23 It was necessary, then, for the copies(A) 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;(B) he entered heaven itself,(C) now to appear for us in God’s presence.(D) 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place(E) every year with blood that is not his own.(F) 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.(G) But he has appeared(H) once for all(I) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.(J) 27 Just as people are destined to die once,(K) and after that to face judgment,(L) 28 so Christ was sacrificed once(M) to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,(N) not to bear sin,(O) but to bring salvation(P) to those who are waiting for him.(Q)

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The Messiah’s Perfect Sacrifice

23 Thus it was necessary for these earthly[a] copies of the things in heaven to be cleansed by these sacrifices,[b] but the heavenly things themselves are made clean[c] with better sacrifices than these. 24 For the Messiah[d] did not go into a sanctuary made by human[e] hands that is merely a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, to appear now in God’s presence on our behalf. 25 Nor did he go into heaven[f] to sacrifice himself again and again, the way the high priest goes into the Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the creation of the world. But now, at the end of the ages, he has appeared once for all to remove sin by his sacrifice. 27 Indeed, just as people are destined to die once and after that to be judged,[g] 28 so the Messiah[h] was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people. And he will appear a second time, not to deal with sin,[i] but to bring salvation to those who eagerly wait for him.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 9:23 The Gk. lacks earthly
  2. Hebrews 9:23 Lit. by these things
  3. Hebrews 9:23 The Gk. lacks are made clean
  4. Hebrews 9:24 Or Christ
  5. Hebrews 9:24 The Gk. lacks human
  6. Hebrews 9:25 The Gk. lacks did he go into heaven
  7. Hebrews 9:27 Lit. after that the judgment
  8. Hebrews 9:28 Or Christ
  9. Hebrews 9:28 Lit. a second time without sin