Hebrews 9

1 Now the first agreement had its rules of worship, and a holy order.

Now even the first Covenant had regulations for divine worship, and had also its sanctuary--a sanctuary belonging to this world.

2 For the first Tent was made ready, having in it the vessels for the lights and the table and the ordering of the bread; and this is named the holy place.

For a sacred tent was constructed--the outer one, in which were the lamp and the table and the presented loaves; and this is called the Holy place.

3 And inside the second veil was the place which is named the Holy of holies;

And behind the second veil was a sacred tent called the Holy of holies.

4 Having a vessel of gold in it for burning perfumes, and the ark of the agreement, which was covered with gold and which had in it a pot made of gold for the manna, and Aaron's rod which put out buds, and the stones with the writing of the agreement;

This had a censer of gold, and the ark of the Covenant lined with gold and completely covered with gold, and in it were a gold vase which held the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded and the tables of the Covenant.

5 And over it were the winged ones of glory with their wings covering the mercy-seat; about which it is not possible now to say anything in detail.

And above the ark were the Cherubim denoting God's glorious presence and overshadowing the Mercy-seat. But I cannot now speak about all these in detail.

6 Now while these things were in existence, the priests went into the first Tent at all times, for prayer and the making of offerings.

These arrangements having long been completed, the priests, when conducting the divine services, continually enter the outer tent.

7 But only the high priest went into the second, once a year, not without making an offering of blood for himself and for the errors of the people:

But into the second, the High Priest goes only on one day of the year, and goes alone, taking with him blood, which he offers on his own behalf and on account of the sins which the people have ignorantly committed.

8 The Holy Spirit witnessing by this that the way into the holy place had not at that time been made open, while the first Tent was still in being;

And the lesson which the Holy Spirit teaches is this--that the way into the true Holy place is not yet open so long as the outer tent still remains in existence.

9 And this is an image of the present time; when the offerings which are given are not able to make the heart of the worshipper completely clean,

And this is a figure--for the time now present--answering to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, unable though they are to give complete freedom from sin to him who ministers.

10 Because they are only rules of the flesh, of meats and drinks and washings, which have their place till the time comes when things will be put right.

For their efficacy depends only on meats and drinks and various washings, ceremonies pertaining to the body and imposed until a time of reformation.

11 But now Christ has come as the high priest of the good things of the future, through this greater and better Tent, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this world,

But Christ appeared as a High Priest of the blessings that are soon to come by means of the greater and more perfect Tent of worship, a tent which has not been built with hands--that is to say does not belong to this material creation--

12 And has gone once and for ever into the holy place, having got eternal salvation, not through the blood of goats and young oxen, but through his blood. (aiōnios g166)

and once for all entered the Holy place, taking with Him not the blood of goats and calves, but His own blood, and thus procuring eternal redemption for us. (aiōnios g166)

13 For if the blood of goats and oxen, and the dust from the burning of a young cow, being put on the unclean, make the flesh clean:

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have contracted defilement make them holy so as to bring about ceremonial purity,

14 How much more will the blood of Christ, who, being without sin, made an offering of himself to God through the Holy Spirit, make your hearts clean from dead works to be servants of the living God? (aiōnios g166)

how much more certainly shall the blood of Christ, who strengthened by the eternal Spirit offered Himself to God, free from blemish, purify your consciences from lifeless works for you to serve the ever-living God? (aiōnios g166)

15 And for this cause it is through him that a new agreement has come into being, so that after the errors under the first agreement had been taken away by his death, the word of God might have effect for those who were marked out for an eternal heritage. (aiōnios g166)

And because of this He is the negotiator of a new Covenant, in order that, since a life has been given in atonement for the offences committed under the first Covenant, those who have been called may receive the eternal inheritance which has been promised to them. (aiōnios g166)

16 Because where there is a testament, there has to be the death of the man who made it.

For where there is a legal 'will,' there must also be a death brought forward in evidence--the death of him who made it.

17 For a testament has effect after death; for what power has it while the man who made it is living?

And a will is only of force in the case of a deceased person, being never of any avail so long as he who made it lives.

18 So that even the first agreement was not made without blood.

Accordingly we find that the first Covenant was not inaugurated without blood.

19 For when Moses had given all the rules of the law to the people, he took the blood of goats and young oxen, with water and red wool and hyssop, and put it on the book itself and on all the people,

For when Moses had proclaimed to all the people every commandment contained in the Law, he took the blood of the calves and of the goats and with them water, scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

20 Saying, This blood is the sign of the agreement which God has made with you.

saying, "This is the blood which confirms the Covenant that God has made binding upon you."

21 And the blood was put on the Tent and all the holy vessels in the same way.

And in the same way he also sprinkled blood upon the Tent of worship and upon all the vessels used in the ministry.

22 And by the law almost all things are made clean with blood, and without blood there is no forgiveness.

Indeed we may almost say that in obedience to the Law everything is sprinkled with blood, and that apart from the outpouring of blood there is no remission of sins.

23 For this cause it was necessary to make the copies of the things in heaven clean with these offerings; but the things themselves are made clean with better offerings than these.

It was needful therefore that the copies of the things in Heaven should be cleansed in this way, but that the heavenly things themselves should be cleansed with more costly sacrifices.

24 For Christ did not go into a holy place which had been made by men's hands as the copy of the true one; but he went into heaven itself, and now takes his place before the face of God for us.

For not into a Holy place built by men's hands--a mere copy of the reality--did Christ enter, but He entered Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

25 And he did not have to make an offering of himself again and again, as the high priest goes into the holy place every year with blood which is not his;

Nor did He enter for the purpose of many times offering Himself in sacrifice, just as the High Priest enters the Holy place, year after year, taking with him blood not his own.

26 For then he would have undergone a number of deaths from the time of the making of the world: but now he has come to us at the end of the old order, to put away sin by the offering of himself. (aiōn g165)

In that case Christ would have needed to suffer many times, from the creation of the world onwards; but as a matter of fact He has appeared once for all, at the Close of the Ages, in order to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (aiōn g165)

27 And because by God's law death comes to men once, and after that they are judged;

And since it is reserved for all mankind once to die, and afterwards to be judged;

28 So Christ, having at his first coming taken on himself the sins of men, will be seen a second time, without sin, by those who are waiting for him, for their salvation.

so the Christ also, having been once offered in sacrifice in order that He might bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, separated from sin, to those who are eagerly expecting Him, to make their salvation complete.