Hebrews 9
9
The Earthly Sanctuary
1 Now the first covenant* had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tent was prepared—the first part,* in which were the lampstand and the table and the bread of the Presence*—which is called the Holy Place.* 3 And behind the second veil* was a tent called the Most Holy Place,* 4 which contained the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on every side with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff which budded, and the tablets of the covenant. 5 And above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, concerning which it is not now the time to speak in detail.
6 Now when these things have been prepared in this way, the priests continually enter the first tent, performing divine services; 7 but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of ignorance of the people. 8 By this, the Holy Spirit is signifying that the way into the holy places* has not yet been disclosed, while the first tent is still standing*— 9 which is a symbol for the present time, in which both the gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot make perfect the one who worships in regard to conscience, 10 consisting* only in food* and drink* and various washings—regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
Eternal Redemption
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come,* through the greater and more perfect tent—not constructed by hands, that is, not of this creation— 12 not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered once for all into the holy places, thus* obtaining eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our* conscience from dead works in order to serve the living God?*
15 And for this reason, He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions committed* under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a will* is, it is necessary for the death of the one who made it to be established. 17 For a will becomes valid upon death, since it is not in force while the one who made it is alive. 18 Therefore, not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people in accordance with the Law, he took the blood of calves,* together with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the scroll and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded for you.”* 21 And in the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels* of ministry. 22 Indeed, almost all things are cleansed with blood according to the Law, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.
23 Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be cleansed with these sacrifices,* but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places* constructed by hands, which are representations of the true ones, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. 25 Nor was it that He should offer Himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places* every year with the blood not his own. 26 Otherwise, it would have been necessary for Him to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now, once at the consummation of the ages, He has been manifested for the putting away of sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for men to die once, then after this, judgment, 28 so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without bearing sin,* to those who eagerly await Him for salvation.*
Notes
1 The word covenant is supplied to the text on contextual considerations for the sake of clarity
2 The word part is supplied to the text on contextual considerations for the sake of clarity
2 Greek the setting forth/presentation of the bread
2 Greek Holy Places
3 Or curtain
3 Greek [the] Holies of Holies
8 Or holy place/Most Holy Place So also v. 12
8 Greek has standing
10 The present participle consisting is supplied to the text on contextual considerations for the sake of clarity
10 Greek foods
10 Greek drinks
11 Some ancient manuscripts read to come
12 The resultative adverb thus is supplied to the text on contextual considerations for the sake of clarity
14 Some ancient manuscripts read your
14 Some ancient manuscripts read living and true God , in alignment with 1 Thess. 1:9
15 The past tense verb committed is supplied to the text on contextual considerations for the sake of clarity
16 Or covenant. So also v. 17
19 Some ancient manuscripts insert and goats are at this point
20 Quoted from Ex. 24:8
21 Or utensils
23 Greek these things
24 Or a holy place/sanctuary
25 Or Most High Place/Holy Place
28 Greek without sin
28 Some ancient manuscripts expand the text to read salvation through faith
Currently Selected:
Hebrews 9: AFINTLIT
Highlight
Copy
Compare
Share
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright © 2026 Michael Adeyemi Adegbola. This Scripture text is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).
