Benediction and Final Greetings

²⁰ Now may the God of peace,^(A) who through the blood of the eternal covenant^(B) brought back from the dead^(C) our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,^(D)

²⁸ This is my blood of the^[a] covenant,^(A) which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.^(B)

³ When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws,^(A) they responded with one voice, “Everything the Lord has said we will do.”^{(B) 4} Moses then wrote^(C) down everything the Lord had said.

He got up early the next morning and built an altar^(D) at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars^(E) representing the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵ Then he sent young Israelite men, and they offered burnt offerings^(F) and sacrificed young bulls as fellowship offerings^(G) to the Lord. ⁶ Moses^(H) took half of the blood^(I) and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed^(J) against the altar. ⁷ Then he took the Book of the Covenant^(K) and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the Lord has said; we will obey.”^(L)

⁸ Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people^(M) and said, “This is the blood of the covenant^(N) that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

²⁴ to Jesus the mediator^(A) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood^(B) that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.^(C)

¹⁰ They are only a matter of food^(A) and drink^(B) and various ceremonial washings^(C)—external regulations^(D) applying until the time of the new order.

The Blood of Christ

¹¹ But when Christ came as high priest^(E) of the good things that are now already here,^[a](F) he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle^(G) that is not made with human hands,^(H) 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;^(I) but he entered the Most Holy Place^(J) once for all^(K) by his own blood,^(L) thus obtaining^[b] eternal redemption. ¹³ The blood of goats and bulls^(M) and the ashes of a heifer^(N) 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^(O) offered himself^(P) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences^(Q) from acts that lead to death,^[c](R) so that we may serve the living God!^(S)

¹⁵ For this reason Christ is the mediator^(T) of a new covenant,^(U) that those who are called^(V) may receive the promised^(W) eternal inheritance^(X)—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.^(Y)

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

²³ It was necessary, then, for the copies^(AG) of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

² He said: