Hebrews 10
1 For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.
The Law, though able to foreshadow the better system which was coming, never had its actual substance. Its priests, with those sacrifices which they offer continuously year after year, can never make those who come to worship perfect.
2 Or else wouldn’t they have ceased to be offered, because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins?
Otherwise, would not the offering of these sacrifices have been abandoned, as the worshipers, having been once purified, would have had their consciences clear from sins?
3 But in those sacrifices there is a yearly reminder of sins.
But, on the contrary, these sacrifices recall their sins to mind year after year.
4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.
For the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to remove sins.
5 Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “You didn’t desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me.
That is why, when he was coming into the world, the Christ declared – “Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, but you provide for me a body;
6 You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.
You take no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.
7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’”
So I said, ‘See, I have come’ (as is written of me in the pages of the book), ‘To do your will, God.’”
8 Previously saying, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the law),
First come the words – “You do not desire, nor do you take pleasure in, sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sacrifices for sin” (offerings regularly made under the Law),
9 then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first, that he may establish the second,
and then there is added – “See, I have come to do your will.” The former sacrifices are set aside to be replaced by the latter.
10 by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
And it is in the fulfilment of the will of God that we have been purified by the sacrifice, once and for all, of the body of Jesus Christ.
11 Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,
Every other priest stands day after day at his ministrations, and offers the same sacrifices over and over again – sacrifices that can never take sins away.
12 but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God,
But, this priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, which should serve for all time, “took his seat at the right hand of God,”
13 from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet.
and has since then been waiting “for his enemies to be put as a stool for his feet.”
14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
By a single offering he has made perfect for all time those who are being purified.
15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
We have also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. For, after saying –
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,” says the Lord, “I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;” then he says,
“‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,’ says the Lord; ‘I will impress my laws on their hearts, and will inscribe them on their minds,’”
17 “I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.”
then we have – “And their sins and their iniquities I will no longer remember.”
18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
And, when these are forgiven, there is no further need of an offering for sin.
19 Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
Therefore, friends, since we may enter the sanctuary with confidence, in virtue of the blood of Jesus,
20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh,
by the way which he inaugurated for us – a new and living way, a way through the sanctuary curtain (that is, his human nature);
21 and having a great priest over God’s house,
and, since we have in him “a great priest set over the house of God,”
22 let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our body washed with pure water,
let us draw near to God in all sincerity of heart and in perfect faith, with our hearts purified by the sprinkled blood from all consciousness of wrong, and with our bodies washed with pure water.
23 let’s hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.
Let us maintain the confession of our hope unshaken, for he who has given us his promise will not fail us.
24 Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,
Let us vie with one another in a rivalry of love and noble actions.
25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
And let us not, as some do, cease to meet together; but, on the contrary, let us encourage one another, and all the more, now that you see the day drawing near.
26 For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,
Remember, if we sin wilfully after we have gained a full knowledge of the truth, there can be no further sacrifice for sin;
27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgement, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.
there is only a fearful anticipation of judgment, and a burning indignation which will destroy all opponents.
28 A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.
When someone disregarded the Law of Moses, they were, on the evidence of two or three witnesses, put to death without pity.
29 How much worse punishment do you think he will be judged worthy of who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
How much worse then, think you, will be the punishment deserved by those who have trampled underfoot the Son of God, who have treated the blood that rendered the covenant valid – the blood by which they were purified – as if it were not holy, and who have outraged the Spirit of love?
30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance belongs to me. I will repay,” says the Lord. Again, “The Lord will judge his people.”
We know who it was that said – “It is for me to avenge, I will requite”; and again – “The Lord will judge his people.”
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:
Call to mind those early days in which, after you had received the light, you patiently underwent a long and painful conflict.
33 partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions, and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so.
Sometimes, in consequence of the taunts and injuries heaped on you, you became a public spectacle; and sometimes you suffered through having shown yourselves to be the friends of people who were in the same position in which you had been.
34 For you both had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens.
For you not only sympathised with those who were in prison, but you even took the confiscation of your possessions joyfully, knowing, as you did, that you had in yourselves a greater possession and a lasting one.
35 Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.
Do not, therefore, abandon the confidence that you have gained, for it has a great reward awaiting it.
36 For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.
You still have need of patient endurance, in order that, when you have done God’s will, you may obtain the fulfilment of his promise.
37 “In a very little while, he who comes will come and will not wait.
“For there is indeed but a very little while before he who is coming will have come, without delay;
38 But the righteous one will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”
and through faith the righteous will find life, but, if anyone draws back, my heart can find no pleasure in them.”
39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.
But we do not belong to those who draw back, to their ruin, but to those who have faith, to the saving of their souls.
