⁸ You must bring them to the priest, who will present the first bird as the sin offering. He will wring its neck but without severing its head from the body.

¹⁵ The priest will take the bird to the altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the altar. But first he must drain its blood against the side of the altar.

¹⁷ Then, grasping the bird by its wings, the priest will tear the bird open, but without tearing it apart. Then he will burn it as a burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

¹⁸ Christ suffered^[a] for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.^[b]

²⁵ He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.