New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Now the main point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
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Now of the things we are saying this is the chief point: We have such a high priest, who has taken his place at the right hand of God's high seat of glory in heaven,
2 a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent that the Lord, and not any mortal, has set up.
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As a servant of the holy things and of the true Tent, which was put up by God, not by man.
3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.
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Now every high priest is given authority to take to God the things which are given and to make offerings; so that it is necessary for this man, like them, to have something for an offering.
4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law.
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If he had been on earth he would not have been a priest at all, because there are other priests who make the offerings ordered by the law;
5 They offer worship in a sanctuary that is a sketch and shadow of the heavenly one; for Moses, when he was about to erect the tent, was warned, "See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain."
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Being servants of that which is a copy and an image of the things in heaven, as Moses, when he was about to make the Tent, had special orders from God: for, See, he said, that you make everything like the design which you saw in the mountain.
6 But Jesus has now obtained a more excellent ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted through better promises.
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But now his position as priest is higher. because through him God has made a better agreement with man, based on the giving of better things.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need to look for a second one.
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For if that first agreement had been as good as possible, there would have been no place for a second.
8 God finds fault with them when he says: "The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
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For, protesting against them, he says, See, the days are coming when I will make a new agreement with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah;
9 not like the covenant that I made with their ancestors, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not continue in my covenant, and so I had no concern for them, says the Lord.
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Not like the agreement which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand, to be their guide out of the land of Egypt; for they did not keep the agreement with me, and I gave them up, says the Lord.
10 This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
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For this is the agreement which I will make with the people of Israel after those days: I will put my laws into their minds, writing them in their hearts: and I will be their God, and they will be my people:
11 And they shall not teach one another or say to each other, "Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.
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And there will be no need for every man to be teaching his brother, or his neighbour, saying, This is the knowledge of the Lord: for they will all have knowledge of me, great and small.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more."
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And I will have mercy on their evil-doing, and I will not keep their sins in mind.
13 In speaking of "a new covenant," he has made the first one obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old will soon disappear.
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When he says, A new agreement, he has made the first agreement old. But anything which is getting old and past use will not be seen much longer.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.