8 The most important thing that we are saying is this: In Jesus, we do have this kind of special priest. He has now sat down to rule with God in heaven. He sits at the right side of God, who rules with all authority. 2 He serves as priest in heaven on our behalf. He is in God's very special place, near to God himself. That is like the special place in the tabernacle of long ago. But it is not a tent that people have made. The Lord himself has made this special place, and it is the true one.
3 It is the duty of every special priest to offer gifts and sacrifices to God. So Jesus, as our special priest, must also have something to offer. 4 If he was living on earth, then he would not be a priest. There are already priests on earth who offer gifts to God. They do this in the way that Moses' law tells them. 5 But the way that those Levite priests work is only like a picture of the true things in heaven. It is like a shadow of what would happen in heaven. Long ago, when Moses was ready to make the tabernacle, God warned him about it. God said to Moses, ‘Be careful to make everything just like the plan which I showed you on the mountain.’ [ a ]
6 But now God has given Jesus a much better way to serve him as a priest. The new agreement that God makes with his people is possible because of Jesus. Because of Jesus' work on our behalf, the new agreement is better than the old one. It is much better because it started with better promises.
7 If there had been nothing wrong with that first agreement, then nobody would have needed a second agreement. 8 But God did find something wrong with it. As a result, he said this to his people:
‘Listen to this! The Lord says:
A time will come when I make a new agreement with my people.
That is, with Israel's people and with Judah's people. [ b ]
9 It will not be like the old agreement that I made with their ancestors.
At that time, I brought my people safely out of Egypt.
I led them like a father who takes his child's hand.
But they did not continue to obey my agreement with them.
So I turned away from them.
That is what the Lord says.
10 But now the Lord says this:
After the time of that old agreement
I will make a new agreement with Israel's people.
It will be like this:
I will put my laws into their thoughts.
I will write my laws deep inside them.
I will be their God and they will be my people.
11 As a result, nobody will have to teach their friends or their family about me.
They will never need to say, “You should know the Lord.”
This is because everyone will already know me.
The most important people will know me,
as well as the least important people.
12 I will be kind to them.
I will forgive them for the wicked things that they have done.
I will not continue to think about their sins.
That is what the Lord says.’ [ c ]
13 We see that God was speaking about a new agreement. That shows that he has caused the first agreement to become old. And anything that is becoming old like that will soon finish. [ d ]
8 Here is the point of what we are saying: We have a high priest like that, who sits on the right side [ a ] of God’s throne in heaven. 2 Our high priest serves in the Most Holy Place. [ b ] He serves in the true place of worship [ c ] that was made by God, not by anyone here on earth.
3 Every high priest has the work of offering gifts and sacrifices to God. So our high priest must also offer something to God. 4 If our high priest were now living on earth, he would not be a priest. I say this because there are already priests here who follow the law by offering gifts to God. 5 The work that these priests do is really only a copy and a shadow of what is in heaven. That is why God warned Moses when he was ready to build the Holy Tent: “Be sure to make everything exactly like the pattern I showed you on the mountain.” [ d ] 6 But the work that has been given to Jesus is much greater than the work that was given to those priests. In the same way, the new agreement that Jesus brought from God to his people is much greater than the old one. And the new agreement is based on better promises.
7 If there was nothing wrong with the first agreement, then there would be no need for a second agreement. 8 But God found something wrong with the people. He said,
“The time is coming, says the Lord,
when I will give a new agreement
to the people of Israel and to the people of Judah.
9 It will not be like the agreement
that I gave to their fathers.
That is the agreement I gave when I took them by the hand
and led them out of Egypt.
They did not continue following the agreement I gave them,
and I turned away from them, says the Lord.
10 This is the new agreement I will give the people of Israel.
I will give this agreement in the future, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds,
and I will write my laws on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
11 Never again will anyone have to teach their neighbors
or their family to know the Lord.
All people—the greatest and the least important—will know me.
12 And I will forgive the wrongs they have done,
and I will not remember their sins.” ( A )
13 God called this a new agreement, so he has made the first agreement old. And anything that is old and useless is ready to disappear.
8 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
8 Now the main point in what has been said is this : we have such a ( A ) high priest, who has taken His seat at ( B ) the right hand of the throne of the ( C ) Majesty in the heavens, 2 a ( D ) minister [ a ] in the sanctuary and [ b ] in the ( E ) true [ c ] tabernacle, which the Lord ( F ) set up, not man. 3 For every ( G ) high priest is appointed ( H ) to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are [ d ] those who ( I ) offer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve ( J ) a copy and ( K ) shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses [ e ] was ( L ) warned by God when he was about to erect the [ f ] tabernacle; for, “ ( M ) See ,” He says, “ that you make all things by the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain .” 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, to the extent that He is also the ( N ) mediator of ( O ) a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.
7 For ( P ) if that first covenant had been free of fault, no [ g ] circumstances would have been sought for a second. 8 For in finding fault with [ h ] the people, He says,
“ ( Q ) Behold, days are coming, says the Lord ,
[ i ] When I will bring about ( R ) a new covenant
With the house of Israel and the house of Judah ,
9 ( S ) Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers
On the day I took them by the hand
To bring them out of the land of Egypt ;
For they did not continue in My covenant ,
And I did not care about them, says the Lord .
10 ( T ) For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, declares the Lord :
[ j ] I will put My laws into their minds ,
And write them ( U ) on their hearts .
And I will be their God ,
And they shall be My people .
11 ( V ) And they will not teach, each one his fellow citizen ,
And each one his brother, saying , ‘ Know the Lord ,’
For ( W ) they will all know Me ,
From [ k ] the least to the greatest of them .
12 ( X ) For I will be merciful toward their wrongdoings ,
( Y ) And their sins I will no longer remember .”
13 [ l ] When He said, “ ( Z ) A new covenant ,” He has made the first obsolete. ( AA ) But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is [ m ] about to disappear.
8 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, ( A ) who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, ( B ) 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle ( C ) set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.
3 Every high priest ( D ) is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, ( E ) and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. ( F ) 4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. ( G ) 5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy ( H ) and shadow ( I ) of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned ( J ) when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” [ a ] ( K ) 6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant ( L ) of which he is mediator ( M ) is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.
7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. ( N ) 8 But God found fault with the people and said [ b ] :
“The days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant ( O )
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
9 It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors ( P )
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,
and I turned away from them,
declares the Lord.
10 This is the covenant ( Q ) I will establish with the people of Israel
after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
and write them on their hearts. ( R )
I will be their God,
and they will be my people. ( S )
11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me, ( T )
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more. ( U ) ” [ c ] ( V )
13 By calling this covenant “new,” ( W ) he has made the first one obsolete; ( X ) and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.
