Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Living Translation NLT
1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, by the selfsame sacrifices which they offer continually every year, can never make the comers thereunto perfect.
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The 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.
2 For then they would have ceased to be offered: because the worshippers once cleansed should have no conscience of sin any longer.
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If 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.
3 But in them there is made a commemoration of sins every year:
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But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year.
4 For it is impossible that with the blood of oxen and goats sin should be taken away.
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For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Wherefore, when he cometh into the world he saith: Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldest not: but a body thou hast fitted to me.
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That 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.
6 Holocausts for sin did not please thee.
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You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin.
7 Then said I: Behold I come: in the head of the book it is written of me: that I should do thy will, O God.
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Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”
8 In saying before, Sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts for sin thou wouldest not, neither are they pleasing to thee, which are offered according to the law.
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First, 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).
9 Then said I: Behold, I come to do thy will, O God: He taketh away the first, that he may establish that which followeth.
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Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect.
10 In the which will, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ once.
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For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.
11 And every priest indeed standeth daily ministering and often offering the same sacrifices which can never take away sins.
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Under 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.
12 But this man, offering one sacrifice for sins, for ever sitteth on the right hand of God,
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But 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.
13 From henceforth expecting until his enemies be made his footstool.
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There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet.
14 For by one oblation he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
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For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.
15 And the Holy Ghost also doth testify this to us. For after that he said:
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And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,
16 And this is the testament which I will make unto them after those days, saith the Lord. I will give my laws in their hearts and on their minds will I write them:
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“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.”
17 And their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.
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Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.”
18 Now, where there is a remission of these, there is no more an oblation for sin.
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And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.
19 Having therefore, brethren, a confidence in the entering into the holies by the blood of Christ:
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And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.
20 A new and living way which he hath dedicated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh:
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By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.
21 And a high priest over the house of God:
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And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house,
22 Let us draw near with a true heart, in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with clean water.
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let 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.
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering (for he is faithful that hath promised):
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Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
24 And let us consider one another, to provoke unto charity and to good works:
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Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
25 Not forsaking our assembly, as some are accustomed: but comforting one anther, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.
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And 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.
26 For if we sin wilfully after having the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins:
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Dear 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.
27 But a certain dreadful expectation of judgment, and the rage of a fire which shall consume the adversaries.
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There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.
28 A man making void the law of Moses dieth without any mercy under two or three witnesses:
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For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 How much more, do you think he deserveth worse punishments, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath esteemed the blood of the testament unclean, by which he was sanctified, and hath offered an affront to the Spirit of grace?
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Just 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.
30 For we know him that hath said: Vengeance belongeth to me, and I will repay. And again: The Lord shall judge his people.
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For 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.”
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
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It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But call to mind the former days, wherein, being illuminated, you endured a great fight of afflictions.
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Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.
33 And on the one hand indeed, by reproaches and tribulations, were made a gazingstock; and on the other, became companions of them that were used in such sort.
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Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.
34 For you both had compassion on them that were in bands and took with joy the being stripped of your own goods, knowing that you have a better and a lasting substance.
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You 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.
35 Do not therefore lose your confidence which hath a great reward.
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So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!
36 For patience is necessary for you: that, doing the will of God, you may receive the promise.
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Patient 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.
37 For yet a little and a very little while, and he that is to come will come and will not delay.
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“For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.
38 But my just man liveth by faith: but if he withdraw himself, he shall not please my soul.
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And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”
39 But we are not the children of withdrawing unto perdition, but of faith to the saving of the soul.
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But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.
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