| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Now the first covenant, in fact, had regulations for worship and its earthly sanctuary. | 1Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and 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. | 2For a tent was set up, and in the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the bread of the Presence. 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 the part of the tent 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 gold altar for incense and the Ark of the Covenant completely covered with gold. In it were the gold jar holding the manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the 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 it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the place of atonement. (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 always went into the first part of the tent to perform their duties. |
| 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 went into the second part, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins committed by the people 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 indicating by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first part of the tent was still standing. |
| 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 illustration for today indicates that the gifts and sacrifices being offered could not clear the conscience of a worshiper, |
| 10They served only for matters of food and drink and various washings; they are external regulations imposed until the new order came. | 10since they deal only with food, drink, and various washings, which are required for the body until the time when things would be set right. |
| 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 the Messiah came as a high priest of the good things that have come, he went through the greater and more perfect tent that was not made by human hands and that 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. | 12Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood he went into the Most Holy Place once for all and secured our 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, | 13For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are unclean purifies them physically, |
| 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 will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead actions 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. | 15This is why the Messiah is the mediator of a new covenant; so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance promised them, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the offenses committed under the first covenant. |
| 16For where there is a will, the death of the one who made it must be proven. | 16For where there is a will, the death of the one who made it must be established. |
| 17For a will takes effect only at death, since it carries no force while the one who made it is alive. | 17For a will is in force only when somebody has died, since it never takes effect as long as the one who made it is alive. |
| 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, | 19For after every commandment in the Law had been spoken to all the people by Moses, he took the blood of calves and goats, together with some 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." | 20saying, "This is the blood of the covenant that God ordained for you." |
| 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 tent and everything used in worship. |
| 22Indeed according to the law almost everything was purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. | 22In fact, under the Law almost everything is cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of the 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. | 23Thus it was necessary for these earthly copies of the things in heaven to be cleansed by these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves are made clean 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 the Messiah did not go into a sanctuary made by human hands that is merely a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, to appear now in God's presence on our behalf. |
| 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 go into heaven to sacrifice himself again and again, the way the high priest goes into the 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. | 26Then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the creation of the world. But now, at the end of the ages, he has appeared once for all to remove sin by his sacrifice. |
| 27And just as people are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment, | 27Indeed, just as people are destined to die once and after that to be judged, |
| 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 the Messiah was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people. And he will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly wait for him. |
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