A Heavenly Priesthood

8 Now the main point of what is being said is this: We have this kind of high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,^{(A) 2} a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that was set up by the Lord and not man.^{(B) 3} For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts^(C) and sacrifices; therefore it was necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. ⁴ Now if He were on earth, He wouldn’t be a priest, since there are those^[a] offering the gifts prescribed by the law. ⁵ These serve as a copy and shadow^(D) of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said, Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain.^(E)[b]

Our Great High Priest

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to the confession.^{(A) 15} For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are,^(B) yet without sin.^{(C) 16} Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.

New Covenant Ministry

¹¹ But the Messiah has appeared, high priest of the good things that have come.^[a] In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation^(A)), ¹² He entered the most holy place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.^{(B) 13} For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,^{(C) 14} how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit^(D) offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse our^[b] consciences from dead works to serve the living God?^(E)

¹⁵ Therefore, He is the mediator^(F) of a new covenant,^[c](G) so that those who are called might receive the promise^(H) of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.^{(I) 16} Where a will exists, the death of the one who made it must be established. ¹⁷ For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in force while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. ¹⁹ For when every command had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people,^{(J) 20} saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded for you.^{(K)[d] 21} In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood.^{(L) 22} According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.^(M)

²³ Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these.^{(N) 24} For the Messiah did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model^[e] of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that He might now appear in the presence of God for us.^{(O) 25} He did not do this to offer Himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another.^{(P) 26} Otherwise, He would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared one time, at the end of the ages,^(Q) for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of Himself.^{(R) 27} And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment^(S)— ²⁸ so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many,^(T) will appear a second time,^(U) not to bear sin, but^[f] to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.^(V)

Exhortations to Godliness

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus,^{(A) 20} by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh^(B)), ²¹ and since we have a great high priest over the house of God,^{(C) 22} let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.^(D)

³ The Son is the radiance^[a] of God’s glory and the exact expression^[b] of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After making purification for sins,^[c] He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.^[d](A)

¹⁶ For it is clear that He does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring.

¹⁷ Therefore, He had to be like His brothers in every way, so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest in service^[a] to God, to make propitiation^(A) for the sins of the people.^(B)