Hebrews 10

1 Just like a shadow vaguely represents the thing that it is a shadow of, the laws that God [gave Moses] only poorly represent [MET] the good things that were to come later. Those laws were not all the good things themselves that God has promised. So, by offering the same kinds of sacrifices every year, people [PRS] who approach God can never become (perfect/all that God intends them to be).

2 If God had removed the guilt for having sinned of those who brought the sacrifices, they would not feel that they were still guilty. So they would certainly have stopped offering those sacrifices! [RHQ]

3 But rather, the fact that they offer those sacrifices each year reminds them that they are still guilty for their sins.

4 The principle is that blood of animals such as bulls or goats can never remove the guilt of those who have sinned.

5 So, as [Christ] was coming into the world, he spoke [to his Father about offering himself as a sacrifice for people’s sin. The Psalmist wrote this that Christ said]: It is not sacrifices and offerings that you [(sg)] have wanted, but you have prepared for me a body [to serve you].

6 Animals that are completely burned up as sacrifices have not pleased you, and [other sacrifices that atone] for those who have sinned have not pleased you.

7 Then [because of this], I said, “My God, (listen!/here I am!) I have come [here] in order to do what you want me [to do], [just like] has been written {as they have written} about me in the Scriptures.”

8 First, [Christ] said, “It is not sacrifices and offerings and animals that [the priests] have completely burned up and other [offerings to atone for] those who have sinned that you have really wanted. They have not pleased you.” [Christ said that even though] those things were offered {they offered all those things} according to the laws [God gave Moses]!

9 Then, [concerning his offering himself as a sacrifice to atone for people’s sin], he said, “Listen! I have come [here] to do what you want me [to do]!” In that way Christ got rid of the first [way of atoning for sin], in order to establish the second [way of atoning for] sin.

10 Because of Jesus Christ [doing what God] wanted him to do, we have been dedicated to {[he] has set us apart for} God by his offering his own body only once [as a sacrifice, a sacrifice that will not need to be repeated].

11 As every [Jewish] priest stands daily [in front of the altar], he performs rituals and offers the same kind of sacrifices that could never remove [the guilt from anyone who] sinned [MTY].

12 But [Christ] offered a sacrifice that [will be adequate] forever, and he offered it only one time! Then he sat down [to rule] with God at the place of highest honor [MTY].

13 From now on, he is waiting for [God] to completely subdue [all] Christ’s enemies [MTY].

14 By offering himself once, he has provided that those whom [God] has set apart will be eternally made (perfect/all that God intends them to be).

15 The Holy Spirit also confirms to us [that this is true]. First the Lord says:

16 When the time [MTY] [when the first covenant that God made] with my people has ended, I will make a new covenant with them [MTY]. I will do like this for them: I will cause them to understand my laws and I will cause them to obey them (OR, enable them to know them sincerely).

17 Then [the Lord said]: [I will forgive them for] their [DOU] sins, and I will [consider] that they are no longer [guilty for] having sinned.

18 When [God] has forgiven someone’s sins, that person does not [need to make] any more offerings [to atone for his sin]!

19 So, my fellow believers, because we [trust in what Jesus accomplished when] his own blood [flowed for us], we can confidently go into [God’s very presence] that was [symbolized] by the very holy place [in the tent] [MTY].

20 Jesus enabled us to go into [God’s presence] by making a new and effective way. [Specifically], he [offered] his body [as a sacrifice] for us [in order that nothing would stop us] from entering [God’s presence, just like] [MET] the curtain [of the very holy place prevented people from entering God’s presence].

21 Christ is a great priest [who rules over us, who are] God’s people [MTY].

22 [Just like the priests] were sprinkled {[as Moses] sprinkled [the priests]} [with blood] [MET] to symbolize that they were no longer guilty for having sinned, we also no longer are [guilty for having done] evil. [Just like the priests ceremonially] washed their bodies with pure water [to prepare themselves to serve God], we are allowing [God] to continually make us pure. So, we [(inc)] must approach [God] sincerely by confidently trusting [in him].

23 We must unwaveringly keep holding tight [to what we believe. Since God] faithfully [does all] he promised [to do], we must confidently expect [him to keep doing that].

24 [Since God] faithfully [does all that] he promised [to do], let us consider how each of us can motivate other believers, in order that [believers] will love each other, and in order that each one will do good things.

25 We must not stop assembling ourselves [to worship the Lord], as some people have done. Instead, each one of us must encourage/exhort other believers. [Let us do that] even more since we know that the day [that the Lord will return] [MTY] is near.

26 [We(inc) must do those things], because if we deliberately and habitually sin after we have known the true [message about Christ], no other sacrifice will remove our guilt for having sinned in that way.

27 Instead, we must fearfully expect that [God will] judge and angrily [punish] his enemies in a furious fire [MET].

28 Everyone who rejected the laws [that God gave] Moses was mercilessly killed when [at least] two or three people testified that they had done that.

29 [That was severe punishment]. But [Christ] is (God’s Son/the man who is also God). His blood, by means of which [he put into effect] the new covenant, is sacred. Because of [Christ’s] [MTY] blood [flowing for us when he died], [God] freed us from our guilt. So, you can be sure [RHQ] that anyone who shows contempt for [those truths] and who insults the Spirit of God, the one who acts with kindness toward us in a way we do not deserve, deserves to be punished even worse than [those Israelis were punished] [MET]!

30 [We can be sure of that] (OR, [need to think about that carefully]) since we know that God said, “I myself will get revenge on those who sinned, and I will punish them as they deserve [DOU].” [Moses wrote], “The Lord will judge his people.”

31 It will be a terrible thing if God who is all-powerful [MTY] seizes and punishes you [IDM]!

32 Recall previous times when you [first] understood [MET] [the message about Christ]. You endured a hard struggle, but you [continued to trust him] when you suffered [because you believed in Christ].

33 At times you were publicly insulted {people publicly insulted you} and you suffered {people persecuted you}. But you showed great concern for those who were treated like that.

34 You not only were kind to those who were in prison [because they believed in Christ], but you also accepted it joyfully when [unbelievers] took away your possessions. You accepted it because you yourselves knew very well that you have eternal possessions [in heaven] that are much better [than those that they took from you]!

35 So, do not become discouraged [when they cause you to suffer] {[you are persecuted]}, because [if you continue to trust in God], he will greatly reward you.

36 You must patiently continue [to trust in him] in order that, because of your doing what God wants you to do, he will give you what he has promised.

37 [You must do that] since [a prophet wrote] in the Scriptures [that God said about the Messiah], In just a short time the one [I promised] would come will surely come; he will not delay coming.

38 But those whom I have summoned, who [act] righteously, must continually live trusting in me, because if they, in a cowardly manner, cease [to trust in me], I (will not be pleased/will be angry) with them.

39 But we are not ones who in a cowardly manner stop [trusting in God], with the result that God will severely punish us. Instead, we are ones who trust in him, with the result that [God] will save us [SYN] eternally.