Hebrews 9:23-10:18

New Life Version

One Perfect Gift

²³ The tent to worship in and the things inside to worship with were like the things in heaven. They were made clean by putting blood on them. But the things in heaven were made clean by a much better gift of worship. ²⁴ For Christ did not go into the Holiest Place of All that was made by men, even if it was like the true one in heaven. He went to heaven itself and He is before God for us. ²⁵ Christ has not given Himself many times, as the head religious leader here on earth went into the Holiest Place of All each year with blood that was not his own. ²⁶ For then Christ would have had to die many times since the world began. But He came once at the end of the Old Way of Worship. He gave Himself once for all time. He gave Himself to destroy sin. ²⁷ It is in the plan that all men die once. After that, they will stand before God and be judged. ²⁸ It is the same with Christ. He gave Himself once to take away the sins of many. When He comes the second time, He will not need to give Himself again for sin. He will save all those who are waiting for Him.

In the Old Way of Worship Many Gifts Were Given

10 The Law is like a picture of the good things to come. The Jewish religious leaders gave gifts on the altar in worship to God all the time year after year. Those gifts could not make the people who came to worship perfect. ² If those gifts given to God could take away sins, the people who came to worship would no longer feel guilty of sin. They would have given no more gifts. ³ When they gave the gifts year after year, it made them remember that they still had their sins. ⁴ The blood of animals cannot take away the sins of men.

In The New Way of Worship One Gift Was Given

⁵ When Christ came to the world, He said to God, “You do not want animals killed or gifts given in worship. You have made My body ready to give as a gift. ⁶ You are not pleased with animals that have been killed or burned and given as gifts on the altar to take away sin. ⁷ Then I said, ‘I have come to do what You want, O God. It is written in the Law that I would.’”

⁸ Then Christ said, “You do not want animals killed or gifts given in worship to you for sin. You are not pleased with them.” These things are done because the Law says they should be done. ⁹ Then He said, “I have come to do what You want Me to do.” And this is what He did when He died on a cross. God did away with the Old Way of Worship and made a New Way of Worship. ¹⁰ Our sins are washed away and we are made clean because Christ gave His own body as a gift to God. He did this once for all time.

¹¹ All Jewish religious leaders stand every day killing animals and giving gifts on the altar. They give the same gifts over and over again. These gifts cannot take away sins. ¹² But Christ gave Himself once for sins and that is good forever. After that He sat down at the right side of God. ¹³ He is waiting there for God to make of those who have hated Him a place to rest His feet. ¹⁴ And by one gift He has made perfect forever all those who are being set apart for God-like living.

¹⁵ The Holy Spirit tells us this: First He says, ¹⁶ “This is the New Way of Worship that I will give them. When that day comes, says the Lord, I will put My Laws in their hearts. And I will write them in their minds.” Then He says, ¹⁷ “I will not remember their sins and wrong-doings anymore.” ^{(A) 18} No more gifts on the altar in worship are needed when our sins are forgiven.