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Hebrews 8:1-9:11
New American Standard Bible

A Better Ministry

8 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a (A)high priest, who has taken His seat at (B)the right hand of the throne of the (C)Majesty in the heavens, 2 a (D)minister [a]in the sanctuary and [b]in the (E)true [c]tabernacle, which the Lord (F)set up, not man. 3 For every (G)high priest is appointed (H)to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are [d]those who (I)offer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve (J)a copy and (K)shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses [e]was (L)warned by God when he was about to erect the [f]tabernacle; for, “(M)See,” He says, “that you make all things by the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.” 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, to the extent that He is also the (N)mediator of (O)a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

A New Covenant

7 For (P)if that first covenant had been free of fault, no [g]circumstances would have been sought for a second. 8 For in finding fault with [h]the people, He says,

“(Q)Behold, days are coming, says the Lord,
[i]When I will bring about (R)a new covenant
With the house of Israel and the house of Judah,
9 (S)Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers
On the day I took them by the hand
To bring them out of the land of Egypt;
For they did not continue in My covenant,
And I did not care about them, says the Lord.
10 (T)For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, declares the Lord:
[j]I will put My laws into their minds,
And write them (U)on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.
11 (V)And they will not teach, each one his fellow citizen,
And each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
For (W)they will all know Me,
From [k]the least to the greatest of them.
12 (X)For I will be merciful toward their wrongdoings,
(Y)And their sins I will no longer remember.”

13 [l]When He said, “(Z)A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. (AA)But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is [m]about to disappear.

The Old and the New

9 Now even the first covenant had (AB)regulations for divine worship and (AC)the earthly sanctuary. 2 For (AD)a [n]tabernacle was equipped, the [o]outer sanctuary, in which were (AE)the lampstand, (AF)the table, and (AG)the [p]sacred bread; this is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind (AH)the second veil there was a [q]tabernacle which is called the (AI)Most Holy Place, 4 having a golden [r](AJ)altar of incense and (AK)the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was (AL)a golden jar holding the manna, (AM)Aaron’s staff which budded, and (AN)the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the (AO)cherubim of glory (AP)overshadowing the [s]atoning cover; but about these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests (AQ)are continually entering the [t]outer [u]tabernacle, performing the divine worship, 7 but into (AR)the second, only (AS)the high priest enters (AT)once a year, (AU)not without taking blood which he (AV)offers for himself and for the [v](AW)sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8 (AX)The Holy Spirit is signifying this, (AY)that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the [w]outer tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly (AZ)both gifts and sacrifices are offered which (BA)cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they relate only to (BB)food, (BC)drink, and various (BD)washings, (BE)regulations for the [x]body imposed until (BF)a time of reformation.

11 But when Christ appeared as a (BG)high priest of the (BH)good things [y]having come, He entered through (BI)the greater and more perfect [z]tabernacle, (BJ)not made by hands, that is, (BK)not of this creation;

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:2 Or of
  2. Hebrews 8:2 Or of
  3. Hebrews 8:2 Or sacred tent
  4. Hebrews 8:4 I.e., temple priests
  5. Hebrews 8:5 Lit has been
  6. Hebrews 8:5 Or sacred tent
  7. Hebrews 8:7 Lit place
  8. Hebrews 8:8 Lit them
  9. Hebrews 8:8 Lit And
  10. Hebrews 8:10 Lit Putting my laws into...
  11. Hebrews 8:11 Lit small to great of them
  12. Hebrews 8:13 Or In His saying
  13. Hebrews 8:13 Or near destruction
  14. Hebrews 9:2 Or sacred tent
  15. Hebrews 9:2 Lit first
  16. Hebrews 9:2 Lit loaves of presentation
  17. Hebrews 9:3 Or sacred tent
  18. Hebrews 9:4 Or censer
  19. Hebrews 9:5 Also called mercy seat; i.e., where blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement
  20. Hebrews 9:6 Lit first
  21. Hebrews 9:6 Or sacred tent
  22. Hebrews 9:7 Lit ignorance of the people
  23. Hebrews 9:8 Lit first
  24. Hebrews 9:10 Lit flesh
  25. Hebrews 9:11 One early ms to come
  26. Hebrews 9:11 Or sacred tent
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Hebrews 8:1-9:11
New International Version

The High Priest of a New Covenant

8 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest,(A) who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,(B) 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle(C) set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

3 Every high priest(D) is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices,(E) and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.(F) 4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.(G) 5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy(H) and shadow(I) of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned(J) when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[a](K) 6 But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant(L) of which he is mediator(M) is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

7 For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.(N) 8 But God found fault with the people and said[b]:

“The days are coming, declares the Lord,
    when I will make a new covenant(O)
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.
9 It will not be like the covenant
    I made with their ancestors(P)
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,
because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,
    and I turned away from them,
declares the Lord.
10 This is the covenant(Q) I will establish with the people of Israel
    after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
    and write them on their hearts.(R)
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.(S)
11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,(T)
    from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will forgive their wickedness
    and will remember their sins no more.(U)”[c](V)

13 By calling this covenant “new,”(W) he has made the first one obsolete;(X) and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

9 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.(Y) 2 A tabernacle(Z) was set up. In its first room were the lampstand(AA) and the table(AB) with its consecrated bread;(AC) this was called the Holy Place.(AD) 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,(AE) 4 which had the golden altar of incense(AF) and the gold-covered ark of the covenant.(AG) This ark contained the gold jar of manna,(AH) Aaron’s staff that had budded,(AI) and the stone tablets of the covenant.(AJ) 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory,(AK) overshadowing the atonement cover.(AL) But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly(AM) into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered(AN) the inner room,(AO) and that only once a year,(AP) and never without blood,(AQ) which he offered for himself(AR) and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.(AS) 8 The Holy Spirit was showing(AT) by this that the way(AU) into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9 This is an illustration(AV) for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered(AW) were not able to clear the conscience(AX) of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food(AY) and drink(AZ) and various ceremonial washings(BA)—external regulations(BB) applying until the time of the new order.

The Blood of Christ

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

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:5 Exodus 25:40
  2. Hebrews 8:8 Some manuscripts may be translated fault and said to the people.
  3. Hebrews 8:12 Jer. 31:31-34
  4. Hebrews 9:11 Some early manuscripts are to come
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