The law is only an unclear picture of the good things coming in the future; it is not the real thing. The people under the law offer the same sacrifices every year, but these sacrifices can never make perfect those who come near to worship God. ²If the law could make them perfect, the sacrifices would have already stopped. The worshipers would be made clean, and they would no longer have a sense of sin. ³But these sacrifices remind them of their sins every year, ⁴because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

⁵So when Christ came into the world, he said:

“You do not want sacrifices and offerings,

but you have prepared a body for me.

⁶You do not ask for burnt offerings

and offerings to take away sins.

⁷Then I said, ‘Look, I have come.

It is written about me in the book.

God, I have come to do what you want.’ ”

⁸In this Scripture he first said, “You do not want sacrifices and offerings. You do not ask for burnt offerings and offerings to take away sins.” (These are all sacrifices that the law commands.) ⁹Then he said, “Look, I have come to do what you want.” God ends the first system of sacrifices so he can set up the new system. ¹⁰And because of this, we are made holy through the sacrifice Christ made in his body once and for all time.

¹¹Every day the priests stand and do their religious service, often offering the same sacrifices. Those sacrifices can never take away sins. ¹²But after Christ offered one sacrifice for sins, forever, he sat down at the right side of God. ¹³And now Christ waits there for his enemies to be put under his power. ¹⁴With one sacrifice he made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

¹⁵The Holy Spirit also tells us about this. First he says:

¹⁶“This is the agreement ⁿ I will make

with them at that time, says the Lord.

I will put my teachings in their hearts

and write them on their minds.”

¹⁷Then he says:

“Their sins and the evil things they do—

I will not remember anymore.”

¹⁸Now when these have been forgiven, there is no more need for a sacrifice for sins.

Read in Logos

Hebrews 10:10: And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Footnotes

nagreement God gives a contract or agreement to his people. For the Jews, this agreement was the Law of Moses. But now God has given a better agreement to his people through Christ.