John Testifies About Jesus

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God,^(A) who takes away the sin of the world!^(B)

²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[a](A) through the shedding of his blood^(B)—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished^(C)—

³ For what the law was powerless^(A) to do because it was weakened by the flesh,^[a](B) God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh^(C) to be a sin offering.^[b](D) And so he condemned sin in the flesh,

¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit^(A) offered himself^(B) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences^(C) from acts that lead to death,^[a](D) so that we may serve the living God!^(E)

¹⁵ For this reason Christ is the mediator^(F) of a new covenant,^(G) that those who are called^(H) may receive the promised^(I) eternal inheritance^(J)—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.^(K)

¹⁶ In the case of a will,^[b] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, ¹⁷ because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.^{(L) 19} When Moses had proclaimed^(M) every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves,^(N) together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.^{(O) 20} He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”^{[c](P) 21} In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. ²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,^(Q) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.^(R)

¹⁸ For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed^(A) from the empty way of life^(B) handed down to you from your ancestors, ¹⁹ but with the precious blood^(C) of Christ, a lamb^(D) without blemish or defect.^{(E) 20} He was chosen before the creation of the world,^(F) but was revealed in these last times^(G) for your sake. ²¹ Through him you believe in God,^(H) who raised him from the dead^(I) and glorified him,^(J) and so your faith and hope^(K) are in God.