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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23 That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals.

24 For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. 25 And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age[a] to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.

27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, 28 so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

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Footnotes

  1. 9:26 Greek the ages.