Hebrews 9
New American Standard Bible
The Old and the New
9 Now even the first covenant had (A)regulations for divine worship and (B)the earthly sanctuary. 2 For (C)a [a]tabernacle was equipped, the [b]outer sanctuary, in which were (D)the lampstand, (E)the table, and (F)the [c]sacred bread; this is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind (G)the second veil there was a [d]tabernacle which is called the (H)Most Holy Place, 4 having a golden [e](I)altar of incense and (J)the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was (K)a golden jar holding the manna, (L)Aaron’s staff which budded, and (M)the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the (N)cherubim of glory (O)overshadowing the [f]atoning cover; but about these things we cannot now speak in detail.
6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests (P)are continually entering the [g]outer [h]tabernacle, performing the divine worship, 7 but into (Q)the second, only (R)the high priest enters (S)once a year, (T)not without taking blood which he (U)offers for himself and for the [i](V)sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8 (W)The Holy Spirit is signifying this, (X)that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the [j]outer tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly (Y)both gifts and sacrifices are offered which (Z)cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they relate only to (AA)food, (AB)drink, and various (AC)washings, (AD)regulations for the [k]body imposed until (AE)a time of reformation.
11 But when Christ appeared as a (AF)high priest of the (AG)good things [l]having come, He entered through (AH)the greater and more perfect [m]tabernacle, (AI)not made by hands, that is, (AJ)not of this creation; 12 and not through (AK)the blood of goats and calves, but (AL)through His own blood, He (AM)entered the holy place (AN)once for all time, [n]having obtained (AO)eternal redemption. 13 For if (AP)the blood of goats and bulls, and (AQ)the [o]ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the [p]cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will (AR)the blood of Christ, who through [q](AS)the eternal Spirit (AT)offered Himself without blemish to God, (AU)cleanse your conscience from (AV)dead works to serve (AW)the living God?
15 For this reason (AX)He is the (AY)mediator of a (AZ)new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the violations that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been (BA)called may (BB)receive the promise of (BC)the eternal inheritance. 16 For where there is a [r]covenant, there must of necessity [s]be the death of the one who made it. 17 For a [t]covenant is valid only when people are dead, [u]for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. 18 Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been (BD)spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, (BE)he took the (BF)blood of the calves and the goats, with (BG)water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both (BH)the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “(BI)This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.” 21 And in the same way he (BJ)sprinkled both the [v]tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22 And (BK)almost all things are cleansed with blood, according to the Law, and (BL)without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23 Therefore it was necessary for the (BM)copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these things, but (BN)the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ (BO)did not enter a holy place made by hands, a mere copy of (BP)the true one, but into (BQ)heaven itself, now (BR)to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as (BS)the high priest enters (BT)the Holy Place (BU)year by year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since (BV)the foundation of the world; but now (BW)once at (BX)the consummation of the ages He has been (BY)revealed to put away sin [w](BZ)by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And just as (CA)it is destined for people to die once, and after this (CB)comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been (CC)offered once to (CD)bear the sins of many, will appear (CE)a second time for (CF)salvation (CG)without reference to sin, to those who (CH)eagerly await Him.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 9:2 Or sacred tent
- Hebrews 9:2 Lit first
- Hebrews 9:2 Lit loaves of presentation
- Hebrews 9:3 Or sacred tent
- Hebrews 9:4 Or censer
- Hebrews 9:5 Also called mercy seat; i.e., where blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement
- Hebrews 9:6 Lit first
- Hebrews 9:6 Or sacred tent
- Hebrews 9:7 Lit ignorance of the people
- Hebrews 9:8 Lit first
- Hebrews 9:10 Lit flesh
- Hebrews 9:11 One early ms to come
- Hebrews 9:11 Or sacred tent
- Hebrews 9:12 Or obtaining
- Hebrews 9:13 I.e., ashes mixed in water
- Hebrews 9:13 Lit purity
- Hebrews 9:14 Or His eternal spirit
- Hebrews 9:16 Or testament
- Hebrews 9:16 Lit be brought
- Hebrews 9:17 Or testament
- Hebrews 9:17 One early ms for is it then...lives?
- Hebrews 9:21 Or sacred tent
- Hebrews 9:26 Or by His sacrifice
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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