Young's Literal Translation YLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 For the law having a shadow of the coming good things -- not the very image of the matters, every year, by the same sacrifices that they offer continually, is never able to make perfect those coming near,
1
The old plan was only a hint of the good things in the new plan. Since that old "law plan" wasn't complete in itself, it couldn't complete those who followed it. No matter how many sacrifices were offered year after year, they never added up to a complete solution.
2 since, would they not have ceased to be offered, because of those serving having no more conscience of sins, having once been purified?
2
If they had, the worshipers would have gone merrily on their way, no longer dragged down by their sins.
3 but in those [sacrifices] is a remembrance of sins every year,
3
But instead of removing awareness of sin, when those animal sacrifices were repeated over and over they actually heightened awareness and guilt.
4 for it is impossible for blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
4
The plain fact is that bull and goat blood can't get rid of sin.
5 Wherefore, coming into the world, he saith, `Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not will, and a body Thou didst prepare for me,
5
That is what is meant by this prophecy, put in the mouth of Christ: You don't want sacrifices and offerings year after year; you've prepared a body for me for a sacrifice.
6 in burnt-offerings, and concerning sin-offerings, Thou didst not delight,
6
It's not fragrance and smoke from the altar that whet your appetite.
7 then I said, Lo, I come, (in a volume of the book it hath been written concerning me,) to do, O God, Thy will;'
7
So I said, "I'm here to do it your way, O God, the way it's described in your Book."
8 saying above -- `Sacrifice, and offering, and burnt-offerings, and concerning sin-offering Thou didst not will, nor delight in,' -- which according to the law are offered --
8
When he said, "You don't want sacrifices and offerings," he was referring to practices according to the old plan.
9 then he said, `Lo, I come to do, O God, Thy will;' he doth take away the first that the second he may establish;
9
When he added, "I'm here to do it your way," he set aside the first in order to enact the new plan -
10 in the which will we are having been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once,
10
God's way - by which we are made fit for God by the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus.
11 and every priest, indeed, hath stood daily serving, and the same sacrifices many times offering, that are never able to take away sins.
11
Every priest goes to work at the altar each day, offers the same old sacrifices year in, year out, and never makes a dent in the sin problem.
12 And He, for sin one sacrifice having offered -- to the end, did sit down on the right hand of God, --
12
As a priest, Christ made a single sacrifice for sins, and that was it! Then he sat down right beside God
13 as to the rest, expecting till He may place his enemies [as] his footstool,
13
and waited for his enemies to cave in.
14 for by one offering he hath perfected to the end those sanctified;
14
It was a perfect sacrifice by a perfect person to perfect some very imperfect people. By that single offering, he did everything that needed to be done for everyone who takes part in the purifying process.
15 and testify to us also doth the Holy Spirit, for after that He hath said before,
15
The Holy Spirit confirms this:
16 `This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, giving My laws on their hearts, and upon their minds I will write them,'
16
This new plan I'm making with Israel isn't going to be written on paper, isn't going to be chiseled in stone; This time "I'm writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts."
17 and `their sins and their lawlessness I will remember no more;'
17
He concludes, I'll forever wipe the slate clean of their sins.
18 and where forgiveness of these [is], there is no more offering for sin.
18
Once sins are taken care of for good, there's no longer any need to offer sacrifices for them.
19 Having, therefore, brethren, boldness for the entrance into the holy places, in the blood of Jesus,
19
So, friends, we can now - without hesitation - walk right up to God, into "the Holy Place."
20 which way he did initiate for us -- new and living, through the vail, that is, his flesh --
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Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God.
21 and a high priest over the house of God,
21
The "curtain" into God's presence is his body.
22 may we draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having the hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having the body bathed with pure water;
22
So let's do it - full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out.
23 may we hold fast the unwavering profession of the hope, (for faithful [is] He who did promise),
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Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word.
24 and may we consider one another to provoke to love and to good works,
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Let's see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as a custom of certain [is], but exhorting, and so much the more as ye see the day coming nigh.
25
not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
26 For we -- willfully sinning after the receiving the full knowledge of the truth -- no more for sins doth there remain a sacrifice,
26
If we give up and turn our backs on all we've learned, all we've been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ's sacrifice
27 but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery zeal, about to devour the opposers;
27
and are left on our own to face the Judgment - and a mighty fierce judgment it will be!
28 any one who did set at nought a law of Moses, apart from mercies, by two or three witnesses, doth die,
28
If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death,
29 of how much sorer punishment shall he be counted worthy who the Son of God did trample on, and the blood of the covenant did count a common thing, in which he was sanctified, and to the Spirit of the grace did despite?
29
what do you think will happen if you turn on God's Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit?
30 for we have known Him who is saying, `Vengeance [is] Mine, I will recompense, saith the Lord;' and again, `The Lord shall judge His people;' --
30
This is no light matter. God has warned us that he'll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: "Vengeance is mine, and I won't overlook a thing," and, "God will judge his people."
31 fearful [is] the falling into the hands of a living God.
31
Nobody's getting by with anything, believe me.
32 And call to your remembrance the former days, in which, having been enlightened, ye did endure much conflict of sufferings,
32
Remember those early days after you first saw the light? Those were the hard times!
33 partly both with reproaches and tribulations being made spectacles, and partly having become partners of those so living,
33
Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse - some days it was you, other days your friends.
34 for also with my bonds ye sympathised, and the robbery of your goods with joy ye did receive, knowing that ye have in yourselves a better substance in the heavens, and an enduring one.
34
If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them. If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn't touch your real treasure. Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back.
35 Ye may not cast away, then, your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward,
35
So don't throw it all away now. You were sure of yourselves then. It's still a sure thing!
36 for of patience ye have need, that the will of God having done, ye may receive the promise,
36
But you need to stick it out, staying with God's plan so you'll be there for the promised completion.
37 for yet a very very little, He who is coming will come, and will not tarry;
37
It won't be long now, he's on the way; he'll show up most any minute.
38 and `the righteous by faith shall live,' and `if he may draw back, My soul hath no pleasure in him,'
38
But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs, I won't be very happy.
39 and we are not of those drawing back to destruction, but of those believing to a preserving of soul.
39
But we're not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We'll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.