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)pitched, 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 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 ^[d]was ^(L)warned by God when he was about to erect the ^[e]tabernacle; for, “^(M)See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” ⁶ But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as 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 faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. ⁸ For finding fault with them, He says,

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

One Sacrifice of Christ Is Sufficient

10 For the Law, since it has only ^(A)a shadow of ^(B)the good things to come and not the very ^[a]form of things, ^[b]can ^(C)never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, ^(D)make perfect those who draw near. ² Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had ^(E)consciousness of sins? ³ But ^(F)in ^[c]those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. ⁴ For it is ^(G)impossible for the ^(H)blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. ⁵ Therefore, ^(I)when He comes into the world, He says,

⁸ After saying above, “^(O)Sacrifices and offerings and ^(P)whole burnt offerings and sacrifices ^(Q)for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), ⁹ then He ^[d]said, “^(R)Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰ By ^[e]this will we have been ^(S)sanctified through ^(T)the offering of ^(U)the body of Jesus Christ ^(V)once for all.

¹¹ Every priest stands daily ministering and ^(W)offering time after time the same sacrifices, which ^(X)can never take away sins; ¹² but He, having offered one sacrifice ^(Y)for ^[f]sins ^(Z)for all time, ^(AA)sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ waiting from that time onward ^(AB)until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. ¹⁴ For by one offering He has ^(AC)perfected ^(AD)for all time those who are ^[g]sanctified. ¹⁵ And ^(AE)the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,

He then says,

¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

A New and Living Way

¹⁹ Therefore, brethren, since we ^(AH)have confidence to ^(AI)enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by ^(AJ)a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through ^(AK)the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹ and since we have ^(AL)a great priest ^(AM)over the house of God, ²² let us ^(AN)draw near with a ^[h]sincere heart in ^(AO)full assurance of faith, having our hearts ^(AP)sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies ^(AQ)washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the ^(AR)confession of our ^(AS)hope without wavering, for ^(AT)He who promised is faithful; ²⁴ and let us consider how ^(AU)to stimulate one another to love and ^(AV)good deeds, ²⁵ not forsaking our own ^(AW)assembling together, as is the habit of some, but ^(AX)encouraging one another; and all the more as you see ^(AY)the day drawing near.

Christ or Judgment

²⁶ For if we go on ^(AZ)sinning willfully after receiving ^(BA)the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a terrifying expectation of ^(BB)judgment and ^(BC)the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. ^28 (BD)Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ^29 (BE)How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve ^(BF)who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean ^(BG)the blood of the covenant ^(BH)by which he was sanctified, and has ^(BI)insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “^(BJ)Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “^(BK)The Lord will judge His people.” ³¹ It is a ^(BL)terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the ^(BM)living God.

³² But remember ^(BN)the former days, ^[i]when, after being ^(BO)enlightened, you endured a great ^(BP)conflict of sufferings, ³³ partly by being ^(BQ)made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming ^(BR)sharers with those who were so treated. ³⁴ For you ^(BS)showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted ^(BT)joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves ^(BU)a better possession and a lasting one. ³⁵ Therefore, do not throw away your ^(BV)confidence, which has a great ^(BW)reward. ³⁶ For you have need of ^(BX)endurance, so that when you have ^(BY)done the will of God, you may ^(BZ)receive ^[j]what was promised.

³⁹ But ^[k]we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the ^[l]preserving of the soul.