Hebrews 10
Legacy Standard Bible
Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All
10 For the Law, since it has only (A)a shadow of (B)the good things to come and not the very [a]form of things, [b]can (C)never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, (D)make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have (E)consciousness of sins? 3 But (F)in [c]those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. 4 For it is (G)impossible for the (H)blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, (I)when He comes into the world, He says,
“(J)Sacrifice and offering You have not desired,
But (K)a body You have prepared for Me;
6 (L)In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure.
7 (M)Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come,
In (N)the scroll of the book it is written of Me,
To do Your will, O God.’”
8 After saying above, “(O)Sacrifices and offerings and (P)burnt offerings and sacrifices (Q)for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), 9 then He [d]said, “(R)Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. 10 By [e]this will we have been (S)sanctified through (T)the offering of (U)the body of Jesus Christ (V)once for all.
11 And every priest stands daily ministering and (W)offering time after time the same sacrifices, which (X)can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice (Y)for [f]sins (Z)for all time, (AA)sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time (AB)until His enemies are put as a footstool for His feet. 14 For by one offering He has (AC)perfected (AD)for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And (AE)the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
16 “(AF)This is the covenant that I will make with them
After those days, says the [g]Lord:
I will put My laws upon their heart,
And on their mind I will write them,”
He then says,
17 “(AG)And their sins and their lawless deeds
I will remember no more.”
18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.
A New and Living Way
19 Therefore, brothers, since we (AH)have confidence to (AI)enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by (AJ)a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through (AK)the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have (AL)a great priest (AM)over the house of God, 22 let us (AN)draw near with a [h]sincere heart in (AO)full assurance of faith, having our hearts (AP)sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies (AQ)washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the (AR)confession of our (AS)hope without wavering, for (AT)He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how (AU)to stimulate one another to love and (AV)good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own (AW)assembling together, as is the habit of some, but (AX)encouraging one another, and all the more as you see (AY)the day drawing near.
Warning Against Willful Sin
26 For if we go on (AZ)sinning willfully after receiving (BA)the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of (BB)judgment and (BC)the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. 28 (BD)Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy by the mouth of two or three witnesses. 29 (BE)How much worse punishment do you think he will deserve (BF)who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as defiled (BG)the blood of the covenant (BH)by which he was sanctified, and has (BI)insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “(BJ)Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “(BK)The [i]Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a (BL)terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the (BM)living God.
32 But remember (BN)the former days, [j]when, after being (BO)enlightened, you endured a great (BP)conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being (BQ)made a public spectacle through reproaches and afflictions, and partly by becoming (BR)sharers with those who were so treated. 34 For you also (BS)showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted with (BT)joy the seizure of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves (BU)a better and lasting possession. 35 Therefore, do not throw away that (BV)confidence of yours, which has a great (BW)reward. 36 For you have need of (BX)endurance, so that when you have (BY)done the will of God, you may (BZ)receive the promise.
37 (CA)For yet in a very little while,
(CB)He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
38 (CC)But My righteous one shall live by faith,
And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
39 But [k]we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the [l]preserving of the soul.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 10:1 Lit image
- Hebrews 10:1 Two early mss they can
- Hebrews 10:3 Lit them there is
- Hebrews 10:9 Lit has said
- Hebrews 10:10 Lit which
- Hebrews 10:12 Or sins, forever sat down
- Hebrews 10:16 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Jer 31:33
- Hebrews 10:22 Lit true
- Hebrews 10:30 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Deut 32:36
- Hebrews 10:32 Lit in which
- Hebrews 10:39 Lit we are not of shrinking back...but of faith
- Hebrews 10:39 Or possessing
Hebrews 10
Contemporary English Version
10 The Law of Moses is like a shadow of the good things to come. This shadow isn't the good things themselves, because it cannot free people from sin by the sacrifices offered year after year. 2 If there were worshipers who already have their sins washed away and their consciences made clear, there would not be any need to go on offering sacrifices. 3-4 But the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. It only reminds people of their sins from one year to the next.
5 (A) When Christ came into the world, he said to God,
“Sacrifices and offerings
are not what you want,
but you have given me
my body.
6 No, you are not pleased
with animal sacrifices
and offerings for sin.”
7 Then Christ said,
“And so, my God,
I have come to do
what you want,
as the Scriptures say.”
8 The Law teaches that offerings and sacrifices must be made because of sin. But why did Christ mention these things and say that God did not want them? 9 Well, it was to do away with offerings and sacrifices and to replace them. This is what he meant by saying to God, “I have come to do what you want.” 10 So we are made holy because Christ obeyed God and offered himself once for all.
11 (B) The priests do their work each day, and they keep on offering sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 (C) But Christ offered himself as a sacrifice that is good forever. Now he is sitting at God's right side,[a] 13 and he will stay there until his enemies are put under his power. 14 By his one sacrifice he has forever set free from sin the people he brings to God.
15 The Holy Spirit also speaks of this by telling us that the Lord said,
16 (D) “When the time comes,
I will make an agreement
with them.
I will write my laws
on their minds and hearts.
17 (E) Then I will forget
about their sins
and no longer remember
their evil deeds.”
18 When sins are forgiven, there is no more need to offer sacrifices.
Encouragement and Warning
19 My friends, the blood of Jesus gives us courage to enter the most holy place 20 by a new way that leads to life! And this way takes us through the curtain that is Christ himself.
21 We have a great high priest who is in charge of God's house. 22 (F) So let's come near God with pure hearts and a confidence that comes from having faith. Let's keep our hearts pure, our consciences free from evil, and our bodies washed with clean water. 23 We must hold tightly to the hope we say is ours. After all, we can trust the one who made the agreement with us. 24 We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. 25 Some people have given up the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer.
26 No sacrifices can be made for people who decide to sin after they find out about the truth. 27 (G) They are God's enemies, and all they can look forward to is a terrible judgment and a furious fire. 28 (H) If two or more witnesses accused someone of breaking the Law of Moses, that person could be put to death. 29 (I) But it is much worse to dishonor God's Son and to disgrace the blood of the promise that made us holy. And it is just as bad to insult the Holy Spirit, who shows us mercy. 30 (J) We know that God has said he will punish and take revenge. We also know that the Scriptures say the Lord will judge his people. 31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God!
32 Don't forget all the hard times you went through when you first received the light. 33 Sometimes you were abused and mistreated in public, and at other times you shared in the sufferings of others. 34 You were kind to people in jail. And you gladly let your possessions be taken away, because you knew you had something better, something that would last forever.
35 Keep on being brave! It will bring you great rewards. 36 Learn to be patient, so you will please God and be given what he has promised. 37 (K) As the Scriptures say,
“God is coming soon!
It won't be very long.
38 The people God accepts
will live because
of their faith.[b]
But he isn't pleased
with anyone
who turns back.”
39 We are not like those people who turn back and get destroyed. We will keep on having faith until we are saved.
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