Hebrews 9
New Matthew Bible
The value and significance of the old testament, and how far the new excels it.
9 That first tabernacle indeed had observances, and the serving of God, and temporal holiness. 2 For a foretabernacle was made, where the candlestick and the table and the showbread were, which is called holy. 3 But within the second veil there was a tabernacle that is called holiest of all. 4 It had the golden censer, and the ark of the testament overlaid round about with gold, in which was the golden pot with manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the testament. 5 Over the ark were the cherubims of glory covering the seat of grace – of which things we will not now speak particularly.
6 When these things had been set up accordingly, the priests went constantly into the first tabernacle and executed the service of God. 7 But into the second went the high priest alone, once every year – and not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the ignorance of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit was signifying that the way of holy things was not yet opened, while as yet the first tabernacle was standing. 9 That tabernacle was a similitude for the time then present, and in which gifts and sacrifices were offered that could not make the offerer perfect as pertaining to the conscience, 10 with only foods and drinks, and various washings and observances of the flesh, which were prescribed until the time of reformation.
11 But Christ, being a high priest of good things to come, came by a greater and a more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands; that is to say, not of this creation. 12 Neither was it by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered once and for all into the holy place, and found eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of oxen and of goats and the ashes of a heifer when sprinkled purified the unclean insofar as the purifying of the flesh is concerned, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works in order to serve the living God?
15 And therefore he is the mediator of the new testament, so that through death, which effected the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, those who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16 For where there is a testament, there must also be the death of him who makes the testament, 17 because a testament takes authority when men are dead. It is of no effect as long as he who made it is alive.
18 For which reason also, neither was that first testament ordained without blood. 19 For when all the commandments were read by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and purple wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, 20 saying: This is the blood of the testament that God has appointed unto you. 21 Moreover, he sprinkled the tabernacle with blood also, and all the ministering vessels. 22 And also almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission.
23 It is needful then that the similitudes of heavenly things be purified with such things, but the heavenly things themselves are purified with better sacrifices than are those. 24 For Christ has not entered into the holy places that are made with hands, which are but similitudes of true things, but has entered into very heaven, to appear now in the sight of God for us – 25 not to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters into the holy place every year with strange blood. 26 For then he must have repeatedly suffered since the world began. But now, in the end of the world, he has appeared once and for all to put sin to flight by the offering up of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and then comes the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to take away the sins of many, and to those who look for him, he will appear again without sin for salvation.
Hebrews 9
Common English Bible
Christ’s service in the heavenly meeting tent
9 So then the first covenant had regulations for the priests’ service and the holy place on earth. 2 They pitched the first tent called the holy place. It contained the lampstand, the table, and the loaves of bread presented to God. 3 There was a tent behind the second curtain called the holy of holies. 4 It had the gold altar for incense and the chest containing the covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. In the chest there was a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the chest there were magnificent winged creatures[a] casting their shadow over the seat of the chest, where sin is taken care of. Right now we can’t talk about these things in detail. 6 When these things have been prepared in this way, priests enter the first tent all the time as they perform their service. 7 But only the high priest enters the second tent once a year. He never does this without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins the people committed in ignorance. 8 With this, the Holy Spirit is showing that the way into the holy place hadn’t been revealed yet while the first tent was standing. 9 This is a symbol for the present time. It shows that the gifts and sacrifices that are being offered can’t perfect the conscience of the one who is serving. 10 These are superficial regulations that are only about food, drink, and various ritual ways to wash with water. They are regulations that have been imposed until the time of the new order.
11 But Christ has appeared as the high priest of the good things that have happened. He passed through the greater and more perfect meeting tent, which isn’t made by human hands (that is, it’s not a part of this world). 12 He entered the holy of holies once for all by his own blood, not by the blood of goats or calves, securing our deliverance for all time. 13 If the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkled ashes of cows made spiritually contaminated people holy and clean, 14 how much more will the blood of Jesus wash our consciences clean from dead works in order to serve the living God? He offered himself to God through the eternal Spirit as a sacrifice without any flaw.
Christ’s death and the new covenant
15 This is why he’s the mediator of a new covenant (which is a will): so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance on the basis of his death. His death occurred to set them free from the offenses committed under the first covenant. 16 When there is a will, you need to confirm the death of the one who made the will. 17 This is because a will takes effect only after a death, since it’s not in force while the one who made the will is alive. 18 So not even the first covenant was put into effect without blood. 19 Moses took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the Law scroll itself and all the people after he had proclaimed every command of the Law to all the people. 20 While he did it, he said, This is the blood of the covenant that God established for you.[b] 21 And in the same way he sprinkled the meeting tent and also all the equipment that would be used in the priests’ service with blood. 22 Almost everything is cleansed by blood, according to the Law’s regulations, and there is no forgiveness without blood being shed.
23 So it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be cleansed with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things had to be cleansed with better sacrifices than these. 24 Christ didn’t enter the holy place (which is a copy of the true holy place) made by human hands, but into heaven itself, so that he now appears in God’s presence for us. 25 He didn’t enter to offer himself over and over again, like the high priest enters the earthly holy place every year with blood that isn’t his. 26 If that were so, then Jesus would have to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. Instead, he has now appeared once at the end of the ages to get rid of sin by sacrificing himself. 27 People are destined to die once and then face judgment. 28 In the same way, Christ was also offered once to take on himself the sins of many people. He will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 9:5 Heb cherubim
- Hebrews 9:20 Exod 24:8
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible