, he’s waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for his feet, 14because he perfected the people who are being made holy with one offering for all time.
15The Holy Spirit affirms this when saying,
16“This is the covenant that I will make with them. ”
“After these days, says the Lord, ”
“I will place my laws in their hearts ”
“and write them on their minds. ”
17“And I won’t remember their sins ”
“and their lawless behavior anymore.”#10.17 Jer 31:33-34
18When there is forgiveness for these things, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Second summary of the message
19Brothers and sisters, we have confidence that we can enter the holy of holies by means of Jesus’ blood, 20through a new and living way that he opened up for us through the curtain, which is his body, 21and we have a great high priest over God’s house.
22Therefore, let’s draw near with a genuine heart with the certainty that our faith gives us, since our hearts are sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies are washed with pure water.
23Let’s hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, because the one who made the promises is reliable.
24And let us consider each other carefully for the purpose of sparking love and good deeds. 25Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the day drawing near.
Judgment for intentional sin
26If we make the decision to sin after we receive the knowledge of the truth, there isn’t a sacrifice for sins left any longer. 27There’s only a scary expectation of judgment and of a burning fire that’s going to devour God’s opponents. 28When someone rejected the Law from Moses, they were put to death without mercy on the basis of the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much worse punishment do you think is deserved by the person who walks all over God’s Son, who acts as if the blood of the covenant that made us holy is just ordinary blood, and who insults the Spirit of grace? 30We know the one who said,
“Judgment is mine; I will pay people back.”#10.30 Deut 32:35
And he also said,
“The Lord will judge his people.”#10.30 Deut 32:36; Ps 135:14
31It’s scary to fall into the hands of the living God!
Confidence and faith to endure
32But remember the earlier days, after you saw the light. You stood your ground while you were suffering from an enormous amount of pressure. 33Sometimes you were exposed to insults and abuse in public. Other times you became partners with those who were treated that way. 34You even showed sympathy toward people in prison and accepted the confiscation of your possessions with joy, since you knew that you had better and lasting possessions. 35So don’t throw away your confidence—it brings a great reward. 36You need to endure so that you can receive the promises after you do God’s will.
37“In a little while longer, ”
“the one who is coming will come and won’t delay; ”
38“but my righteous one will live by faith, ”
“and my whole being won’t be pleased with anyone who shrinks back.”#10.38 Hab 2:3-4
39But we aren’t the sort of people who timidly draw back and end up being destroyed. We’re the sort of people who have faith so that our whole beings are preserved.
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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
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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