永遠的贖罪祭

10 律法只是將來美事的一個投影,並非本體的真像,所以年復一年的獻祭不能使前來敬拜的人純全。 否則,獻祭的事早已終止了,因為敬拜的人若獻一次祭就能徹底得到潔淨,他們就不再覺得有罪了。 然而,每年獻祭的事都使人想起自己的罪來, 因為公牛和山羊的血根本不能除去人的罪。

所以,基督來到世上的時候曾說:

「上帝啊,祭物和供物非你所悅,
你為我預備了身體。
你並非喜愛燔祭和贖罪祭。
於是我說,
『上帝啊,我來是要遵行你的旨意,
我的事都記在聖經上了。』」

基督首先說:「祭物、供物、燔祭和贖罪祭都不是你想要的,也不是你喜悅的。」這些都是依照律法獻上的。 然後祂又說:「我來是要遵行你的旨意。」這樣,祂廢除了前者,為要設立後者。 10 上帝的旨意是:耶穌基督只一次獻上自己的身體,便使我們永遠聖潔了。

11 祭司都要天天站著供職,一次次地獻上同樣的祭物,只是這些祭物根本不能除罪。 12 而基督一次獻上自己成為永遠的贖罪祭後,就坐在上帝的右邊, 13 等待祂的仇敵成為祂的腳凳。 14 祂憑自己的一次犧牲,使那些得以聖潔的人永遠純全。

15 聖靈也向我們做見證,說:

16 「主說,那些日子以後,
我將與他們立這樣的約,
我要把我的律例放在他們心中,
寫在他們腦中。
17 我要忘記他們的過犯和罪惡。」

18 既然過犯和罪惡已經得到赦免,就不需要再為罪獻祭了。

堅忍到底

19-20 弟兄姊妹,耶穌已用寶血為我們開闢了一條又新又活的路,使我們可以穿過幔子,就是祂的身體,坦然進入至聖所。 21 並且,我們有一位大祭司管理上帝的家, 22 祂潔淨了我們被罪困擾的良心,用清水洗淨了我們的身體。因此,我們要信心十足、真誠地到上帝面前。 23 我們要堅定不移地持守我們所認定的盼望,因為賜應許的那位是信實的。 24 我們要想辦法彼此相顧,激發愛心,勉勵行善。 25 不要停止聚會,像那些停止慣了的人,要互相鼓勵,特別是你們知道主再來的日子近了。

26 因為我們知道了真理以後,若仍然故意犯罪,就再沒有贖罪祭了, 27 只有可怕的審判和燒滅敵對者的烈火等候我們。 28 人違犯摩西的律法,經兩三個人指證後,尚且被毫不留情地處死, 29 更何況人踐踏上帝的兒子,輕看那使人聖潔的立約之血,又藐視賜人恩典的聖靈?這等人該受多麼重的刑罰啊! 30 我們知道上帝說過:「伸冤在我,我必報應。」祂又說:「主要審判祂的百姓。」 31 落在永活上帝的手中是可怕的!

32 你們要回想當初的日子,那時你們蒙了光照以後,忍受了各種苦難的煎熬。 33 有時候,你們在眾目睽睽之下被辱駡,受迫害;有時候,你們和遭受這樣苦難的人同舟共濟。 34 你們體恤那些坐牢的人,即使你們的家業被搶奪,仍然甘心忍受,因為你們知道自己有更美的、永遠長存的家業。 35 所以切勿失去勇敢的心,因為勇敢的心會給你們帶來大賞賜。 36 你們需要堅忍到底,這樣你們遵行了上帝的旨意後,便可以得到祂的應許。

37 因爲「將要來臨的那位很快要來了,絕不遲延。 38 屬我的義人必靠信心而活。他若畏縮退後,我必不喜悅他。」 39 但我們都不是退後走向滅亡的人,而是因為有信心而靈魂得救的人。

10 The law can show only a little about the good things that are coming. It cannot show the good things themselves. People come to worship God. But the law can never make them all right by the same sacrifices that are brought every year.

If the law could make people all right, they would stop making sacrifices. The people who come to worship would be made clean for all time, and they would not remember the wrong things they had done.

But, by making these sacrifices, they show that they do remember the wrong things they have done.

The blood of bulls and goats can never clean wrong things from people's hearts.

That is why Christ said when he came into the world, `You did not want sacrifices and gifts. But you made a body for me.

Animals that are burned for sacrifices, and animals killed to clean away the wrong things that people do, did not satisfy you.

Then I said, "See, I have come to do what you, God, want me to do." This is what is written about me in the book of the law.'

First he said, `You did not want sacrifices and gifts, and animals that are given to be burned as sacrifices, and animals killed to clean away people's wrong ways. You did not like them.' These sacrifices are made to obey the law.

Then he said, `See, I have come to do what you want me to do.' He took away the first kind of sacrifices so that the second kind would remain.

10 God wanted us to be made holy. We have been made holy by Jesus Christ. He made us holy by once making his body a sacrifice.

11 Every priest stands day after day doing his work. He makes the same sacrifices many times. But these sacrifices can never clean away the wrong things people have done.

12 But Christ made one sacrifice to clean away their wrong ways for ever. Then he sat down beside God.

13 Since then, he is waiting till his enemies are put under him.

14 By one sacrifice Christ has made right for ever all those people who are being made holy.

15 The Holy Spirit tells us about this also.

16 First he said, `This is the agreement that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts. I will write them in their minds.'

17 Then he also said, `I will never remember the wrong things they have done and the times they did not obey.'

18 When these wrong things have been forgiven, a sacrifice is not needed for them again.

19 So, my brothers, we can go into the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus.

20 He made a new and living way for us. He opened up God's way specially for us. It lets us through the big curtain or cloth which hides God from us. This happened when Jesus gave his body as a sacrifice.

21 Also, we have a high priest who has charge of God's people.

22 So let us come to him with a true heart. Let us come because we believe all these things. Let us come with our hearts washed clean from our wrong ways. Let us come with our bodies washed with clean water.

23 We must hold on to God's promise that we have said we believed. And we must never let go. He has promised and he will do it.

24 Let us think of one another and help one another to love and to do good things.

25 Do not stop going to church meetings. Some people do stop. But help each other to be strong. You must do it all the more as you see the Great Day coming closer.

26 Do we go on doing what is wrong after we know the truth? If we do, then there is no sacrifice any more for the wrong things we do.

27 But we will be judged, and that makes us fear. God's anger will be like a very hot fire that will burn up those who are against him.

28 Any man who broke the law of Moses was killed, if two or three people proved that he had broken the law. He will not be forgiven.

29 But the person who should have much bigger punishment is the one who turns against the Son of God. That person was made holy by the blood of the new agreement and then calls it nothing. He no longer honours and respects the Spirit who has been so kind to him.

30 We know God who has said, `I am the one who will punish people. I will repay them.' Also, `The Lord will judge his people.'

31 People should fear very much to be punished by the living God.

32 Remember the first days when you had the light of God's truth. In those days you were strong, even though you had to fight against many troubles.

33 Sometimes it was because people said and did wrong things to you and everybody saw it. And sometimes it was because you stood with others who had wrong things done to them.

34 You shared in the troubles of those who were in prison. When your things were taken from you, you were happy. You knew that you had better things in heaven, things that would always belong to you.

35 So do not stop believing God now. Your faith will bring you much reward.

36 You must not give up believing. Then you will do what God wants you to do. Then you will get what he promised you.

37 The holy writings say `In a little while, the one who is to come will come. He will not wait any longer.

38 If a person does what is right because he believes in God, he will live. If he turns back, I will not be pleased with him.'

39 We are not the people who turn back and so are lost. But we are people who believe, and so we are saved.