²⁵ Jesus answered them, “I told you already, but you did not believe. The ·miracles [^Lworks] I do in my Father’s name ·show who I am [testify/bear witness about me]. ²⁶ But you don’t believe, because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never ·die [perish], and no one can ·steal [snatch] them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father gave my sheep to me. He is greater than all, and no person can ·steal [snatch] my sheep out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ The Father and I are one.”

Jesus Prays for His Followers

17 After Jesus said these things, he ·looked [^Lraised his eyes] toward heaven and ·prayed [^Lsaid], “Father, the ·time [^Lhour; ^Cthe time of his death and resurrection] has come. ·Give glory to [Glorify; Honor] your Son so that the Son can ·give glory to [glorify; honor] you. ² You gave the Son ·power [authority] over all ·people [^Tflesh] so that the Son could give eternal life to all those you gave him. ³ And this is eternal life: that people know you, the only true God, and that they know Jesus Christ, the One you sent. ⁴ Having ·finished [completed] the work you gave me to do, I ·brought you glory [glorified/honored you] on earth [^Cby leading people to praise God]. ⁵ And now, Father, ·give me glory [glorify/honor me] ·with you [or in your presence]; give me the ·glory [honor] I had with you before the world ·was made [existed; began].

The New Agreement

¹¹ But when Christ came as the high priest of the good things ·we now have^[a] [^Lthat have come], he entered the greater and more perfect ·tent [^Ttabernacle]. It is not made ·by humans [^Lwith hands] and does not belong to this ·world [creation; created order]. ¹² Christ entered the ·Most Holy Place [sanctuary; ^Lholy things; ^THoly of Holies] ·only once—and for all time [^Lonce for all; 7:27; 10:10]. ·He did not take with him [^L…not by means of] the blood of goats and calves. ·His sacrifice was [^L…but by means of] his own blood, and by it he ·set us free from sin forever [^Lobtained/secured eternal redemption/liberation]. ¹³ The blood of goats and bulls [Lev. 16:14–16] and the ashes of a ·cow [young cow; heifer; Num. 19:2, 17–18] are sprinkled on the people who are [^Critually] unclean, and this ·makes their bodies clean again [restores their body to ritual purity]. ¹⁴ How much more is done by the blood of Christ. He offered himself through the eternal ·Spirit [or spirit; ^Cmost likely the Holy Spirit, though possibly Christ’s own eternal spirit, or as a “spiritual” and eternal sacrifice] as a ·perfect [unblemished] sacrifice to God. His blood [^Csignifying his sacrificial death] will make our consciences ·pure [cleansed] from ·useless acts [or acts that lead to death; ^Ldead works; 6:1] so we may ·serve [worship; offer priestly service for] the living God.

¹⁵ For this reason Christ ·brings a new agreement from God to his people [^Lis the mediator of a new covenant/contract]. Those who are called by God can now receive the eternal ·blessings [inheritance] he has promised. They can have those things because Christ died to ·set them free [redeem them] from the ·sins [transgressions; violations] committed under the first agreement [covenant; contract].

¹⁰ [^LTherefore] My brothers and sisters, ·try hard [make every effort; strive] to ·be certain that you really are called and chosen by God [^Lconfirm your calling and election]. [^LFor] If you do all these things, you will never ·fall [stumble]. ¹¹ ·And [For in this way] you will be given a very ·great [rich; lavish] ·welcome [entrance; arrival] into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.