The Perfect Sacrifice

10 Since the law has only a shadow of the good things o to come, and not the actual form of those realities, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year. 2 Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered, since the worshipers, once purified, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But in the sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 Therefore, as He was coming into the world, He said:

You did not want sacrifice and offering,

but You prepared a body for Me.

6 You did not delight

in whole burnt offerings and sin offerings.

7 Then I said, “See—

it is written about Me

in the volume of the scroll—

I have come to do Your will, God!” p q

8 After He says above, You did not want or delight in sacrifices and offerings, whole burnt offerings and sin offerings (which are offered according to the law r), 9 He then says, See, I have come to do Your will. s He takes away the first to establish the second. 10 By this will of God, we have been * sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all. t

11 Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins. u 12 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. v 13 He is now waiting until His enemies are made His footstool. w 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. For after He says:

16 This is the covenant I will make with them

after those days, says the Lord:

I will put My laws on their hearts

and write them on their minds,

17 He adds:

I will never again remember

their sins and their lawless acts. x y

18 Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Exhortations to Godliness

19 Therefore, * brothers, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus, z 20 by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh a), 21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, b 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled * clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. c 23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. d 24 And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, 25 not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but encouraging each other, e and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Warning against Deliberate Sin

26 For if we deliberately sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, f 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries. g 28 If anyone disregards Moses’ law, he dies without mercy, based on the testimony of two or three witnesses. h 29 How much worse punishment do you think one will deserve who has trampled on the Son of God, regarded as profane i the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and insulted the Spirit of grace? j 30 For we know the One who has said, Vengeance belongs to Me, I will repay, k l and again, The Lord will judge His people. m n 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God! o

32 Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings. p 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions, and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way. q 34 For you sympathized with the prisoners r and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession. s t 35 So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. u 36 For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised. v

37 For yet in a very little while,

the Coming One will come and not delay.

38 But My righteous one w will live by faith;

and if he draws back,

I have no pleasure in him. x y

39 But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and obtain life.