Hebrews 9
Christian Standard Bible
Old Covenant Ministry
9 Now the first covenant also had regulations for ministry and an earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was set up, and in the first room, which is called the holy place, were the lampstand, the table, and the presentation loaves.(A) 3 Behind the second curtain was a tent called the most holy place.(B) 4 It had the gold altar of incense and the ark of the covenant, covered with gold on all sides, in which was a gold jar containing the manna, Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.(C) 5 The cherubim of glory were above the ark overshadowing the mercy seat. It is not possible to speak about these things in detail right now.(D)
6 With these things prepared like this, the priests enter the first room repeatedly, performing their ministry.(E) 7 But the high priest alone enters the second room, and he does that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.(F) 8 The Holy Spirit was making it clear that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle was still standing.(G) 9 This is a symbol for the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper’s conscience.(H) 10 They are physical regulations and only deal with food, drink, and various washings imposed until the time of the new order.(I)
New Covenant Ministry
11 But Christ has appeared as a 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(J)), 12 he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.(K) 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,(L) 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit(M) offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our[b] consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?(N)
15 Therefore, he is the mediator(O) of a new covenant,[c](P) so that those who are called might receive the promise(Q) of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.(R) 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 effect 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,[d] along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people,(S) 20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.[e](T) 21 In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood.(U) 22 According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.(V)
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.(W) 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model[f] of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us.(X) 25 He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another.(Y) 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,(Z) for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself.(AA) 27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment(AB)— 28 so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many,(AC) will appear a second time,(AD) not to bear sin, but[g] to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.(AE)
Hebrews 9
Lexham English Bible
The Earthly Ministry of the Old Covenant
9 Now[a] the first covenant had regulations for worship and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tent was prepared, the first one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the presentation of the loaves, which is called the holy place. 3 And after the second curtain was a tent called the holy of holies, 4 containing the golden incense altar and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which were a golden jar containing the manna and the rod of Aaron that budded and the tablets of the covenant. 5 And above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, about which it is not now possible to speak in detail.
6 Now these things having been prepared in this way, the priests enter into the first tent continually[b] as they[c] accomplish their service, 7 but only the high priest enters into the second tent once a year, not without blood, which he offers on behalf of himself and the sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was making this clear, that the way into the holy place was not yet revealed, while[d] the first tent was still in existence, 9 which was a symbol for the present time, in which both the gifts and sacrifices which were offered were not able to perfect the worshiper with respect to the conscience, 10 concerning instead only food and drink and different washings, regulations of outward things imposed until the time of setting things right.
The Heavenly Ministry of the New Covenant
11 But Christ has arrived as a high priest of the good things to come. Through the greater and more perfect tent not made by hands, that is, not of this creation, 12 and not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered once for all into the most holy place, obtaining eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow sprinkled on those who are defiled sanctify them for the ritual purity of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And because of this, he is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that, because[e] a death has taken place for the redemption of transgressions committed during the first covenant, those who are the called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where there is a will, it is a necessity for the death of the one who made the will to be established. 17 For a will is in force concerning those who are dead, since it is never in force when the one who made the will is alive. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was ratified without blood. 19 For when[f] every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves[g] with water and scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled both the scroll itself and all the people, 20 saying,
“This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded for you.”[h]
21 And likewise he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the utensils of service with the blood. 22 Indeed, nearly everything is purified with blood according to the law, and apart from the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23 Therefore it was necessary for the sketches of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf, 25 and not in order that he can offer himself many times, as the high priest enters into the sanctuary year by year[i] with blood not his own, 26 since it would have been necessary for him to suffer many times from the foundation of the world, but now he has appeared once at the end of the ages for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as[j] it is destined for people to die once, and after this, judgment, 28 thus also Christ, having been offered once in order to bear the sins of many, will appear for the second time without reference to sin to those who eagerly await him for salvation.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 9:1 Some manuscripts have “Now even”
- Hebrews 9:6 Literally “throughout all”
- Hebrews 9:6 Here “as” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“accomplish”)
- Hebrews 9:8 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“was”)
- Hebrews 9:15 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“has taken place”) which is understood as causal
- Hebrews 9:19 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal participle (“had been spoken”)
- Hebrews 9:19 Some manuscripts have “calves and goats”
- Hebrews 9:20 A quotation from Exod 24:8
- Hebrews 9:25 Literally “according to year”
- Hebrews 9:27 Literally “in as much as”
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