The Blood of Christ

¹¹ But when Christ came as high priest^(A) of the good things that are now already here,^[a](B) he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle^(C) that is not made with human hands,^(D) that is to say, is not a part of this creation. ¹² He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;^(E) but he entered the Most Holy Place^(F) once for all^(G) by his own blood,^(H) thus obtaining^[b] eternal redemption. ¹³ The blood of goats and bulls^(I) and the ashes of a heifer^(J) sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit^(K) offered himself^(L) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences^(M) from acts that lead to death,^[c](N) so that we may serve the living God!^(O)

¹⁵ For this reason Christ is the mediator^(P) of a new covenant,^(Q) that those who are called^(R) may receive the promised^(S) eternal inheritance^(T)—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.^(U)

¹⁶ In the case of a will,^[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, ¹⁷ because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.^{(V) 19} When Moses had proclaimed^(W) every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves,^(X) together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.^{(Y) 20} He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”^{[e](Z) 21} In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. ²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,^(AA) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.^(AB)

²³ It was necessary, then, for the copies^(AC) of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one;^(AD) he entered heaven itself,^(AE) now to appear for us in God’s presence.^{(AF) 25} Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place^(AG) every year with blood that is not his own.^{(AH) 26} Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.^(AI) But he has appeared^(AJ) once for all^(AK) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.^{(AL) 27} Just as people are destined to die once,^(AM) and after that to face judgment,^{(AN) 28} so Christ was sacrificed once^(AO) to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,^(AP) not to bear sin,^(AQ) but to bring salvation^(AR) to those who are waiting for him.^(AS)

Two Eagles and a Vine

17 The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Son of man, set forth an allegory and tell it to the Israelites as a parable.^{(A) 3} Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: A great eagle^(B) with powerful wings, long feathers and full plumage of varied colors came to Lebanon.^(C) Taking hold of the top of a cedar, ⁴ he broke off^(D) its topmost shoot and carried it away to a land of merchants, where he planted it in a city of traders.

⁵ “‘He took one of the seedlings of the land and put it in fertile soil. He planted it like a willow by abundant water,^{(E) 6} and it sprouted and became a low, spreading vine. Its branches^(F) turned toward him, but its roots remained under it. So it became a vine and produced branches and put out leafy boughs.^(G)

⁷ “‘But there was another great eagle with powerful wings and full plumage. The vine now sent out its roots toward him from the plot where it was planted and stretched out its branches to him for water.^{(H) 8} It had been planted in good soil by abundant water so that it would produce branches,^(I) bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’

⁹ “Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Will it thrive? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it withers? All its new growth will wither. It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by the roots.^{(J) 10} It has been planted,^(K) but will it thrive? Will it not wither completely when the east wind strikes it—wither away in the plot where it grew?^(L)’”

¹¹ Then the word of the Lord came to me: ¹² “Say to this rebellious people, ‘Do you not know what these things mean?^(M)’ Say to them: ‘The king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and carried off her king and her nobles,^(N) bringing them back with him to Babylon.^{(O) 13} Then he took a member of the royal family and made a treaty^(P) with him, putting him under oath.^(Q) He also carried away the leading men^(R) of the land, ¹⁴ so that the kingdom would be brought low,^(S) unable to rise again, surviving only by keeping his treaty. ¹⁵ But the king rebelled^(T) against him by sending his envoys to Egypt^(U) to get horses and a large army.^(V) Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Will he break the treaty and yet escape?^(W)

¹⁶ “‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, he shall die^(X) in Babylon, in the land of the king who put him on the throne, whose oath he despised and whose treaty he broke.^{(Y) 17} Pharaoh^(Z) with his mighty army and great horde will be of no help to him in war, when ramps^(AA) are built and siege works erected to destroy many lives.^{(AB) 18} He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Because he had given his hand in pledge^(AC) and yet did all these things, he shall not escape.

¹⁹ “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: As surely as I live, I will repay him for despising my oath and breaking my covenant.^{(AD) 20} I will spread my net^(AE) for him, and he will be caught in my snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment^(AF) on him there because he was unfaithful^(AG) to me. ²¹ All his choice troops will fall by the sword,^(AH) and the survivors^(AI) will be scattered to the winds.^(AJ) Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken.^(AK)

²² “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot^(AL) from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain.^{(AM) 23} On the mountain heights^(AN) of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit^(AO) and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches.^{(AP) 24} All the trees of the forest^(AQ) will know that I the Lord bring down^(AR) the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.^(AS)

“‘I the Lord have spoken, and I will do it.^(AT)’”