² “This is a statute of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish and on which no yoke has been laid.^(A)

³ The elders of the town nearest the body shall take a heifer that has never been worked, one that has not pulled in the yoke;

⁷ Now then, get ready a new cart and two milch cows that have never borne a yoke, and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them.^(A)

²⁰ You shall not offer anything that has a blemish, for it will not be acceptable on your behalf.^(A)

²¹ “When anyone offers a sacrifice of well-being to the Lord, in fulfillment of a vow or as a freewill offering, from the herd or from the flock, to be acceptable it must be perfect; there shall be no blemish in it.^{(B) 22} Anything blind or injured or maimed or having a discharge or an itch or scabs—these you shall not offer to the Lord or put any of them on the altar as offerings by fire^[a] to the Lord. ²³ An ox or a lamb that is deformed or stunted you may present for a freewill offering, but it will not be accepted for a vow. ²⁴ Any animal that has its testicles bruised or crushed or torn or cut, you shall not offer to the Lord; such you shall not do within your land, ²⁵ nor shall you accept any such animals from a foreigner to offer as food to your God; since they are mutilated, with a blemish in them, they shall not be accepted on your behalf.”^(C)

¹⁹ but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.^(A)

⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To him who loves us and freed^[a] us from our sins by his blood

¹⁰ but deal only with food and drink and various baptisms, regulations for the body imposed until the time comes to set things right.^(A)

²⁶ For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.^(A)