Hebrews 9 (New American Standard)

The Old and the New

1 Now even the first covenant had ¹regulations of divine worship and ²the earthly sanctuary. 2 For there was ³a ^atabernacle prepared, the ^bouter one, in which were ⁴the lampstand and ⁵the table and ⁶the ^csacred bread ; this is called the holy place. 3 Behind ⁷the second veil there was a ^dtabernacle which is called the ⁸Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden ^e9altar of incense and ¹⁰the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was ¹¹a golden jar holding the manna, and ¹²Aaron's rod which budded, and ¹³the tables of the covenant ; 5 and above it were the ¹⁴cherubim of glory ¹⁵overshadowing the mercy seat ; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail. 6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests ¹⁶are continually entering the ^fouter ^gtabernacle performing the divine worship, 7 but into ¹⁷the second, only ¹⁸the high priest enters ¹⁹once a year, ²⁰not without taking blood, which he ²¹offers for himself and for the ^h22sins of the people committed in ignorance. 8 ²³The Holy Spirit is signifying this, ²⁴that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the ⁱouter tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly ²⁵both gifts and sacrifices are offered which ²⁶cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they relate only to ²⁷food and ²⁸drink and various ²⁹washings, ³⁰regulations for the ^jbody imposed until ³¹a time of reformation. 11 But when Christ appeared as a ³²high priest of the ³³good things ^kto come, He entered through ³⁴the greater and more perfect ^ltabernacle, ³⁵not made with hands, that is to say, ³⁶not of this creation ; 12 and not through ³⁷the blood of goats and calves, but ³⁸through His own blood, He ³⁹entered the holy place ⁴⁰once for all, ^mhaving obtained ⁴¹eternal redemption. 13 For if ⁴²the blood of goats and bulls and ⁴³the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the ⁿcleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will ⁴⁴the blood of Christ, who through ^o45the eternal Spirit ⁴⁶offered Himself without blemish to God, ⁴⁷cleanse ^pyour conscience from ⁴⁸dead works to serve ⁴⁹the living God ? 15 For this reason ⁵⁰He is the ⁵¹mediator of a ⁵²new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been ⁵³called may ⁵⁴receive the promise of ⁵⁵the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a ^qcovenant is, there must of necessity ^rbe the death of the one who made it. 17 For a ^scovenant is valid only when ^tmen are dead, ^ufor it is never in force while the one who made it lives. 18 Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been ⁵⁶spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, ⁵⁷he took the ⁵⁸blood of the calves and the goats, with ⁵⁹water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both ⁶⁰the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, "⁶¹THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU." 21 And in the same way he ⁶²sprinkled both the ^vtabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22 And according to the ^wLaw, one may ⁶³almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and ⁶⁴without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 Therefore it was necessary for the ⁶⁵copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but ⁶⁶the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ ⁶⁷did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of ⁶⁸the true one, but into ⁶⁹heaven itself, now ⁷⁰to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as ⁷¹the high priest enters ⁷²the holy place ⁷³year by year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since ⁷⁴the foundation of the world ; but now ⁷⁵once at ⁷⁶the consummation of the ages He has been ⁷⁷manifested to put away sin ^x78by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And inasmuch as ⁷⁹it is ^yappointed for men to die once and after this ⁸⁰comes judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been ⁸¹offered once to ⁸²bear the sins of many, will appear ⁸³a second time for ⁸⁴salvation ⁸⁵without reference to sin, to those who ⁸⁶eagerly await Him.