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Isaiah 11-14
New Living Translation
Isaiah 11-14
New Living Translation
A Branch from David’s Line
11 Out of the stump of David’s family[a] will grow a shoot—
yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 He will delight in obeying the Lord.
He will not judge by appearance
nor make a decision based on hearsay.
4 He will give justice to the poor
and make fair decisions for the exploited.
The earth will shake at the force of his word,
and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.
5 He will wear righteousness like a belt
and truth like an undergarment.
6 In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together;
the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.
The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion,
and a little child will lead them all.
7 The cow will graze near the bear.
The cub and the calf will lie down together.
The lion will eat hay like a cow.
8 The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra.
Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm.
9 Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,
for as the waters fill the sea,
so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.
10 In that day the heir to David’s throne[b]
will be a banner of salvation to all the world.
The nations will rally to him,
and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.[c]
11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time
to bring back the remnant of his people—
those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt;
in southern Egypt, Ethiopia,[d] and Elam;
in Babylonia,[e] Hamath, and all the distant coastlands.
12 He will raise a flag among the nations
and assemble the exiles of Israel.
He will gather the scattered people of Judah
from the ends of the earth.
13 Then at last the jealousy between Israel[f] and Judah will end.
They will not be rivals anymore.
14 They will join forces to swoop down on Philistia to the west.
Together they will attack and plunder the nations to the east.
They will occupy the lands of Edom and Moab,
and Ammon will obey them.
15 The Lord will make a dry path through the gulf of the Red Sea.[g]
He will wave his hand over the Euphrates River,[h]
sending a mighty wind to divide it into seven streams
so it can easily be crossed on foot.
16 He will make a highway for the remnant of his people,
the remnant coming from Assyria,
just as he did for Israel long ago
when they returned from Egypt.
Songs of Praise for Salvation
12 In that day you will sing:
“I will praise you, O Lord!
You were angry with me, but not any more.
Now you comfort me.
2 See, God has come to save me.
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
The Lord God is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.”
3 With joy you will drink deeply
from the fountain of salvation!
4 In that wonderful day you will sing:
“Thank the Lord! Praise his name!
Tell the nations what he has done.
Let them know how mighty he is!
5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done wonderful things.
Make known his praise around the world.
6 Let all the people of Jerusalem[i] shout his praise with joy!
For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you.”
A Message about Babylon
13 Isaiah son of Amoz received this message concerning the destruction of Babylon:
2 “Raise a signal flag on a bare hilltop.
Call up an army against Babylon.
Wave your hand to encourage them
as they march into the palaces of the high and mighty.
3 I, the Lord, have dedicated these soldiers for this task.
Yes, I have called mighty warriors to express my anger,
and they will rejoice when I am exalted.”
4 Hear the noise on the mountains!
Listen, as the vast armies march!
It is the noise and shouting of many nations.
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has called this army together.
5 They come from distant countries,
from beyond the farthest horizons.
They are the Lord’s weapons to carry out his anger.
With them he will destroy the whole land.
6 Scream in terror, for the day of the Lord has arrived—
the time for the Almighty to destroy.
7 Every arm is paralyzed with fear.
Every heart melts,
8 and people are terrified.
Pangs of anguish grip them,
like those of a woman in labor.
They look helplessly at one another,
their faces aflame with fear.
9 For see, the day of the Lord is coming—
the terrible day of his fury and fierce anger.
The land will be made desolate,
and all the sinners destroyed with it.
10 The heavens will be black above them;
the stars will give no light.
The sun will be dark when it rises,
and the moon will provide no light.
11 “I, the Lord, will punish the world for its evil
and the wicked for their sin.
I will crush the arrogance of the proud
and humble the pride of the mighty.
12 I will make people scarcer than gold—
more rare than the fine gold of Ophir.
13 For I will shake the heavens.
The earth will move from its place
when the Lord of Heaven’s Armies displays his wrath
in the day of his fierce anger.”
14 Everyone in Babylon will run about like a hunted gazelle,
like sheep without a shepherd.
They will try to find their own people
and flee to their own land.
15 Anyone who is captured will be cut down—
run through with a sword.
16 Their little children will be dashed to death before their eyes.
Their homes will be sacked, and their wives will be raped.
17 “Look, I will stir up the Medes against Babylon.
They cannot be tempted by silver
or bribed with gold.
18 The attacking armies will shoot down the young men with arrows.
They will have no mercy on helpless babies
and will show no compassion for children.”
19 Babylon, the most glorious of kingdoms,
the flower of Chaldean pride,
will be devastated like Sodom and Gomorrah
when God destroyed them.
20 Babylon will never be inhabited again.
It will remain empty for generation after generation.
Nomads will refuse to camp there,
and shepherds will not bed down their sheep.
21 Desert animals will move into the ruined city,
and the houses will be haunted by howling creatures.
Owls will live among the ruins,
and wild goats will go there to dance.
22 Hyenas will howl in its fortresses,
and jackals will make dens in its luxurious palaces.
Babylon’s days are numbered;
its time of destruction will soon arrive.
A Taunt for Babylon’s King
14 But the Lord will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will come and join them there and unite with the people of Israel.[j] 2 The nations of the world will help the people of Israel to return, and those who come to live in the Lord’s land will serve them. Those who captured Israel will themselves be captured, and Israel will rule over its enemies.
3 In that wonderful day when the Lord gives his people rest from sorrow and fear, from slavery and chains, 4 you will taunt the king of Babylon. You will say,
“The mighty man has been destroyed.
Yes, your insolence[k] is ended.
5 For the Lord has crushed your wicked power
and broken your evil rule.
6 You struck the people with endless blows of rage
and held the nations in your angry grip
with unrelenting tyranny.
7 But finally the earth is at rest and quiet.
Now it can sing again!
8 Even the trees of the forest—
the cypress trees and the cedars of Lebanon—
sing out this joyous song:
‘Since you have been cut down,
no one will come now to cut us down!’
9 “In the place of the dead[l] there is excitement
over your arrival.
The spirits of world leaders and mighty kings long dead
stand up to see you.
10 With one voice they all cry out,
‘Now you are as weak as we are!
11 Your might and power were buried with you.[m]
The sound of the harp in your palace has ceased.
Now maggots are your sheet,
and worms your blanket.’
12 “How you are fallen from heaven,
O shining star, son of the morning!
You have been thrown down to the earth,
you who destroyed the nations of the world.
13 For you said to yourself,
‘I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God’s stars.
I will preside on the mountain of the gods
far away in the north.[n]
14 I will climb to the highest heavens
and be like the Most High.’
15 Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead,
down to its lowest depths.
16 Everyone there will stare at you and ask,
‘Can this be the one who shook the earth
and made the kingdoms of the world tremble?
17 Is this the one who destroyed the world
and made it into a wasteland?
Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities
and had no mercy on his prisoners?’
18 “The kings of the nations lie in stately glory,
each in his own tomb,
19 but you will be thrown out of your grave
like a worthless branch.
Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
you will be dumped into a mass grave
with those killed in battle.
You will descend to the pit.
20 You will not be given a proper burial,
for you have destroyed your nation
and slaughtered your people.
The descendants of such an evil person
will never again receive honor.
21 Kill this man’s children!
Let them die because of their father’s sins!
They must not rise and conquer the earth,
filling the world with their cities.”
22 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
“I, myself, have risen against Babylon!
I will destroy its children and its children’s children,”
says the Lord.
23 “I will make Babylon a desolate place of owls,
filled with swamps and marshes.
I will sweep the land with the broom of destruction.
I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!”
A Message about Assyria
24 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath:
“It will all happen as I have planned.
It will be as I have decided.
25 I will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel;
I will trample them on my mountains.
My people will no longer be their slaves
nor bow down under their heavy loads.
26 I have a plan for the whole earth,
a hand of judgment upon all the nations.
27 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—
who can change his plans?
When his hand is raised,
who can stop him?”
A Message about Philistia
28 This message came to me the year King Ahaz died:[o]
29 Do not rejoice, you Philistines,
that the rod that struck you is broken—
that the king who attacked you is dead.
For from that snake a more poisonous snake will be born,
a fiery serpent to destroy you!
30 I will feed the poor in my pasture;
the needy will lie down in peace.
But as for you, I will wipe you out with famine
and destroy the few who remain.
31 Wail at the gates! Weep in the cities!
Melt with fear, you Philistines!
A powerful army comes like smoke from the north.
Each soldier rushes forward eager to fight.
32 What should we tell the Philistine messengers? Tell them,
“The Lord has built Jerusalem[p];
its walls will give refuge to his oppressed people.”
Footnotes
- 11:1 Hebrew the stump of the line of Jesse. Jesse was King David’s father.
- 11:10a Hebrew the root of Jesse.
- 11:10b Greek version reads In that day the heir to David’s throne [literally the root of Jesse] will come, / and he will rule over the Gentiles. / They will place their hopes on him. Compare Rom 15:12.
- 11:11a Hebrew in Pathros, Cush.
- 11:11b Hebrew in Shinar.
- 11:13 Hebrew Ephraim, referring to the northern kingdom of Israel.
- 11:15a Hebrew will destroy the tongue of the sea of Egypt.
- 11:15b Hebrew the river.
- 12:6 Hebrew Zion.
- 14:1 Hebrew the house of Jacob. The names “Jacob” and “Israel” are often interchanged throughout the Old Testament, referring sometimes to the individual patriarch and sometimes to the nation.
- 14:4 As in Dead Sea Scrolls; the meaning of the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
- 14:9 Hebrew Sheol; also in 14:15.
- 14:11 Hebrew were brought down to Sheol.
- 14:13 Or on the heights of Zaphon.
- 14:28 King Ahaz died in 715 B.c.
- 14:32 Hebrew Zion.
Isaiah 11-14
New International Version
Isaiah 11-14
New International Version
The Branch From Jesse
11 A shoot(A) will come up from the stump(B) of Jesse;(C)
from his roots a Branch(D) will bear fruit.(E)
2 The Spirit(F) of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom(G) and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,(H)
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear(I) of the Lord.
He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,(J)
or decide by what he hears with his ears;(K)
4 but with righteousness(L) he will judge the needy,(M)
with justice(N) he will give decisions for the poor(O) of the earth.
He will strike(P) the earth with the rod of his mouth;(Q)
with the breath(R) of his lips he will slay the wicked.(S)
5 Righteousness will be his belt(T)
and faithfulness(U) the sash around his waist.(V)
6 The wolf will live with the lamb,(W)
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling[a] together;
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.(X)
8 The infant(Y) will play near the cobra’s den,
and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s(Z) nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy(AA)
on all my holy mountain,(AB)
for the earth(AC) will be filled with the knowledge(AD) of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
10 In that day(AE) the Root of Jesse(AF) will stand as a banner(AG) for the peoples; the nations(AH) will rally to him,(AI) and his resting place(AJ) will be glorious.(AK) 11 In that day(AL) the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant(AM) of his people from Assyria,(AN) from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt,(AO) from Cush,[b](AP) from Elam,(AQ) from Babylonia,[c] from Hamath(AR) and from the islands(AS) of the Mediterranean.(AT)
12 He will raise a banner(AU) for the nations
and gather(AV) the exiles of Israel;(AW)
he will assemble the scattered people(AX) of Judah
from the four quarters of the earth.(AY)
13 Ephraim’s jealousy will vanish,
and Judah’s enemies[d] will be destroyed;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.(AZ)
14 They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia(BA) to the west;
together they will plunder the people to the east.(BB)
They will subdue Edom(BC) and Moab,(BD)
and the Ammonites(BE) will be subject to them.(BF)
15 The Lord will dry up(BG)
the gulf of the Egyptian sea;
with a scorching wind(BH) he will sweep his hand(BI)
over the Euphrates River.(BJ)
He will break it up into seven streams
so that anyone can cross over in sandals.(BK)
16 There will be a highway(BL) for the remnant(BM) of his people
that is left from Assyria,(BN)
as there was for Israel
when they came up from Egypt.(BO)
Songs of Praise
12 In that day(BP) you will say:
“I will praise(BQ) you, Lord.
Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away(BR)
and you have comforted(BS) me.
2 Surely God is my salvation;(BT)
I will trust(BU) and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself,(BV) is my strength(BW) and my defense[e];
he has become my salvation.(BX)”
3 With joy you will draw water(BY)
from the wells(BZ) of salvation.
4 In that day(CA) you will say:
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;(CB)
make known among the nations(CC) what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.(CD)
5 Sing(CE) to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;(CF)
let this be known to all the world.
6 Shout aloud and sing for joy,(CG) people of Zion,
for great(CH) is the Holy One of Israel(CI) among you.(CJ)”
A Prophecy Against Babylon
13 A prophecy(CK) against Babylon(CL) that Isaiah son of Amoz(CM) saw:(CN)
2 Raise a banner(CO) on a bare hilltop,
shout to them;
beckon to them
to enter the gates(CP) of the nobles.
3 I have commanded those I prepared for battle;
I have summoned my warriors(CQ) to carry out my wrath(CR)—
those who rejoice(CS) in my triumph.
4 Listen, a noise on the mountains,
like that of a great multitude!(CT)
Listen, an uproar(CU) among the kingdoms,
like nations massing together!
The Lord Almighty(CV) is mustering(CW)
an army for war.
5 They come from faraway lands,
from the ends of the heavens(CX)—
the Lord and the weapons(CY) of his wrath(CZ)—
to destroy(DA) the whole country.
6 Wail,(DB) for the day(DC) of the Lord is near;
it will come like destruction(DD) from the Almighty.[f](DE)
7 Because of this, all hands will go limp,(DF)
every heart will melt with fear.(DG)
8 Terror(DH) will seize them,
pain and anguish will grip(DI) them;
they will writhe like a woman in labor.(DJ)
They will look aghast at each other,
their faces aflame.(DK)
9 See, the day(DL) of the Lord is coming
—a cruel(DM) day, with wrath(DN) and fierce anger(DO)—
to make the land desolate
and destroy the sinners within it.
10 The stars of heaven and their constellations
will not show their light.(DP)
The rising sun(DQ) will be darkened(DR)
and the moon will not give its light.(DS)
11 I will punish(DT) the world for its evil,
the wicked(DU) for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty(DV)
and will humble(DW) the pride of the ruthless.(DX)
12 I will make people(DY) scarcer than pure gold,
more rare than the gold of Ophir.(DZ)
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;(EA)
and the earth will shake(EB) from its place
at the wrath(EC) of the Lord Almighty,
in the day of his burning anger.(ED)
14 Like a hunted(EE) gazelle,
like sheep without a shepherd,(EF)
they will all return to their own people,
they will flee(EG) to their native land.(EH)
15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through;
all who are caught will fall(EI) by the sword.(EJ)
16 Their infants(EK) will be dashed to pieces before their eyes;
their houses will be looted and their wives violated.(EL)
17 See, I will stir up(EM) against them the Medes,(EN)
who do not care for silver
and have no delight in gold.(EO)
18 Their bows(EP) will strike down the young men;(EQ)
they will have no mercy(ER) on infants,
nor will they look with compassion on children.(ES)
19 Babylon,(ET) the jewel of kingdoms,(EU)
the pride and glory(EV) of the Babylonians,[g]
will be overthrown(EW) by God
like Sodom and Gomorrah.(EX)
20 She will never be inhabited(EY)
or lived in through all generations;
there no nomads(EZ) will pitch their tents,
there no shepherds will rest their flocks.
21 But desert creatures(FA) will lie there,
jackals(FB) will fill her houses;
there the owls(FC) will dwell,
and there the wild goats(FD) will leap about.
22 Hyenas(FE) will inhabit her strongholds,(FF)
jackals(FG) her luxurious palaces.
Her time is at hand,(FH)
and her days will not be prolonged.(FI)
14 The Lord will have compassion(FJ) on Jacob;
once again he will choose(FK) Israel
and will settle them in their own land.(FL)
Foreigners(FM) will join them
and unite with the descendants of Jacob.
2 Nations will take them
and bring(FN) them to their own place.
And Israel will take possession of the nations(FO)
and make them male and female servants in the Lord’s land.
They will make captives(FP) of their captors
and rule over their oppressors.(FQ)
3 On the day the Lord gives you relief(FR) from your suffering and turmoil(FS) and from the harsh labor forced on you,(FT) 4 you will take up this taunt(FU) against the king of Babylon:(FV)
How the oppressor(FW) has come to an end!
How his fury[h] has ended!
5 The Lord has broken the rod(FX) of the wicked,(FY)
the scepter(FZ) of the rulers,
6 which in anger struck down peoples(GA)
with unceasing blows,
and in fury subdued(GB) nations
with relentless aggression.(GC)
7 All the lands are at rest and at peace;(GD)
they break into singing.(GE)
8 Even the junipers(GF) and the cedars of Lebanon
gloat over you and say,
“Now that you have been laid low,
no one comes to cut us down.”(GG)
9 The realm of the dead(GH) below is all astir
to meet you at your coming;
it rouses the spirits of the departed(GI) to greet you—
all those who were leaders(GJ) in the world;
it makes them rise from their thrones—
all those who were kings over the nations.(GK)
10 They will all respond,
they will say to you,
“You also have become weak, as we are;
you have become like us.”(GL)
11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,(GM)
along with the noise of your harps;(GN)
maggots are spread out beneath you
and worms(GO) cover you.(GP)
12 How you have fallen(GQ) from heaven,
morning star,(GR) son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!(GS)
13 You said in your heart,
“I will ascend(GT) to the heavens;
I will raise my throne(GU)
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,(GV)
on the utmost heights(GW) of Mount Zaphon.[i]
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;(GX)
I will make myself like the Most High.”(GY)
15 But you are brought down(GZ) to the realm of the dead,(HA)
to the depths(HB) of the pit.(HC)
16 Those who see you stare at you,
they ponder your fate:(HD)
“Is this the man who shook(HE) the earth
and made kingdoms tremble,
17 the man who made the world a wilderness,(HF)
who overthrew(HG) its cities
and would not let his captives go home?”(HH)
18 All the kings of the nations lie in state,
each in his own tomb.(HI)
19 But you are cast out(HJ) of your tomb
like a rejected branch;
you are covered with the slain,(HK)
with those pierced by the sword,(HL)
those who descend to the stones of the pit.(HM)
Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
20 you will not join them in burial,(HN)
for you have destroyed your land
and killed your people.
Let the offspring(HO) of the wicked(HP)
never be mentioned(HQ) again.
21 Prepare a place to slaughter his children(HR)
for the sins of their ancestors;(HS)
they are not to rise to inherit the land
and cover the earth with their cities.
22 “I will rise up(HT) against them,”
declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will wipe out Babylon’s name(HU) and survivors,
her offspring and descendants,(HV)”
declares the Lord.
23 “I will turn her into a place for owls(HW)
and into swampland;
I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,(HX)”
declares the Lord Almighty.(HY)
24 The Lord Almighty has sworn,(HZ)
“Surely, as I have planned,(IA) so it will be,
and as I have purposed, so it will happen.(IB)
25 I will crush the Assyrian(IC) in my land;
on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke(ID) will be taken from my people,
and his burden removed from their shoulders.(IE)”
26 This is the plan(IF) determined for the whole world;
this is the hand(IG) stretched out over all nations.
27 For the Lord Almighty has purposed,(IH) and who can thwart him?
His hand(II) is stretched out, and who can turn it back?(IJ)
A Prophecy Against the Philistines
28 This prophecy(IK) came in the year(IL) King Ahaz(IM) died:
29 Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,(IN)
that the rod that struck you is broken;
from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,(IO)
its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.(IP)
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture,
and the needy(IQ) will lie down in safety.(IR)
But your root I will destroy by famine;(IS)
it will slay(IT) your survivors.(IU)
31 Wail,(IV) you gate!(IW) Howl, you city!
Melt away, all you Philistines!(IX)
A cloud of smoke comes from the north,(IY)
and there is not a straggler in its ranks.(IZ)
32 What answer shall be given
to the envoys(JA) of that nation?
“The Lord has established Zion,(JB)
and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.(JC)”
Footnotes
- Isaiah 11:6 Hebrew; Septuagint lion will feed
- Isaiah 11:11 That is, the upper Nile region
- Isaiah 11:11 Hebrew Shinar
- Isaiah 11:13 Or hostility
- Isaiah 12:2 Or song
- Isaiah 13:6 Hebrew Shaddai
- Isaiah 13:19 Or Chaldeans
- Isaiah 14:4 Dead Sea Scrolls, Septuagint and Syriac; the meaning of the word in the Masoretic Text is uncertain.
- Isaiah 14:13 Or of the north; Zaphon was the most sacred mountain of the Canaanites.
Hebrews 9
New Living Translation
Hebrews 9
New Living Translation
Old Rules about Worship
9 That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. 2 There were two rooms in that Tabernacle.[a] In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place. 3 Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room[b] called the Most Holy Place. 4 In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.
6 When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room[c] as they performed their religious duties. 7 But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle[d] and the system it represented were still in use.
9 This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. 10 For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.
Christ Is the Perfect Sacrifice
11 So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come.[e] He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. 12 With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.
13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds[f] so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. 15 That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.
16 Now when someone leaves a will,[g] it is necessary to prove that the person who made it is dead.[h] 17 The will goes into effect only after the person’s death. While the person who made it is still alive, the will cannot be put into effect.
18 That is why even the first covenant was put into effect with the blood of an animal. 19 For after Moses had read each of God’s commandments to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats,[i] along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God’s law and all the people, using hyssop branches and scarlet wool. 20 Then he said, “This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you.”[j] 21 And in the same way, he sprinkled blood on the Tabernacle and on everything used for worship. 22 In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.
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[k] 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.
Footnotes
- 9:2 Or tent; also in 9:11, 21.
- 9:3 Greek second tent.
- 9:6 Greek first tent.
- 9:8 Or the first room; Greek reads the first tent.
- 9:11 Some manuscripts read that are about to come.
- 9:14 Greek from dead works.
- 9:16a Or covenant; also in 9:17.
- 9:16b Or Now when someone makes a covenant, it is necessary to ratify it with the death of a sacrifice.
- 9:19 Some manuscripts do not include and goats.
- 9:20 Exod 24:8.
- 9:26 Greek the ages.
Hebrews 9
New International Version
Hebrews 9
New International Version
Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle
9 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.(A) 2 A tabernacle(B) was set up. In its first room were the lampstand(C) and the table(D) with its consecrated bread;(E) this was called the Holy Place.(F) 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,(G) 4 which had the golden altar of incense(H) and the gold-covered ark of the covenant.(I) This ark contained the gold jar of manna,(J) Aaron’s staff that had budded,(K) and the stone tablets of the covenant.(L) 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory,(M) overshadowing the atonement cover.(N) But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.
6 When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly(O) into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7 But only the high priest entered(P) the inner room,(Q) and that only once a year,(R) and never without blood,(S) which he offered for himself(T) and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.(U) 8 The Holy Spirit was showing(V) by this that the way(W) into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9 This is an illustration(X) for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered(Y) were not able to clear the conscience(Z) of the worshiper. 10 They are only a matter of food(AA) and drink(AB) and various ceremonial washings(AC)—external regulations(AD) applying until the time of the new order.
The Blood of Christ
11 But when Christ came as high priest(AE) of the good things that are now already here,[a](AF) he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle(AG) that is not made with human hands,(AH) that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;(AI) but he entered the Most Holy Place(AJ) once for all(AK) by his own blood,(AL) thus obtaining[b] eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls(AM) and the ashes of a heifer(AN) sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit(AO) offered himself(AP) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences(AQ) from acts that lead to death,[c](AR) so that we may serve the living God!(AS)
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator(AT) of a new covenant,(AU) that those who are called(AV) may receive the promised(AW) eternal inheritance(AX)—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.(AY)
16 In the case of a will,[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17 because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18 This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.(AZ) 19 When Moses had proclaimed(BA) every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves,(BB) together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.(BC) 20 He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”[e](BD) 21 In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22 In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,(BE) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.(BF)
23 It was necessary, then, for the copies(BG) 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;(BH) he entered heaven itself,(BI) now to appear for us in God’s presence.(BJ) 25 Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place(BK) every year with blood that is not his own.(BL) 26 Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.(BM) But he has appeared(BN) once for all(BO) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.(BP) 27 Just as people are destined to die once,(BQ) and after that to face judgment,(BR) 28 so Christ was sacrificed once(BS) to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,(BT) not to bear sin,(BU) but to bring salvation(BV) to those who are waiting for him.(BW)
Footnotes
- Hebrews 9:11 Some early manuscripts are to come
- Hebrews 9:12 Or blood, having obtained
- Hebrews 9:14 Or from useless rituals
- Hebrews 9:16 Same Greek word as covenant; also in verse 17
- Hebrews 9:20 Exodus 24:8
New Living Translation (NLT)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.