10 God's laws which he gave to Moses are like a shadow of the good things that would come later. But those laws do not show exactly what those good things are like. They say that the priests must continue to offer the same sacrifices on behalf of the people, year after year. So those sacrifices can never make the people completely clean when they come to worship God. 2 If the old rules could do that, the priests would have stopped offering sacrifices. The people who came to worship God would have become completely clean once, for all time. They would no longer have trouble in their minds about their sins. 3 But as it is, those sacrifices every year cause people to remember their sins. 4 We know that the blood of bulls and of goats cannot remove the punishment for sins. 5 So, when Christ came into the world, he said to his Father,
‘You have not wanted people to offer sacrifices and other gifts to you.
Instead, you have prepared a body for me to offer to you.
6 Sacrifices do not make you happy.
If people burn whole animals as a sacrifice,
or if they offer a sacrifice to make them clean from their sins,
that does not make you happy.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, my God.
I have come to do what you want.
That is what it says about me in the Bible.” ’ [ a ]
8 So think about what Christ said there. First he said to God, ‘You have not wanted gifts and sacrifices of animals. Any kind of sacrifice like that does not make you happy.’ But we know that Moses' rules taught about those sacrifices. God's law said that they were necessary. 9 Then Christ said, ‘Here I am. I have come to do what you want.’ In that way, Christ took away the first agreement and its rules about sacrifices. Christ's sacrifice of his own body is the new way that God forgives our sins. 10 Jesus Christ was ready to do what God wanted. He offered his own body to God once, for all time. Because of Christ's sacrifice, God has made us clean so that we belong to him.
11 Every day, the priests do their work to serve God. They offer the same sacrifices to God again and again. But those sacrifices can never take away people's sins. 12 But Christ, our special priest, offered one sacrifice to take away our sins. He did that once, for all time. After that, he sat down at God's right side to rule with him. 13 Since then, he waits for God to win against his enemies completely. They will become like a place for him to put his feet. 14 So, as a result of his one sacrifice, Christ has made God's people completely clean for all time.
15 God's Holy Spirit also shows us that these things are true. He says this first: [ b ]
16 ‘The Lord God says:
After the time of the old agreement,
I will make a new agreement with my people.
It will be like this:
I will put my laws deep inside them.
I will put them into their thoughts.’
17 Then he says this: [ c ]
‘I will not continue to think about their sins
when they do not obey my laws.’
18 So that is the way that God forgives our sins. When God has done that, we do not need to have any other sacrifice to take away our sins.
19 So then, Christian friends, we see that Jesus died as a sacrifice on our behalf. Because of that, we may go into God's Most Holy Place. We are not afraid to do that. 20 Jesus has opened a new way for us to come near to God. That way gives us life with God. It leads us through the curtain into God's Most Holy Place. Jesus opened that curtain for us when he offered his own body to God as a sacrifice. [ d ] 21 We have a great priest who rules the people of God's house. 22 So we should come near to God and we should not be afraid. But we must be honest and we must continue to trust him. He has made us clean from the dirt of our sins. Our thoughts no longer give us trouble about our sins. We have become clean. It is like he has washed our bodies with clean water. [ e ]
23 We know that we can trust God to do the things that he has promised. So we must continue to expect those things. We must tell other people that we trust God. We should not stop doing that. 24 We should think about how we can help one another. We want everyone to show love to each other. We want everyone to do good things to help one another. 25 Some people have stopped meeting with the group of Christians. But that is not good. We should all continue to meet together. We need to help one another to be strong and brave. That is now even more important, because the Lord's great day is coming. You know that the Lord will return soon.
26 Now that we have learned what is true, we must continue to believe in Jesus. If we know God's true message, but we still choose to do wrong things, God will not forgive us. There is no other sacrifice that will take away our sins. 27 We know that God will judge us, and that will make us very afraid. Because we know that God will punish everyone who is against him. That punishment will be a very hot fire that destroys people. 28 In the old agreement, anyone who refused to obey Moses' rules had to die. If two or three people said that he had done a bad thing, that person had to die. They would not forgive him. [ f ]
29 So think about a person who has turned against the Son of God. That person's punishment will surely be much worse! He says that Christ's sacrifice has no value for him. He has made God's new agreement seem like something bad. It was Christ's death on the cross that made that person clean, so that he belonged to God. But now that person has insulted God's Spirit, who brings God's kind help to us. 30 We know God and his message. And God said this: ‘I am the one who will punish people for their sins. I will give them the punishment that they ought to receive.’ [ g ] God also said this: ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ 31 Yes, if God takes hold of you to punish you, that will make you very afraid! He is the powerful God who lives for ever. [ h ]
32 Remember what happened to you in those early days. When you first understood the message about Christ, you had many troubles. But you continued to be strong. 33 Sometimes people insulted you. They made you ashamed in front of other people. Sometimes you chose to help other Christians who had trouble like that. Their troubles became your troubles. 34 You were kind to Christians who were in prison. When people took away your own things, you still chose to be happy. You knew that you had something better that would belong to you for ever. [ i ]
35 So continue to be strong in your thoughts. If you continue to trust God, you will receive great things. 36 You need to be patient and strong. Then you will continue to do what God wants. As a result, you will receive what God has promised. 37 This is what the Bible says:
‘In a very short time,
my special servant will come.
He is the one that I promised to send to you.
He will not be late. [ j ]
38 The person that I have accepted as right will live.
That person will live because he trusts me.
But if anyone is afraid and he turns back,
I will not be happy with that person.’ [ k ]
39 But we are not like those people who are afraid and who turn back. If we were, God would destroy us. But we are people who continue to trust God. And so, our lives are safe with God.
10 The law gave us only an unclear picture of the good things coming in the future. The law is not a perfect picture of the real things. The law tells people to offer the same sacrifices every year. Those who come to worship God continue to offer those sacrifices. But the law can never make them perfect. 2 If the law could make people perfect, those sacrifices would have already stopped. They would already be clean from their sins, and they would not still feel guilty. 3 But that’s not what happens. Their sacrifices make them remember their sins every year, 4 because it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 So when Christ came into the world he said,
“You don’t want sacrifices and offerings,
but you have prepared a body for me.
6 You are not pleased with the sacrifices of animals killed and burned
or with offerings to take away sins.
7 Then I said, ‘Here I am, God.
It is written about me in the book of the law.
I have come to do what you want.’” ( A )
8 Christ first said, “You don’t want sacrifices and offerings. You are not pleased with animals killed and burned or with sacrifices to take away sin.” (These are all sacrifices that the law commands.) 9 Then he said, “Here I am, God. I have come to do what you want.” So God ends that first system of sacrifices and starts his new way. 10 Jesus Christ did the things God wanted him to do. And because of that, we are made holy through the sacrifice of Christ’s body. Christ made that sacrifice one time—enough for all time.
11 Every day the priests stand and do their religious service. Again and again they offer the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But Christ offered only one sacrifice for sins, and that sacrifice is good for all time. Then he sat down at the right side of God. 13 And now Christ waits there for his enemies to be put under his power. [ a ] 14 With one sacrifice Christ made his people perfect forever. They are the ones who are being made holy.
15 The Holy Spirit also tells us about this. First he says,
16 “This is the agreement [ b ] I will make
with my people in the future, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts.
I will write my laws in their minds.” ( B )
17 Then he says,
“I will forget their sins
and never again remember the evil they have done.” ( C )
18 And after everything is forgiven, there is no more need for a sacrifice to pay for sins.
19 And so, brothers and sisters, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place. [ c ] We can do this without fear because of the blood sacrifice of Jesus. 20 We enter through a new way that Jesus opened for us. It is a living way that leads through the curtain—Christ’s body. 21 And we have a great priest who rules the house of God. 22 Sprinkled with the blood of Christ, our hearts have been made free from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. So come near to God with a sincere heart, full of confidence because of our faith in Christ. 23 We must hold on to the hope we have, never hesitating to tell people about it. We can trust God to do what he promised.
24 We should think about each other to see how we can encourage each other to show love and do good works. 25 We must not quit meeting together, as some are doing. No, we need to keep on encouraging each other. This becomes more and more important as you see the Day getting closer.
26 If we decide to continue sinning after we have learned the truth, then there is no other sacrifice that will take away sins. 27 If we continue sinning, all that is left for us is a fearful time of waiting for the judgment and the angry fire that will destroy those who live against God. 28 Whoever refused to obey the Law of Moses was found guilty from the testimony given by two or three witnesses. Such people were not forgiven. They were killed. 29 So think how much more punishment people deserve who show their hate for the Son of God—people who show they have no respect for the blood sacrifice that began the new agreement and once made them holy or who insult the Spirit of God’s grace. 30 We know that God said, “I will punish people for the wrongs they do; I will repay them.” [ d ] And he also said, “The Lord will judge his people.” [ e ] 31 It is a terrible thing to face punishment from the living God.
32 Remember the days when you first learned the truth. You had a hard struggle with much suffering, but you continued strong. 33 Sometimes people said hateful things to you and mistreated you in public. And sometimes you helped others who were being treated that same way. 34 Yes, you helped them in prison and shared in their suffering. And you were still happy when everything you owned was taken away from you. You continued to be happy, because you knew that you had something much better—something that would continue forever.
35 So don’t lose the courage that you had in the past. Your courage will be rewarded richly. 36 You must be patient. After you have done what God wants, you will get what he promised you. 37 He says,
“Very soon now, the one who is coming
will come and will not be late.
38 The person who is right with me
will live by trusting in me.
But I will not be pleased with the one
who turns back in fear.” ( D )
39 But we are not those who turn back and are lost. No, we are the people who have faith and are saved.
10 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought 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?
30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;
33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.
34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
10 For the Law, since it has only ( A ) a shadow of ( B ) the good things to come and not the [ a ] form of those things itself, [ b ] can ( C ) never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually every year, ( D ) make those who approach perfect. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had ( E ) consciousness of sins? 3 But ( F ) in [ c ] those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is ( G ) impossible for the ( H ) blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, ( I ) when He comes into the world, He says,
“ ( J ) You have not desired sacrifice and offering ,
But ( K ) You have prepared a body for Me ;
6 ( L ) You have not taken pleasure in whole burnt offerings and offerings for sin .
7 ( M ) Then I said , ‘ Behold , I have come
( It is written of Me in ( N ) the scroll of the book )
To do Your will , O God .’”
8 After saying above, “ ( O ) Sacrifices and offerings and ( P ) whole burnt offerings and offerings ( Q ) for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them ” (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He [ d ] said, “ ( R ) Behold , I have come to do Your will .” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By [ e ] this will, we have been ( S ) sanctified through ( T ) the offering of ( U ) the body of Jesus Christ ( V ) once for all time .
11 Every priest stands daily ministering and ( W ) offering time after time the same sacrifices, which ( X ) can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice ( Y ) for [ f ] sins ( Z ) for all time, ( AA ) sat down at the right hand of God , 13 waiting from that time onward ( AB ) until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet . 14 For by one offering He has ( AC ) perfected ( AD ) for all time those who are [ g ] sanctified. 15 And ( AE ) the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,
16 “ ( AF ) This is the covenant which I will make with them
After those days, declares the Lord :
I will put My laws upon their hearts ,
And write them on their mind ,”
He then says ,
17 “ ( AG ) And their sins and their lawless deeds
I will no longer remember .”
18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required .
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters , since we ( AH ) have confidence to ( AI ) enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by ( AJ ) a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through ( AK ) the veil, that is, through His flesh, 21 and since we have ( AL ) a great priest ( AM ) over the house of God, 22 let’s ( AN ) approach God with a [ h ] sincere heart in ( AO ) full assurance of faith, having our hearts ( AP ) sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies ( AQ ) washed with pure water. 23 Let’s hold firmly to the ( AR ) confession of our ( AS ) hope without wavering, for ( AT ) He who promised is faithful; 24 and let’s consider how ( AU ) to [ i ] encourage one another in love and ( AV ) good deeds, 25 not abandoning our own ( AW ) meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but ( AX ) encouraging one another ; and all the more as you see ( AY ) the day drawing near.
26 For if we go on ( AZ ) sinning willfully after receiving ( BA ) the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of ( BB ) judgment and ( BC ) the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries . 28 ( BD ) Anyone who has ignored the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 ( BE ) How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve ( BF ) who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean ( BG ) the blood of the covenant ( BH ) by which he was sanctified, and has ( BI ) insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “ ( BJ ) Vengeance is Mine , I will repay .” And again, “ ( BK ) The Lord will judge His people .” 31 It is a ( BL ) terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the ( BM ) living God.
32 But remember ( BN ) the former days, [ j ] when, after being ( BO ) enlightened, you endured a great ( BP ) conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being ( BQ ) made a public spectacle through insults and distress, and partly by becoming [ k ] ( BR ) companions with those who were so treated. 34 For you ( BS ) showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted ( BT ) joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves ( BU ) a better and lasting possession. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your ( BV ) confidence, which has a great ( BW ) reward. 36 For you have need of ( BX ) endurance, so that when you have ( BY ) done the will of God, you may ( BZ ) receive [ l ] what was promised.
37 ( CA ) For yet in a very little while ,
( CB ) He who is coming will come, and will not delay .
38 ( CC ) But My righteous one will live by faith ;
And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him .
39 But [ m ] we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith for the safekeeping of the soul.
10 The law is only a shadow ( A ) of the good things ( B ) that are coming—not the realities themselves. ( C ) For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect ( D ) those who draw near to worship. ( E ) 2 Otherwise, 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. ( F ) 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. ( G ) 4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats ( H ) to take away sins. ( I )
5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, ( J ) he said:
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me; ( K )
6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll ( L ) —
I have come to do your will, my God.’” [ a ] ( M )
8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” ( N ) —though they were offered in accordance with the law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” ( O ) He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy ( P ) through the sacrifice of the body ( Q ) of Jesus Christ once for all. ( R )
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, ( S ) which can never take away sins. ( T ) 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, ( U ) he sat down at the right hand of God, ( V ) 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. ( W ) 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect ( X ) forever those who are being made holy. ( Y )
15 The Holy Spirit also testifies ( Z ) 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.” [ b ] ( AA )
17 Then he adds:
18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence ( AC ) to enter the Most Holy Place ( AD ) by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way ( AE ) opened for us through the curtain, ( AF ) that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest ( AG ) over the house of God, ( AH ) 22 let us draw near to God ( AI ) with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, ( AJ ) having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience ( AK ) and having our bodies washed with pure water. ( AL ) 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope ( AM ) we profess, ( AN ) for he who promised is faithful. ( AO ) 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ( AP ) 25 not giving up meeting together, ( AQ ) as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another ( AR ) —and all the more as you see the Day approaching. ( AS )
26 If we deliberately keep on sinning ( AT ) after we have received the knowledge of the truth, ( AU ) no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire ( AV ) that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ( AW ) 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God ( AX ) underfoot, ( AY ) who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant ( AZ ) that sanctified them, ( BA ) and who has insulted the Spirit ( BB ) of grace? ( BC ) 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” [ d ] ( BD ) and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” [ e ] ( BE ) 31 It is a dreadful thing ( BF ) to fall into the hands ( BG ) of the living God. ( BH )
32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, ( BI ) when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. ( BJ ) 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; ( BK ) at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. ( BL ) 34 You suffered along with those in prison ( BM ) and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. ( BN ) 35 So do not throw away your confidence; ( BO ) it will be richly rewarded.
36 You need to persevere ( BP ) so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. ( BQ ) 37 For,
38 And,
“But my righteous [ g ] one will live by faith. ( BT )
And I take no pleasure
in the one who shrinks back.” [ h ] ( BU )
39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
