Dhabihu Ya Kristo Ilikuwa Ya Mwisho

10 Basi kwa kuwa sheria ni kivuli tu cha mambo mema yajayo na wala si mambo yenyewe, haiwezi kamwe, kwa njia ya dhabihu zito lewazo mwaka hadi mwaka, kuwakamilisha wale wanaoabudu. Kama isingekuwa hivyo, dhabihu hizo zingekuwa hazitolewi tena. Maana hao waabuduo wasingalijiona tena kuwa wana hatia kwa ajili ya dhambi zao baada ya kutakaswa mara moja. Badala yake, dhabihu hizo zilikuwa ni ukumbusho wa dhambi mwaka hadi mwaka. Kwa maana damu ya mafahali na mbuzi, haiwezi kamwe kuondoa dhambi.

Kwa sababu hii, Yesu alipokuja duniani alisema: “Hukutaka dhabihu na sadaka bali umeniandalia mwili. Hukupendezwa na sadaka za kuteketezwa wala sadaka zitolewazo kwa ajili ya dhambi. Ndipo nikasema, ‘Nipo hapa, kama ilivyoandikwa katika gombo la sheria kunihusu; nimekuja kutimiza mapenzi yako wewe Mungu.’ ”

Kwanza alisema, “Dhabihu na sadaka, sadaka za kuteketezwa wala sadaka zitolewazo kwa ajili ya dhambi hukutaka, wala huku pendezwa nazo,” ingawa hizi zilitolewa kwa mujibu wa sheria. Kisha akasema, “Niko hapa, nimekuja kutimiza mapenzi yako.” Anaweka kando ule utaratibu wa kwanza na kuanzisha utaratibu wa pili. 10 Na kwa mapenzi hayo, sisi tumetakaswa kwa njia ya sadaka ya mwili wa Yesu Kristo alioutoa mara moja tu, kwa wakati wote.

11 Kila kuhani husimama siku hadi siku akifanya huduma yake ya ibada na akitoa tena na tena dhabihu zile zile ambazo haziwezi kuondoa dhambi. 12 Lakini Kristo alipokwisha kutoa dhabihu yake kwa ajili ya dhambi mara moja tu kwa wakati wote, aliketi upande wa kulia wa Mungu. 13 Tangu wakati huo anangoja mpaka Mungu atakapowafanya maadui zake kuwa kiti cha miguu yake. 14 Maana kwa dhabihu moja tu amewafanya kuwa wakamilifu milele wale wote wanaotakaswa.

15 Roho Mtakatifu pia anatushuhudia kuhusu jambo hili. Kwanza anasema: 16 “Hili ndilo agano nitakalofanya nao baada ya siku hizo, asema Bwana. Nitaziweka sheria zangu mioyoni mwao na kuziandika akilini mwao.” 17 Kisha anasema: “Dhambi zao na makosa yao sitayakumbuka tena kamwe.”

18 Basi, haya yakishasamehewa, hakuna tena dhabihu inayoto lewa kwa ajili ya dhambi.

Haja Ya Kuwa Imara

19 Kwa hiyo ndugu zangu, kwa kuwa tunao ujasiri wa kuingia Patakatifu pa Patakatifu kwa damu ya Yesu, 20 kwa njia mpya iliyo hai tuliyofunguliwa kupitia lile pazia, yaani kwa njia ya mwili wake, 21 na kwa kuwa tunaye kuhani mkuu anayemiliki nyumba ya Mungu; 22 basi tumkaribie Mungu kwa moyo wa kweli na imani timilifu, mioyo yetu ikiwa imenyunyizwa na kuwa safi kutokana na dhamiri mbaya na miili yetu ikiwa imeoshwa kwa maji safi. 23 Tushikilie kwa makini tumaini tunalokiri kwa maana yeye ali yeahidi ni mwaminifu. 24 Na tujishughulishe kutafuta jinsi ya kuhimizana katika kuonyeshana upendo na kutenda mema. 25 Tusiache kukutana pamoja, kama wengine wanavyofanya, bali tutiane moyo, hasa zaidi tunapoona siku ile ikikaribia.

Hatari Ya Kukufuru

26 Kama tukiendelea kutenda dhambi makusudi baada ya kupokea na kufahamu ile kweli, hakuna tena dhabihu iliyobaki inayoweza kutolewa kwa ajili ya dhambi. 27 Kinachobakia ni kungojea kwa hofu hukumu ya Mungu na moto mkali utakaowaangamiza maadui zake. 28 Mtu aliyevunja sheria ya Mose aliuawa pasipo huruma kwa usha hidi wa watu wawili au watatu. 29 Je, mnadhani ni adhabu kali kiasi gani zaidi anastahili kupewa mtu ambaye anamdharau na kum kataa Mwana wa Mungu, na ambaye anaona kuwa damu ya agano iliyom takasa si kitu, na ambaye amemtukana Roho wa neema? 30 Kwa maana tunamjua yeye aliyesema, “Kulipiza kisasi ni juu yangu, mimi nitalipiza.” Pia alisema, “Bwana atawahukumu watu wake.” 31 Kuanguka mikononi mwa Mungu aliye hai ni jambo la kutisha.

32 Kumbuka siku zile za mwanzo baada ya kupokea mwanga, jinsi mlivyovumilia mapambano makali na mateso. 33 Wakati mwin gine mlitukanwa na kuteswa hadharani; wakati mwingine mlikuwa radhi kuungana na wale walioteswa hivyo. 34 Mliwaonea huruma waliokuwa kifungoni, na mkakubali kwa furaha kunyang’anywa mali zenu kwa maana mlifahamu kwamba mlikuwa na mali bora zaidi inay odumu.

35 Kwa hiyo msitupe tumaini lenu, ambalo litapewa tuzo kubwa. 36 Mnahitaji kuvumilia ili mkisha kufanya mapenzi ya Mungu mpate kile alichoahidi. 37 “Kwa kuwa bado kitambo kidogo tu yeye anayekuja atakuja , wala hatakawia; 38 lakini mtu wangu mwenye haki ataishi kwa imani, na akirudi nyuma sitapendezwa naye.”

39 Lakini sisi hatumo miongoni mwa hao wanaorudi nyuma wakaangamizwa, bali sisi ni miongoni mwa wanaoamini wakaokolewa.

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

10 The law is only a shadow(A) of the good things(B) that are coming—not the realities themselves.(C) For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect(D) those who draw near to worship.(E) Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.(F) But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.(G) It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats(H) to take away sins.(I)

Therefore, when Christ came into the world,(J) he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
    but a body you prepared for me;(K)
with burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you were not pleased.
Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll(L)
    I have come to do your will, my God.’”[a](M)

First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”(N)—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.”(O) He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy(P) through the sacrifice of the body(Q) of Jesus Christ once for all.(R)

11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices,(S) which can never take away sins.(T) 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins,(U) he sat down at the right hand of God,(V) 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.(W) 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect(X) forever those who are being made holy.(Y)

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies(Z) to us about this. First he says:

16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
    after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
    and I will write them on their minds.”[b](AA)

17 Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts
    I will remember no more.”[c](AB)

18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

A Call to Persevere in Faith

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence(AC) to enter the Most Holy Place(AD) by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way(AE) opened for us through the curtain,(AF) that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest(AG) over the house of God,(AH) 22 let us draw near to God(AI) with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings,(AJ) having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience(AK) and having our bodies washed with pure water.(AL) 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope(AM) we profess,(AN) for he who promised is faithful.(AO) 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,(AP) 25 not giving up meeting together,(AQ) as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another(AR)—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.(AS)

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning(AT) after we have received the knowledge of the truth,(AU) no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire(AV) that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.(AW) 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God(AX) underfoot,(AY) who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant(AZ) that sanctified them,(BA) and who has insulted the Spirit(BB) of grace?(BC) 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d](BD) and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”[e](BE) 31 It is a dreadful thing(BF) to fall into the hands(BG) of the living God.(BH)

32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light,(BI) when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.(BJ) 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution;(BK) at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.(BL) 34 You suffered along with those in prison(BM) and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.(BN) 35 So do not throw away your confidence;(BO) it will be richly rewarded.

36 You need to persevere(BP) so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.(BQ) 37 For,

“In just a little while,
    he who is coming(BR) will come
    and will not delay.”[f](BS)

38 And,

“But my righteous[g] one will live by faith.(BT)
    And I take no pleasure
    in the one who shrinks back.”[h](BU)

39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 10:7 Psalm 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)
  2. Hebrews 10:16 Jer. 31:33
  3. Hebrews 10:17 Jer. 31:34
  4. Hebrews 10:30 Deut. 32:35
  5. Hebrews 10:30 Deut. 32:36; Psalm 135:14
  6. Hebrews 10:37 Isaiah 26:20; Hab. 2:3
  7. Hebrews 10:38 Some early manuscripts But the righteous
  8. Hebrews 10:38 Hab. 2:4 (see Septuagint)