Hebrews 10
10
We Can Enter the Most Holy Place because of Christ’s Superior Work
1Moses’ Teachings with their yearly cycle of sacrifices are only a shadow of the good things in the future. They aren’t an exact likeness of those things. They can never make those who worship perfect. 2If these sacrifices could have made the worshipers perfect, the sacrifices would have stopped long ago. Those who worship would have been cleansed once and for all. Their consciences would have been free from sin. 3Instead, this yearly cycle of sacrifices reminded people of their sins. 4(The blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins.)
5For this reason, when Christ came into the world, he said,
“ ‘You did not want sacrifices and offerings,
but you prepared a body for me.
6You did not approve of burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.’
7Then I said, ‘I have come!
(It is written about me in the scroll of the book.)
I have come to do what you want, my God.’ ”
8In this passage Christ first said, “You did not want sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin. You did not approve of them.” (These are the sacrifices that Moses’ Teachings require people to offer.) 9Then Christ says, “I have come to do what you want.” He did away with sacrifices in order to establish the obedience that God wants. 10We have been set apart as holy because Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do by sacrificing his body once and for all.
11Every day each priest performed his religious duty. He offered the same type of sacrifice again and again. Yet, these sacrifices could never take away sins. 12However, this chief priest made one sacrifice for sins, and this sacrifice lasts forever. Now he holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne. 13Since that time, he has been waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14With one sacrifice he accomplished the work of setting them apart for God forever.
15The Holy Spirit tells us the same thing: 16“This is the promise #10:16 Or “covenant.” that I will make to them after those days, says the Lord: ‘I will put my teachings in their hearts and write them in their minds.’ ”
17Then he adds, “I will no longer hold their sins and their disobedience against them.”
18When sins are forgiven, there is no longer any need to sacrifice for sins.
19Brothers and sisters, because of the blood of Jesus we can now confidently go into the holy place. 20Jesus has opened a new and living way for us to go through the curtain. (The curtain is his own body.) 21We have a superior priest in charge of God’s house. 22We have been sprinkled ⌞with his blood⌟ to free us from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with clean water. So we must continue to come ⌞to him⌟ with a sincere heart and strong faith. 23We must continue to hold firmly to our declaration of faith. The one who made the promise is faithful.
Encourage Each Other
24We must also consider how to encourage each other to show love and to do good things. 25We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.
26If we go on sinning after we have learned the truth, no sacrifice can take away our sins. 27All that is left is a terrifying wait for judgment and a raging fire that will consume God’s enemies. 28If two or three witnesses accused someone of rejecting Moses’ Teachings, that person was shown no mercy as he was executed. 29What do you think a person who shows no respect for the Son of God deserves? That person looks at the blood of the promise (the blood that made him holy) as no different from other people’s blood, and he insults the Spirit that God gave us out of his kindness.#10:29 Or “grace.” He deserves a much worse punishment. 30We know the God who said,
“I alone have the right to take revenge.
I will pay back.”
God also said,
“The Lord will judge his people.”
31Falling into the hands of the living God is a terrifying thing.
32Remember the past, when you first learned the truth. You endured a lot of hardship and pain. 33At times you were publicly insulted and mistreated. At times you associated with people who were treated this way. 34You suffered with prisoners. You were cheerful even though your possessions were stolen, since you know that you have a better and more permanent possession.#10:34 Some manuscripts and translations add “in heaven.”
35So don’t lose your confidence. It will bring you a great reward. 36You need endurance so that after you have done what God wants you to do, you can receive what he has promised.
37“Yet, the one who is coming will come soon. He will not delay.
38The person who has God’s approval will live by faith.
But if he turns back, I will not be pleased with him.”
39We don’t belong with those who turn back and are destroyed. Instead, we belong with those who have faith and are saved.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Hebrews 10
10
1For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. 2Else would they not have ceased to be offered? because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. 4For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. 5Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith,
Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not,
But a body didst thou prepare for me;
6In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure:
7Then said I, Lo, I am come
(In the roll of the book it is written of me)
To do thy will, O God.
8Saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law), 9then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins: 12but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet. 14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15And the Holy Spirit also beareth witness to us; for after he hath said,
16This is the covenant that I will make with them
After those days, saith the Lord:
I will put my laws on their heart,
And upon their mind also will I write them;
then saith he,
17And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
18Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21and having a great priest over the house of God; 22let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water, 23let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised: 24and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; 25not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.
26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, 27but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. 28A man that hath set at nought Moses’ law dieth without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses: 29of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great conflict of sufferings; 33partly, being made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, becoming partakers with them that were so used. 34For ye both had compassion on them that were in bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your possessions, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one. 35Cast not away therefore your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward. 36For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise.
37For yet a very little while,
He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry.
38But my righteous one shall live by faith:
And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him.
39But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.
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