Hebrews 10
1 For the Law hauing the shadowe of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can neuer with those sacrifices, which they offer yeere by yeere continually, sanctifie the commers thereunto.
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 For would they not then haue ceased to haue bene offered, because that the offerers once purged, should haue had no more conscience of sinnes?
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 remembrance againe of sinnes euery yeere.
But, on the contrary, these sacrifices recall their sins to mind year after year.
4 For it is vnpossible that the blood of bulles and goates should take away sinnes.
For the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to remove sins.
5 Wherefore when he commeth into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offring thou wouldest not: but a body hast thou ordeined 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 In burnt offerings, and sinne offrings thou hast had no pleasure.
You take no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.
7 Then I sayd, Lo, I come (In the beginning of the booke it is written of me) that I should doe thy 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 Aboue, when he sayd, Sacrifice and offring, and burnt offrings, and sinne offrings thou wouldest not haue, neither hadst pleasure therein (which are offered by the Lawe)
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 sayd he, Lo, I come to doe thy wil, O God, he taketh away the first, that he may stablish 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 the which wil we are sanctified, euen by the offring of the body of Iesus Christ once made.
And it is in the fulfillment of the will of God that we have been purified by the sacrifice, once and for all, of the body of Jesus Christ.
11 And euery Priest standeth dayly ministring, and oft times offreth one maner of offring, which can neuer take away sinnes:
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 this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sinnes, sitteth for euer at 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 And from hencefoorth tarieth, till his enemies be made his footestoole.
and has since then been waiting ‘for his enemies to be put as a stool for his feet.’
14 For with one offering hath he consecrated for euer them that are sanctified.
By a single offering he has made perfect for all time those who are being purified.
15 For the holy Ghost also beareth vs record: for after that he had sayd before,
We have also the testimony of the Holy Spirit. For, after saying –
16 This is the Testament that I will make vnto them after those dayes, sayth the Lord, I wil put my Lawes in their heart, and in their mindes I will write them.
‘“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 And their sinnes and iniquities will I remember no more.
then we have – ‘And their sins and their iniquities I will no longer remember.’
18 Nowe where remission of these things is, there is no more offering for sinne.
And, when these are forgiven, there is no further need of an offering for sin.
19 Seeing therefore, brethren, that by the blood of Iesus we may be bolde to enter into the Holy place,
Therefore, friends, since we may enter the sanctuary with confidence, in virtue of the blood of Jesus,
20 By the newe and liuing way, which hee hath prepared for vs, through the vaile, that is, 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 seeing we haue an hie Priest, which is ouer the house of God,
and, since we have in him ‘a great priest set over the house of God,’
22 Let vs drawe neere with a true heart in assurance of faith, our hearts being pure from an euill conscience,
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 And washed in our bodies with pure water, let vs keepe the profession of our hope, without wauering, (for he is faithfull that promised)
Let us maintain the confession of our hope unshaken, for he who has given us his promise will not fail us.
24 And let vs consider one another, to prouoke vnto loue, and to good workes,
Let us vie with one another in a rivalry of love and noble actions.
25 Not forsaking the fellowship that we haue among our selues, as the maner of some is: but let vs exhort one another, and that so much the more, because ye see that the day draweth neere.
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 sinne willingly after that we haue receiued and acknowledged that trueth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes,
Remember, if we sin willfully after we have gained a full knowledge of the truth, there can be no further sacrifice for sin;
27 But a fearefull looking for of iudgement, and violent fire, which shall deuoure the aduersaries.
there is only a fearful anticipation of judgment, and a burning indignation which will destroy all opponents.
28 He that despiseth Moses Law, dieth without mercy vnder 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 Of howe much sorer punishment suppose ye shall hee be worthy, which treadeth vnder foote the Sonne of God, and counteth the blood of the Testament as an vnholy thing, wherewith he was sanctified, and doeth despite 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 that hath sayd, Vengeance belongeth vnto mee: I will recompense, saith the Lord. And againe, The Lord shall iudge 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 fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 Nowe call to remembrance the dayes that are passed, in the which, after ye had receiued light, ye endured a great fight in afflictions,
Call to mind those early days in which, after you had received the light, you patiently underwent a long and painful conflict.
33 Partly while yee were made a gazing stocke both by reproches and afflictions, and partly while ye became companions of them which were so tossed to and from.
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 both ye sorowed with mee for my bonds, and suffered with ioy the spoyling of your goods, knowing in your selues howe that ye haue in heauen a better, and an enduring substance.
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 Cast not away therefore your confidence which hath great recompense of reward.
Do not, therefore, abandon the confidence that you have gained, for it has a great reward awaiting it.
36 For ye haue neede of patience, that after ye haue done the will of God, ye might receiue the promise.
You still have need of patient endurance, in order that, when you have done God’s will, you may obtain the fulfillment of his promise.
37 For yet a very litle while, and hee that shall come, will come, and will not tary.
‘For there is indeed but a very little while before he who is coming will have come, without delay;
38 Nowe the iust shall liue by faith: but if any withdrawe himselfe, my soule shall haue 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 they which withdrawe our selues vnto perdition, but follow faith vnto the conseruation of the soule.
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.
