²⁸ For he must remain in his city of refuge ^(A)until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession.

³⁹ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

²⁶ For ^(A)if we go on sinning deliberately ^(B)after receiving the knowledge of the truth, ^(C)there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ^27 (D)but a fearful expectation of judgment, and ^(E)a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. ^28 (F)Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy ^(G)on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one ^(H)who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned ^(I)the blood of the covenant ^(J)by which he was sanctified, and has ^(K)outraged the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know him who said, ^(L)“Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, ^(M)“The Lord will judge his people.”

¹⁵ Therefore he is ^(A)the mediator of a new covenant, so that ^(B)those who are called may ^(C)receive the promised eternal inheritance, ^(D)since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.^{[a] 16} For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. ¹⁷ For ^(E)a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.

Redemption Through the Blood of Christ

¹¹ But when Christ appeared as a high priest ^(A)of the good things that have come,^[a] then through ^(B)the greater and more perfect tent (^(C)not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) ¹² he ^(D)entered ^(E)once for all into the holy places, not by means of ^(F)the blood of goats and calves but ^(G)by means of his own blood, ^(H)thus securing an eternal redemption.

⁴ For it is impossible, in the case of those ^(A)who have once been enlightened, who have tasted ^(B)the heavenly gift, and ^(C)have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and ^(D)have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and ^(E)then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since ^(F)they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. ⁷ For ^(G)land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. ⁸ But ^(H)if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, ^(I)and its end is to be burned.

¹⁴ For we have come to share in Christ, ^(A)if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

³¹ Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.”

²³ When he came and saw ^(A)the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord ^(B)with steadfast purpose,