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¹ For the law, being only a reflection[fn] of the blessings to come and not their substance, can never, by the same sacrifices repeatedly offered year after year, make those who come near perfect.[xr] ² Otherwise, would they not have stopped offering them, because the worshipers, cleansed once for all, would no longer be aware of any sins? ³ Instead, through those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year after year,[xr] ⁴ for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.[xr] ⁵ For this reason, when Christ[fn] came into the world, he said,[xr] "You did not want sacrifices and offerings, but you prepared a body for me. ⁶ In burnt offerings and sin offeringsyou never took delight.

⁷ Then I said, 'See, I have come to do your will, O God'(in the scroll of the Book[fn] this is written about me)."[fn] ⁸ In this passage he says, "You never wanted or took delight in sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sin offerings,"[fn] which are offered according to the law. ⁹ Then he says, "See, I have come to do your will."[fn] He takes away the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰ By his will we have been sanctified once for all through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ.[xr] ¹¹ Day after day every priest stands and repeatedly offers the same sacrifices that can never take away sins.[xr] ¹² But when this priest[fn] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God."[fn][xr] ¹³ Since that time, he has been waiting for his enemies to be made a footstool for his feet.[xr] ¹⁴ For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.[xr] ¹⁵ The Holy Spirit also assures us of this. For he said, ¹⁶ "This is the covenant that I will make with them[xr] after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws in their heartsand will write them on their minds,"[fn] ¹⁷ and,"I will never again remember their sins and their lawless deeds."[fn] ¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness of these sins,[fn] there is no longer any offering for sin.

¹⁹ Therefore, my brothers, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus,[xr] ²⁰ the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh),[xr] ²¹ and since we have a great high priest over the household of God,[xr] ²² let us continue to come near with sincere hearts in full assurance of faith, because our hearts have been sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies have been washed with pure water.[xr] ²³ Let us continue to hold firmly to the hope that we confess without wavering, for the one who made the promise is faithful.[xr] ²⁴ And let us continue to consider how to stimulate[fn] one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another even more as you see the day coming nearer.[xr] ²⁶ For if we choose to go on sinning after we have received the full knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,[xr] ²⁷ but only a terrifying prospect of judgment and a raging fire that will consume the enemies of God[fn][xr] ²⁸ Anyone who violates the law of Moses dies without mercy "on the testimony of two or three witnesses."[fn][xr] ²⁹ How much more severe a punishment do you think that person deserves who tramples on God's Son, treats as common the blood of the covenant by which it[fn] was sanctified, and insults the Spirit of grace?[xr] ³⁰ For we know the one who said, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay them back,"[fn] and again, "The Lord will judge his people."[fn][xr] ³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God![xr] ³² But you must continue to remember those earlier days, how after you were enlightened you endured a hard and painful struggle.[xr] ³³ At times you were made a public spectacle through insults and persecutions, while at other times you associated with people who were treated this way.[xr] ³⁴ For you sympathized[fn] with the prisoners and cheerfully submitted to the violent seizure of your property, because you know that you have a better and more permanent possession.[xr] ³⁵ So do not throw away your confidence, since it holds a great reward for you.[xr] ³⁶ For you need endurance, so that after you have done God's will you can receive what he has promised.[xr] ³⁷ For[xr] "in a very little while the one who is coming will return and will not delay; ³⁸ but my righteous one will live by faith,[xr] and if he turns back, my soul will take no pleasure in him."[fn] ³⁹ Now, we do not belong to those who turn back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.[xr]