Hebrews 9:14-27

New International Reader's Version

¹⁴ But Christ offered himself to God without any flaw. He did this through the power of the eternal Holy Spirit. So how much cleaner will the blood of Christ make us! It washes away our feelings of guilt for committing sin. Sin always leads to death. But now we can serve the living God.

¹⁵ That’s why Christ is the go-between of a new covenant. Now those God calls to himself will receive the eternal gift he promised. They will receive it now that Christ has died to save them. He died to set them free from the sins they committed under the first covenant.

¹⁶ What happens when someone leaves a will? It is necessary to prove that the person who made the will has died. ¹⁷ A will is in effect only when somebody has died. It never takes effect while the one who made it is still living. ¹⁸ That’s why even the first covenant was not put into effect without the spilling of blood. ¹⁹ Moses first announced every command of the law to all the people. Then he took the blood of calves. He also took water, bright red wool and branches of a hyssop plant. He sprinkled the Book of the Covenant. He also sprinkled all the people. ²⁰ He said, “This is the blood of the covenant God has commanded you to keep.” (Exodus 24:8) ²¹ In the same way, he sprinkled the holy tent with blood. He also sprinkled everything that was used in worship there. ²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be made “clean” with blood. Without the spilling of blood, no one can be forgiven.

²³ So the copies of the heavenly things had to be made pure with these sacrifices. But the heavenly things themselves had to be made pure with better sacrifices. ²⁴ Christ did not enter a sacred tent made with human hands. That tent was only a copy of the true one. He entered heaven itself. He did it to stand in front of God for us. He is there right now. ²⁵ The high priest enters the Most Holy Room every year. He enters with blood that is not his own. But Christ did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again. ²⁶ If he had, he would have had to suffer many times since the world was created. But he has appeared once and for all time. He has come at the time when God’s work is being completed. He has come to do away with sin by offering himself. ²⁷ People have to die once. After that, God will judge them.