Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

Jesus, High Priest of a New Covenant

8 Now the main point in what is being said is this: we have such a ^(A)high priest, who sat down at ^(B)the right hand of the throne of the ^(C)Majesty in the heavens, ² a ^(D)minister ^[a]in the ^[b]holy places and ^[c]in the ^(E)true ^[d]tabernacle, which the Lord ^(F)pitched, not man. ³ For every ^(G)high priest is appointed ^(H)to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. ⁴ Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who ^(I)offer the gifts according to the Law; ⁵ who serve ^(J)a copy and ^(K)shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses ^[e]was ^(L)warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “^(M)See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” ⁶ But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the ^(N)mediator of ^(O)a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. ⁷ For ^(P)if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. ⁸ For finding fault with them, He says,

^13 [l]When He said, “^(Z)A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. ^(AA)But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ^[m]ready to disappear.

The Old Covenant

9 Now even the first covenant had ^(AB)requirements of divine worship and ^(AC)the earthly sanctuary. ² For there was ^(AD)a tabernacle prepared: the first part, in which were ^(AE)the lampstand and ^(AF)the table and ^(AG)the ^[n]sacred bread, which is called the holy place. ³ And behind ^(AH)the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the ^(AI)Holy of Holies, ⁴ having a golden ^[o](AJ)altar of incense and ^(AK)the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was ^(AL)a golden jar holding the manna, and ^(AM)Aaron’s rod which budded, and ^(AN)the tablets of the covenant. ⁵ And above it were the ^(AO)cherubim of glory ^(AP)overshadowing the ^[p]mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

⁶ Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests ^(AQ)are continually entering the first part of the tabernacle performing the divine worship, ⁷ but into ^(AR)the second, only ^(AS)the high priest enters ^(AT)once a year, ^(AU)not without taking blood, which he ^(AV)offers for himself and for the ^[q](AW)sins of the people committed in ignorance. ^8 (AX)The Holy Spirit is indicating this, ^(AY)that the way into the holy places has not yet been manifested while that first part of the tabernacle is still standing, ⁹ which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly ^(AZ)both gifts and sacrifices are offered which ^(BA)cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, ¹⁰ since they relate only to ^(BB)food and ^(BC)drink and various ^(BD)washings, ^(BE)requirements for the ^[r]body imposed until ^(BF)a time of reformation.

The New Covenant

¹¹ But when Christ appeared as a ^(BG)high priest of the ^(BH)good things ^[s]to come, He entered through ^(BI)the greater and more perfect tabernacle, ^(BJ)not made with hands, that is to say, ^(BK)not of this creation, ¹² and not through ^(BL)the blood of goats and calves, but ^(BM)through His own blood, He ^(BN)entered the holy places ^(BO)once for all, ^[t]having obtained ^(BP)eternal redemption. ¹³ For if ^(BQ)the blood of goats and bulls and ^(BR)the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the ^[u]cleansing of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will ^(BS)the blood of Christ, who through ^[v](BT)the eternal Spirit ^(BU)offered Himself without blemish to God, ^(BV)cleanse ^[w]your conscience from ^(BW)dead works to serve ^(BX)the living God?

¹⁵ And for this reason ^(BY)He is the ^(BZ)mediator of a ^(CA)new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the trespasses that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been ^(CB)called may ^(CC)receive the promise of ^(CD)the eternal inheritance. ¹⁶ For where a ^[x]covenant is, there must of necessity ^[y]be the death of the one who made it. ¹⁷ For a ^[z]covenant is valid only when ^[aa]men are dead, ^[ab]for it is never in force while the one who made it lives. ¹⁸ Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. ¹⁹ For when every commandment had been ^(CE)spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, ^(CF)he took the ^(CG)blood of the calves and the goats, with ^(CH)water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both ^(CI)the book itself and all the people, ²⁰ saying, “^(CJ)This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.” ²¹ And in the same way, both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry he ^(CK)sprinkled with the blood. ²² And according to the ^[ac]Law, one may ^(CL)almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and ^(CM)without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

²³ Therefore it was necessary for the ^(CN)copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but ^(CO)the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ ^(CP)did not enter holy places made with hands, mere copies of ^(CQ)the true ones, but into ^(CR)heaven itself, now ^(CS)to appear in the presence of God for us; ²⁵ nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as ^(CT)the high priest enters ^(CU)the holy places ^(CV)year by year with blood that is not his own. ²⁶ Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since ^(CW)the foundation of the world; but now ^(CX)once at ^(CY)the consummation of the ages He has been ^(CZ)manifested to put away sin ^[ad](DA)by the sacrifice of Himself. ²⁷ And inasmuch as ^(DB)it is ^[ae]appointed for men to die once and after this ^(DC)comes judgment, ²⁸ so Christ also, having been ^(DD)offered once to ^(DE)bear the sins of many, will appear ^(DF)a second time for ^(DG)salvation ^(DH)without reference to sin, to those who ^(DI)eagerly await Him.