Hebrews 9:1–10

The Earthly Ministry of the Old Covenant

9Now^a the first covenant had regulations for worship and the earthly sanctuary. ²For a tent was prepared, the first one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the presentation of the loaves, which is called the holy place. ³And after the second curtain was a tent called the holy of holies, ⁴containing the golden incense altar and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which were a golden jar containing the manna and the rod of Aaron that budded and the tablets of the covenant. ⁵And above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, about which it is not now possible to speak in detail.

⁶Now these things having been prepared in this way, the priests enter into the first tent continually^b as they^* accomplish their service, ⁷but only the high priest enters into the second tent once a year, not without blood, which he offers on behalf of himself and the sins of the people committed in ignorance. ⁸The Holy Spirit was making this clear, that the way into the holy place was not yet revealed, while^* the first tent was still in existence, ⁹which was a symbol for the present time, in which both the gifts and sacrifices which were offered were not able to perfect the worshiper with respect to the conscience, ¹⁰concerning instead only food and drink and different washings, regulations of outward things imposed until the time of setting things right.