¹⁸ Hence not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood.^{(A) 19} For when every commandment had been told to all the people by Moses in accordance with the law, he took the blood of calves and goats,^[a] with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the scroll itself and all the people,^{(B) 20} saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.” ²¹ And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent^[b] and all the vessels used in worship.^{(C) 22} Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.^(D)

Christ’s Sacrifice Takes Away Sin

²³ Thus it was necessary for the sketches of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves need better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.^{(E) 25} Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the holy place year after year with blood that is not his own,