A New Covenant

7 For if that kfirst covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. 8 Because finding fault with them, He says: l“Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah—9 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the mLord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and nI will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 oNone of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the pLord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, qand their sins 2and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

13 rIn that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The Earthly Sanctuary

9 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and athe earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the 1sanctuary; 3 band behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 which had the cgolden censer and dthe ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were ethe golden pot that had the manna, fAaron’s rod that budded, and gthe tablets of the covenant; 5 and habove it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

Limitations of the Earthly Service

6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, ithe priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone jonce a year, not without blood, which he offered for khimself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that lthe way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered mwhich cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience—10 concerned only with nfoods and drinks, ovarious 2washings, pand fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

The Heavenly Sanctuary

11 But Christ came as High Priest of qthe good things 3to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not rwith the blood of goats and calves, but swith His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place tonce for all, uhaving obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if vthe blood of bulls and goats and wthe ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, 4sanctifies for the 5purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without 6spot to God, xcleanse your conscience from ydead works zto serve the living God? 15 And for this reason aHe is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that bthose who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

The Mediator’s Death Necessary

16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For ca testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18 dTherefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every 7precept to all the people according to the law, ehe took the blood of calves and goats, fwith water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, g“This is the hblood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” 21 Then likewise ihe sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are 8purified with blood, and jwithout shedding of blood there is no 9remission.

Greatness of Christ’s Sacrifice

23 Therefore it was necessary that kthe copies of the things in the heavens should be 1purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For lChrist has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are 2copies of mthe true, but into heaven itself, now nto appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as othe high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another—26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 pAnd as it is appointed for men to die once, qbut after this the judgment, 28 so rChrist was soffered once to bear the sins tof many. To those who ueagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Animal Sacrifices Insufficient

10 For the law, having a ashadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, bcan never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once 1purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For cit is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Christ’s Death Fulfills God’s Will

5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

d“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,

But a body You have prepared for Me.

6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin

You had no pleasure.

7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—

In the volume of the book it is written of Me—

To do Your will, O God.’ ”

8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, 2O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 eBy that will we have been 3sanctified fthrough the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified

11 And every priest stands gministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 hBut this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down iat the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting jtill His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being 4sanctified.

15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,

16 k“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, l“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is 5remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.