The stopping of the sacrifices

10 The law, you see, possesses a shadow of the good things that are coming, not the actual form of the things themselves. Thus it is unable to make worshipers perfect through the annual round in which the same sacrifices are continually being offered. ² If the worshipers really had been purified once and for all, they would no longer have sin on their consciences—so they would have stopped offering sacrifices, wouldn’t they? ³ But, as it is, the sacrifices serve as a regular annual reminder of sins, ⁴ since it’s impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take sins away.

⁵ That’s why, when the Messiah comes into the world, this is what he says:

⁸ When he says, earlier, “you didn’t want, and you didn’t like, sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings and sin-offerings” (all of which are offered in accordance with the law), ⁹ then he says, “Look! I’ve come to do your will!” He takes away the first so that he can establish the second. ¹⁰ And it’s by that “will” that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus the Messiah, once for all.

The finished achievement of the Messiah

¹¹ Thus it comes about that every priest stands daily at his duty, offering over and over the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. ¹² But Jesus offered a single sacrifice on behalf of sins, for all time, and then “sat down at the right hand of God.” ¹³ From that moment on he is waiting “until his enemies are made a stool for his feet.” ¹⁴ By a single sacrifice, you see, he has made perfect forever those who are sanctified.

¹⁵ The holy spirit bears witness to this too. For, after it is said,

then he adds:

¹⁸ Where these are put away, there is no longer a sacrifice for sin.

So—come to worship!

¹⁹ So then, my brothers and sisters, we have boldness to go into the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus. ²⁰ He has inaugurated a brand new, living path through the curtain (that is, his earthly body). ²¹ We have a high priest who is over God’s house. ²² Let us therefore come to worship, with a true heart, in complete assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

²³ Let us hold on tightly to our confession of hope, without being diverted; the one who announced the message to us is trustworthy! ²⁴ Let us, as well, stir up one another’s minds to energetic effort in love and good works. ²⁵ We mustn’t neglect meeting together, as some are now doing. Instead, we must encourage one another, and all the more as you can see the great day coming closer.

Warning of judgment

²⁶ For if we sin deliberately and knowingly after having received the knowledge of the truth, there is no further sacrifice for sin. ²⁷ Instead, there is a fearful prospect of judgment, and a hungry fire which will consume the opponents. ²⁸ If someone sets aside the law of Moses, they are to be “put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses,” with no pity. ²⁹ How much worse punishment, do you think, will be appropriate for people who trample the son of God underfoot, and profane the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified, and scorn the spirit of grace? ³⁰ We know the one who said, “Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay everyone back,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” ³¹ It’s a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Suffering in hope

³² But remember the earlier times! When you were first enlightened, you went through great struggles and suffering. ³³ Sometimes you were exposed to public reproach and physical abuse. Sometimes you stood alongside people who were being treated in that way. ³⁴ You even shared the sufferings of those who were imprisoned. When people looted your property, you actually welcomed it joyfully, because you knew that you had a better possession, a lasting one.

³⁵ So don’t throw away your confidence. It carries a great reward. ³⁶ What you need is patience, you see; then, when you’ve done what God wants, you will receive the promise.

³⁹ We are not among the hesitators, who are destroyed! We are people of faith, and our lives will be kept safe.