²² And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us,^(A) knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life^(B) and eat, and live forever.” ²³ So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden^(C) to work the ground^(D) from which he had been taken. ²⁴ After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side^[a] of the Garden of Eden^(E) cherubim^(F) and a flaming sword^(G) flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.^(H)

Sin, Confession and Redemption

²¹ “As for me, this is my covenant^(D) with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit,^(E) who is on you, will not depart from you,^(F) and my words that I have put in your mouth^(G) will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.

³ For this is what the Lord says:

¹⁸ Flee from sexual immorality.^(A) All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.^{(B) 19} Do you not know that your bodies are temples^(C) of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;^{(D) 20} you were bought at a price.^(E) Therefore honor God with your bodies.^(F)

¹¹ For the grace^(A) of God has appeared^(B) that offers salvation to all people.^{(C) 12} It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions,^(D) and to live self-controlled,^(E) upright and godly lives^(F) in this present age, ¹³ while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing^(G) of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ,^{(H) 14} who gave himself for us^(I) to redeem us from all wickedness^(J) and to purify^(K) for himself a people that are his very own,^(L) eager to do what is good.^(M)

The Blood of Christ

¹¹ But when Christ came as high priest^(A) of the good things that are now already here,^[a](B) he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle^(C) that is not made with human hands,^(D) that is to say, is not a part of this creation.

¹² He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;^(A) but he entered the Most Holy Place^(B) once for all^(C) by his own blood,^(D) thus obtaining^[a] eternal redemption.

²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,^(A) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.^(B)