International Standard Version | New Living Translation |
1For the Law, being only a reflection of the blessings to come and not their substance, can never make perfect those who come near by the same sacrifices repeatedly offered year after year. | 1The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. |
2Otherwise, would they not have stopped offering them, because the worshipers, cleansed once for all, would no longer be aware of any sins? | 2If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. |
3Instead, through those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year, | 3But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. |
4for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. | 4For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. |
5For this reason, the Scriptures say, when the Messiah was about to come into the world: "You did not want sacrifices and offerings, but you prepared a body for me. | 5That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. |
6In burnt offerings and sin offerings you never took delight. | 6You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. |
7Then I said, 'See, I have come to do your will, O God' In the volume of the scroll this is written about me." | 7Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’” |
8In this passage he says, "You never wanted or took delight in sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sin offerings," which are offered according to the Law. | 8First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). |
9Then he says, "See, I have come to do your will." He takes away the first in order to establish the second. | 9Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. |
10By God's will we have been sanctified once and for all through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus, the Messiah. | 10For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. |
11Day after day every priest stands and repeatedly offers the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. | 11Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. |
12But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God." | 12But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. |
13Since that time, he has been waiting for his enemies to be made a footstool for his feet. | 13There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. |
14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. | 14For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. |
15The Holy Spirit also assures us of this, for he said: | 15And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says, |
16"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts and will write them on their minds, | 16“This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” |
17and I will never again remember their sins and their lawless deeds." | 17Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” |
18Now where there is forgiveness of these sins, there is no longer any offering for sin. | 18And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. A Call to Persevere |
19Therefore, my brothers, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, | 19And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. |
20the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), | 20By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. |
21and since we have a great high priest over the household of God, | 21And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, |
22let us continue to come near with sincere hearts in the full assurance that faith provides, because our hearts have been sprinkled clean from a guilty conscience, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. | 22let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. |
23Let us continue to hold firmly to the hope that we confess without wavering, for the one who made the promise is faithful. | 23Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. |
24And let us continue to consider how to motivate one another to love and good deeds, | 24Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. |
25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another even more as you see the day of the Lord coming nearer. | 25And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. |
26For if we choose to go on sinning after we have learned the full truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, | 26Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. |
27but only a terrifying prospect of judgment and a raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. | 27There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. |
28Anyone who violates the Law of Moses dies without mercy "on the testimony of two or three witnesses." | 28For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. |
29How much more severe a punishment do you think that person deserves who tramples on God's Son, treats as common the blood of the covenant by which it was sanctified, and insults the Spirit of grace? | 29Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. |
30For we know the one who said, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay them back," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." | 30For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The LORD will judge his own people.” |
31It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God! | 31It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. |
32But you must continue to remember those earlier days, how after you were enlightened you endured a hard and painful struggle. | 32Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. |
33At times you were made a public spectacle by means of insults and persecutions, while at other times you associated with people who were treated this way. | 33Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. |
34For you sympathized with the prisoners and cheerfully submitted to the violent seizure of your property, because you know that you have a better and more permanent possession. | 34You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. |
35So don't lose your confidence, since it holds a great reward for you. | 35So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! |
36For you need endurance, so that after you have done God's will you can receive what he has promised. | 36Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. |
37For "in a very little while the one who is coming will return— he will not delay; | 37“For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. |
38but my righteous one will live by faith, and if he turns back, my soul will take no pleasure in him." | 38And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” |
39Now, we do not belong to those who turn back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. | 39But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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