Hebrews 9:15-22

Expanded Bible

¹⁵ For this reason Christ ·brings a new agreement from God to his people [^Lis the mediator of a new covenant/contract]. Those who are called by God can now receive the eternal ·blessings [inheritance] he has promised. They can have those things because Christ died to ·set them free [redeem them] from the ·sins [transgressions; violations] committed under the first agreement [covenant; contract].

¹⁶ When there is a ·will [last will and testament; ^Cthe same Greek word translated “agreement” in v. 15; the author develops his illustration from the various meanings of the word], it must be proven that the one who wrote that ·will [last will and testament] is dead. ¹⁷ [^LFor; Because] A ·will [last will and testament] ·means nothing [carries no force] while the person is alive; it can ·be used [take effect] only after the person dies. ¹⁸ This is why even the first ·agreement [covenant; contract; ^Cthe same Greek word as “will” in vv. 16–17] could not ·begin [be inaugurated/put into effect] without blood [^Cthe death of a sacrificial animal]. ¹⁹ First, Moses told all the people every command in the law. Next he took the blood of calves^[a] and mixed it with water. Then he used ·red [scarlet] wool and a branch of the hyssop plant to sprinkle it on the book of the law and on all the people. ²⁰ He said, “This is the blood ·that begins [that seals/confirms; ^Lof] the ·Agreement [Covenant; Contract] that God commanded you to ·obey [keep; Ex. 24:8].” ²¹ In the same way, Moses sprinkled the blood on the ·Holy Tent [^TTabernacle] and over all the ·things [vessels; utensils] used in worship. ²² The law says that almost everything must be ·made clean [purified; cleansed] by blood, and sins cannot be forgiven without ·blood to show death [the shedding of blood; ^Csignifying death to pay the penalty of sin].