²⁸ just as the Son of Man^(A) did not come to be served, but to serve,^(B) and to give his life as a ransom^(C) for many.”

³⁶ Be merciful,^(A) just as your Father^(B) is merciful.

¹⁶ For God so loved^(A) the world that he gave^(B) his one and only Son,^(C) that whoever believes^(D) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^(E)

²² This righteousness^(A) is given through faith^(B) in^[a] Jesus Christ^(C) to all who believe.^(D) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,^{(E) 23} for all have sinned^(F) and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified^(G) freely by his grace^(H) through the redemption^(I) that came by Christ Jesus. ²⁵ God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,^[b](J) through the shedding of his blood^(K)—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished^(L)— ²⁶ he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.^(A)

⁷ In him we have redemption^(A) through his blood,^(B) the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches^(C) of God’s grace

⁷ But only the high priest entered^(A) the inner room,^(B) and that only once a year,^(C) and never without blood,^(D) which he offered for himself^(E) and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.^{(F) 8} The Holy Spirit was showing^(G) by this that the way^(H) into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. ⁹ This is an illustration^(I) for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered^(J) were not able to clear the conscience^(K) of the worshiper. ¹⁰ They are only a matter of food^(L) and drink^(M) and various ceremonial washings^(N)—external regulations^(O) applying until the time of the new order.

The Blood of Christ

¹¹ But when Christ came as high priest^(P) of the good things that are now already here,^[a](Q) he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle^(R) that is not made with human hands,^(S) 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;^(T) but he entered the Most Holy Place^(U) once for all^(V) by his own blood,^(W) thus obtaining^[b] eternal redemption. ¹³ The blood of goats and bulls^(X) and the ashes of a heifer^(Y) 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^(Z) offered himself^(AA) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences^(AB) from acts that lead to death,^[c](AC) so that we may serve the living God!^(AD)

¹⁵ For this reason Christ is the mediator^(AE) of a new covenant,^(AF) that those who are called^(AG) may receive the promised^(AH) eternal inheritance^(AI)—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.^(AJ)

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.^{(AK) 19} When Moses had proclaimed^(AL) every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves,^(AM) together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.^{(AN) 20} He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”^{[e](AO) 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,^(AP) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.^(AQ)

²³ It was necessary, then, for the copies^(AR) 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;^(AS) he entered heaven itself,^(AT) now to appear for us in God’s presence.^{(AU) 25} Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place^(AV) every year with blood that is not his own.^{(AW) 26} Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.^(AX) But he has appeared^(AY) once for all^(AZ) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.^{(BA) 27} Just as people are destined to die once,^(BB) and after that to face judgment,^(BC)

⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son^(A) into the world that we might live through him.^(B)