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The Perfect Sacrifice

¹ Since the law has only a shadow of the good things^(C1) to come, and not the reality itself of those things, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year. ² Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered, since the worshipers, purified once and for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? ³ But in the sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year. ⁴ For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

⁵ Therefore, as he was coming into the world, he said:

⁸ After he says above, You did not desire or delight in sacrifices and offerings, whole burnt offerings and sin offerings (which are offered according to the law^(C1)), ⁹ he then says, See, I have come to do your will.^(F1) He takes away the first to establish the second. ¹⁰ By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.^(C1)

¹¹ Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins.^{(C1) 12} But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.^{(F1)(C1) 13} He is now waiting until his enemies are made his footstool.^{(C1) 14} For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified. ¹⁵ The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. For after he says:

the Lord says,

¹⁷ andI will never again remember

¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Exhortations to Godliness

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus^(C1)— ²⁰ he has inaugurated^(F1) for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh^(C1))— ²¹ and since we have a great high priest over the house of God,^{(C1) 22} let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.^{(C1) 23} Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.^{(C1) 24} And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other,^(C1) and all the more as you see the day approaching.

Warning against Deliberate Sin

²⁶ For if we deliberately go on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,^{(C1) 27} but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire about to consume the adversaries.^{(C1) 28} Anyone who disregarded the law of Moses died without mercy, based on the testimony of two or three witnesses.^{(C1) 29} How much worse punishment do you think one will deserve who has trampled on the Son of God, who has regarded as profane^(F1) the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?^{(C1) 30} For we know the one who has said,

and again,

³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.^(C1)

³² Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings.^{(C1) 33} Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions, and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way.^{(C1) 34} For you sympathized with the prisoners^(F1) and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, because you know that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession.^{(F2)(C1) 35} So don’t throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.^{(C1) 36} For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised.^(C1)

³⁹ But we are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved.