Hebrews 9
Names of God Bible
Christ Offered a Superior Sacrifice
9 The first promise had rules for the priests’ service. It also had a holy place on earth. 2 A tent was set up. The first part of this tent was called the holy place. The lamp stand, the table, and the bread of the presence were in this part of the tent. 3 Behind the second curtain was the part of the tent called the most holy place. 4 It contained the gold incense burner and the ark of the Lord’s promise. The ark was completely covered with gold. In the ark were the gold jar filled with manna, Aaron’s staff that had blossomed, and the tablets on which the promise[a] was written. 5 Above the ark were the angels[b] of glory with their wings overshadowing the throne of mercy. (Discussing these things in detail isn’t possible now.)
6 That is how these two parts of the tent were set up. The priests always went into the first part of the tent to perform their duties. 7 But only the chief priest went into the second part of the tent. Once a year he entered and brought blood that he offered for himself and for the things that the people did wrong unintentionally. 8 The Holy Spirit used this to show that the way into the most holy place was not open while the tent was still in use.
9 The first part of the tent is an example for the present time. The gifts and sacrifices that were brought there could not give the worshiper a clear conscience. 10 These gifts and sacrifices were meant to be food, drink, and items used in various purification ceremonies. These ceremonies were required for the body until God would establish a new way of doing things.
11 But Christ came as a chief priest of the good things that are now here. Christ went through a better, more perfect tent that was not made by human hands and that is not part of this created world. 12 He used his own blood, not the blood of goats and bulls, for the sacrifice. He went into the most holy place and offered this sacrifice once and for all to free us forever.
13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of cows sprinkled on unclean[c] people made their bodies holy and clean. 14 The blood of Christ, who had no defect, does even more. Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself to God and cleansed our consciences from the useless things we had done. Now we can serve the living God.
15 Because Christ offered himself to God, he is able to bring a new promise from God. Through his death he paid the price to set people free from the sins they committed under the first promise. He did this so that those who are called can be guaranteed an inheritance that will last forever.
16 In order for a will to take effect, it must be shown that the one who made it has died. 17 A will is used only after a person is dead because it goes into effect only when a person dies.
18 That is why even the first promise was made with blood. 19 As Scripture tells us, Moses told all the people every commandment. Then he took the blood of calves and goats together with some water, red yarn, and hyssop and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20 He said, “Here is the blood that seals the promise God has made to you.” 21 In the same way, Moses sprinkled blood on the tent and on everything used in worship. 22 As Moses’ Teachings tell us, blood was used to cleanse almost everything, because if no blood is shed, no sins can be forgiven.
23 The copies of the things in heaven had to be cleansed by these sacrifices. But the heavenly things themselves had to be cleansed by better sacrifices. 24 Christ didn’t go into a holy place made by human hands. He didn’t go into a model of the real thing. Instead, he went into heaven to appear in God’s presence on our behalf. 25 Every year the chief priest went into the holy place to make a sacrifice with blood that isn’t his own. However, Christ didn’t go into heaven to sacrifice himself again and again. 26 Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the world was created. But now, at the end of the ages, he has appeared once to remove sin by his sacrifice. 27 People die once, and after that they are judged. 28 Likewise, Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of humanity, and after that he will appear a second time. This time he will not deal with sin, but he will save those who eagerly wait for him.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 9:4 Or “covenant.”
- Hebrews 9:5 Or “cherubim.”
- Hebrews 9:13 “Unclean” refers to anything that Moses’ Teachings say is not presentable to God.
Hebrews 9
Revised Geneva Translation
9 Then, indeed, the first Testament had ordinances of religion, and a worldly sanctuary.
2 For the first Tabernacle was made - in which was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread - which is called the Holy Place.
3 And after the second veil, the Tabernacle - which is called the Holiest of All -
4 which had the golden censer and the Ark of the Testament, overlaid all around with gold (in which was the golden pot which had manna and Aaron’s rod that had budded and the tables of the Testament).
5 And over the Ark were the glorious cherubims shadowing the mercy seat, of which we will not now speak particularly.
6 Now when these things were thus prepared, the priest always went into the first Tabernacle and completed the service.
7 But only the High Priest went into the second - once every year - and not without blood (which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins of ignorance).
8 By this, the Holy Ghost signified that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing.
9 It was a symbol of that present time in which was offered gifts and sacrifices that could not make the worshiper holy concerning the conscience,
10 but consisted only of foods and drinks and diverse washings and carnal rituals imposed until the time of reformation.
11 But Christ - being a High Priest of good things to come - came by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle (not made with hands - that is, not of this creation -
12 nor by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood), entering in once to the Holy Place and obtaining eternal redemption.
13 For if the sprinkling of the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who are unclean (as touching the purifying of the flesh),
14 how much more shall the blood of Christ - Who, through the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without fault to God - purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?
15 And because of this, He is the Mediator of the new Testament, so that through death (which was for the redemption of the transgressions in the former Testament) those who were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
16 For where there is a Testament, there must be the death of the one who made it.
17 For the Testament is confirmed after death. It is still of no force so long as the one who made it lives.
18 Therefore, nor was the first ordained without blood.
19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to the people (according to the Law), he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and purple wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people,
20 saying, “This is the blood of the Testament which God has commanded you.”
21 Moreover, he likewise sprinkled the Tabernacle with blood, and all the implements of ministry.
22 And by the Law, almost all things are purged with blood. And there is no remission without shedding of blood.
23 It was necessary, then, that the representations of heavenly things should be purified with such things. But the heavenly things themselves are purified with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ has not entered into the Holy Places that are made with hands - which are representations of the true things - but into Heaven itself, to appear now in the sight of God for us.
25 Not that He should offer himself often, as the High Priest entered into the Holy Place every year with others’ blood.
26 For then He would have had to suffer often, since the foundation of the world. But now, in the end of the world, He has appeared once, to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
27 And as much as it has been appointed to man that he shall die once (and after that comes the Judgment),
28 so Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many. And to those who look for Him, He shall appear a second time - without sin - for salvation.
The Names of God Bible (without notes) © 2011 by Baker Publishing Group.
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