| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1Now the first covenant, in fact, had regulations for worship and its earthly sanctuary. | 1Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. |
| 2For a tent was prepared, the outer one, which contained the lampstand, the table, and the presentation of the loaves; this is called the holy place. | 2A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. |
| 3And after the second curtain there was a tent called the holy of holies. | 3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, |
| 4It contained the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered entirely with gold. In this ark were the golden urn containing the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. | 4which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. |
| 5And above the ark were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Now is not the time to speak of these things in detail. | 5Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. |
| 6So with these things prepared like this, the priests enter continually into the outer tent as they perform their duties. | 6When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. |
| 7But only the high priest enters once a year into the inner tent, and not without blood that he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. | 7But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. |
| 8The Holy Spirit is making clear that the way into the holy place had not yet appeared as long as the old tabernacle was standing. | 8The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. |
| 9This was a symbol for the time then present, when gifts and sacrifices were offered that could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper. | 9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. |
| 10They served only for matters of food and drink and various washings; they are external regulations imposed until the new order came. | 10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings--external regulations applying until the time of the new order. |
| 11But now Christ has come as the high priest of the good things to come. He passed through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, | 11But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. |
| 12and he entered once for all into the most holy place not by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood, and so he himself secured eternal redemption. | 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. |
| 13For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow sprinkled on those who are defiled consecrated them and provided ritual purity, | 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. |
| 14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our consciences from dead works to worship the living God. | 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! |
| 15And so he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance he has promised, since he died to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant. | 15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. |
| 16For where there is a will, the death of the one who made it must be proven. | 16In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, |
| 17For a will takes effect only at death, since it carries no force while the one who made it is alive. | 17because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. |
| 18So even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. | 18This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. |
| 19For when Moses had spoken every command to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats with water and scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, | 19When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. |
| 20and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded you to keep." | 20He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep." |
| 21And both the tabernacle and all the utensils of worship he likewise sprinkled with blood. | 21In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. |
| 22Indeed according to the law almost everything was purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. | 22In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. |
| 23So it was necessary for the sketches of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves required better sacrifices than these. | 23It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. |
| 24For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands--the representation of the true sanctuary--but into heaven itself, and he appears now in God's presence for us. | 24For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence. |
| 25And he did not enter to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the sanctuary year after year with blood that is not his own, | 25Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. |
| 26for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the consummation of the ages to put away sin by his sacrifice. | 26Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. |
| 27And just as people are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment, | 27Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, |
| 28so also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation. | 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. |
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