| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 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. | 1For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. |
| 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. | 2If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins. |
| 3But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. | 3Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, |
| 4For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. | 4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. |
| 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. | 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. |
| 6You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. | 6In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight. |
| 7Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’” | 7Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do Your will, O God.’ ” |
| 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). | 8In the passage above He says, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (although they are offered according to the law). |
| 9Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. | 9Then He adds, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. |
| 10For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. | 10And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. |
| 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. | 11Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. |
| 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. | 12But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God. |
| 13There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. | 13Since that time, He waits for His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet, |
| 14For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. | 14because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified. |
| 15And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says, | 15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says: |
| 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.” | 16“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.” |
| 17Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.” | 17Then He adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.” |
| 18And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. A Call to Persevere | 18And where these have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer needed. |
| 19And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. | 19Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, |
| 20By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. | 20by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body, |
| 21And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, | 21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, |
| 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. | 22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. |
| 23Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. | 23Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. |
| 24Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. | 24And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. |
| 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. | 25Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. |
| 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. | 26If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains, |
| 27There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. | 27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries. |
| 28For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. | 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. |
| 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. | 29How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace? |
| 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.” | 30For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.” |
| 31It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. | 31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. |
| 32Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. | 32Remember the early days that you were in the light. In those days, you endured a great conflict in the face of suffering. |
| 33Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. | 33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who were so treated. |
| 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. | 34You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession. |
| 35So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! | 35So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward. |
| 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. | 36You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. |
| 37“For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. | 37For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. |
| 38And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” | 38But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.” |
| 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. | 39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls. |
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