Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
Concluding Exposition: Old and New Sacrifices Contrasted
10 For the law possesses a shadow of the good things to come but not the reality itself, and is therefore completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, to perfect those who come to worship.[a] 2 For otherwise would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers would have been purified once for all and so have[b] no further consciousness of sin? 3 But in those sacrifices[c] there is a reminder of sins year after year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 So when he came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.
6 “Whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you took no delight in.
7 “Then I said, ‘Here I am:[d] I have come—it is written of me in the scroll of the book—to do your will, O God.’”[e]
8 When he says above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you did not desire nor did you take delight in them”[f] (which are offered according to the law), 9 then he says, “Here I am: I have come to do your will.”[g] He does away with[h] the first to establish the second. 10 By his will[i] we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands day after day[j] serving and offering the same sacrifices again and again—sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest[k] had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand[l] of God, 13 where he is now waiting[m] until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet.[n] 14 For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy. 15 And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us, for after saying,[o] 16 “This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put[p] my laws on their hearts and I will inscribe them on their minds,”[q] 17 then he says,[r] “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no longer.”[s] 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Drawing Near to God in Enduring Faith
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters,[t] since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for us[u] through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,[v] 21 and since we have a great priest[w] over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings,[x] because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience[y] and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works,[z] 25 not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day[aa] drawing near.[ab]
26 For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us,[ac] 27 but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury[ad] of fire that will consume God’s enemies.[ae] 28 Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death[af] without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.[ag] 29 How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for[ah] the Son of God, and profanes[ai] the blood of the covenant that made him holy,[aj] and insults the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,”[ak] and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”[al] 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But remember the former days when you endured a harsh conflict of suffering after you were enlightened. 33 At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and afflictions, and at other times you came to share with others who were treated in that way. 34 For in fact you shared the sufferings of those in prison,[am] and you accepted the confiscation of your belongings with joy, because you knew that you certainly[an] had a better and lasting possession. 35 So do not throw away your confidence, because it[ao] has great reward. 36 For you need endurance in order to do God’s will and so receive what is promised.[ap] 37 For just a little longer[aq] and he who is coming will arrive and not delay.[ar] 38 But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I[as] take no pleasure in him.[at] 39 But we are not among those who shrink back and thus perish, but are among those who have faith and preserve their souls.[au]
People Commended for Their Faith
11 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see. 2 For by it the people of old[av] received God’s commendation.[aw] 3 By faith we understand that the worlds[ax] were set in order at God’s command,[ay] so that the visible has its origin in the invisible.[az] 4 By faith Abel offered God a greater sacrifice than Cain, and through his faith[ba] he was commended as righteous, because God commended him for his offerings. And through his faith[bb] he still speaks, though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death, and he was not to be found because God took him up. For before his removal he had been commended as having pleased God. 6 Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, when he was warned about things not yet seen, with reverent regard[bc] constructed an ark for the deliverance of his family. Through faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as a foreigner[bd] in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs[be] of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations,[bf] whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old,[bg] he received the ability to procreate,[bh] because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy. 12 So in fact children[bi] were fathered by one man—and this one as good as dead—like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sand[bj] on the seashore.[bk] 13 These all died in faith without receiving the things promised,[bl] but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners[bm] on the earth. 14 For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is,[bn] they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He had received the promises,[bo] yet he was ready to offer up[bp] his only son. 18 God had told him, “Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name,”[bq] 19 and he reasoned[br] that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense[bs] he received him back from there. 20 By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped as he leaned on his staff.[bt] 22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life,[bu] mentioned the exodus of the sons of Israel[bv] and gave instructions about his burial.[bw]
23 By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him[bx] for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith, when he grew up, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be ill-treated with the people of God than to enjoy sin’s fleeting pleasure. 26 He regarded abuse suffered for Christ[by] to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on[bz] the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood,[ca] so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people marched around them[cb] for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute escaped the destruction of[cc] the disobedient, because she welcomed the spies in peace.
32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets. 33 Through faith they conquered kingdoms, administered justice,[cd] gained what was promised,[ce] shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched raging fire,[cf] escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness,[cg] became mighty in battle, put foreign armies to flight, 35 and women received back their dead raised to life.[ch] But others were tortured, not accepting release, to obtain resurrection to a better life.[ci] 36 And others experienced mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, sawed apart,[cj] murdered with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (the world was not worthy of them); they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and openings in the earth. 39 And these all were commended[ck] for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised.[cl] 40 For God had provided something better for us, so that they would be made perfect together with us.[cm]
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