Hebrews 8

1 To sum up what I have been saying: — Such is the High Priest that we have, one who ‘has taken his seat at the right hand’ of the throne of God’s Majesty in Heaven,

Now a summary of the things of which we are speaking [is], We have such a one high priest who has sat down on [the] right hand of the throne of the greatness in the heavens;

2 where he ministers in the Sanctuary, in that true Tabernacle set up by the Lord and not by man.

minister of the holy places and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord has pitched, [and] not man.

3 Every High Priest is appointed for the purpose of offering gifts and sacrifices to God; it follows, therefore, that this High Priest must have some offering to make.

For every high priest is constituted for the offering both of gifts and sacrifices; whence it is needful that this one also should have something which he may offer.

4 If he were, however, still upon earth, he would not even be a priest, since there are already priests who offer the gifts as the Law directs.

If then indeed he were upon earth, he would not even be a priest, there being those who offer the gifts according to the law,

5 (These priests, it is true, are engaged in a service which is only a copy and shadow of the heavenly realities, as is shown by the directions given to Moses when he was about to construct the Tabernacle. ‘Look to it,’ are the words, ‘that thou make every part in accordance with the pattern shown thee on the mountain.’)

(who serve the representation and shadow of heavenly things, according as Moses was oracularly told [when] about to make the tabernacle; for See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern which has been shewn to thee in the mountain.)

6 But Jesus, as we see, has obtained a ministry as far excelling theirs, as the Covenant of which he is the intermediary, based, as it is, on better promises, excels the former Covenant.

But now he has got a more excellent ministry, by so much as he is mediator of a better covenant, which is established on the footing of better promises.

7 If that first Covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second.

For if that first was faultless, place had not been sought for a second.

8 But, finding fault with the people, God says — ‘“Behold, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “When I will ratify a new Covenant with the People of Israel and with the People of Judah —

For finding fault, he says to them, Behold, days come, saith the Lord, and I will consummate a new covenant as regards the house of Israel, and as regards the house of Juda;

9 Not such a Covenant as I made with their ancestors On the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not abide by their Covenant with me, And therefore I disregarded them,” says the Lord.

not according to the covenant which I made to their fathers in [the] day of my taking their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in my covenant, and I did not regard them, saith [the] Lord.

10 “This is the Covenant that I will make with the People of Israel After those days,” says the Lord. “I will impress my laws on their minds, And will inscribe them on their hearts; And I will be their God, And they shall be my People.

Because this [is] the covenant that I will covenant to the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: Giving my laws into their mind, I will write them also upon their hearts; and I will be to them for God, and they shall be to me for people.

11 There shall be no need for every man to instruct his fellow-citizen, Or for a man to say to his Brother ‘Learn to know the Lord’; For every one will know me, From the lowest to the highest.

And they shall not teach each his fellow-citizen, and each his brother, saying, Know the Lord; because all shall know me in themselves, from [the] little one [among them] unto [the] great among them.

12 For I will be merciful to their wrong-doings, And I will no longer remember their sins.”’

Because I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesses, and their sins and their lawlessnesses I will never remember any more.

13 By speaking of a ‘new’ Covenant, God at once renders the former Covenant obsolete; and whatever becomes obsolete and loses its force is virtually annulled.

In that he says New, he has made the first old; but that which grows old and aged [is] near disappearing.