New Living Translation

King James 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 having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

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.

2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

3But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year.

3But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

4For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should 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.

5Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

6You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin.

6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”

7Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy 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).

8Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by 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 said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may 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.

10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering 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.

11And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes 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 this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

13There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet.

13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

14For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

15And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,

15Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

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.”

16This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

17Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.”

17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. A Call to Persevere

18Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.

19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest 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 a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house,

21And having an high 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 true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil 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 fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

24Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

24And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

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.

25Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye 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.

26For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.

27But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the 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.

28He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under 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.

29Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto 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 that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall 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.

32But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

33Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.

33Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.

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.

34For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

35So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!

35Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of 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.

36For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

37“For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.

37For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

38And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”

38Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have 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 them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

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.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.