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Concluding Exposition: Old and New Sacrifices Contrasted

¹ For the law possesses a shadow of the good things to come but not the reality itself, and is therefore completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, to perfect those who come to worship. ² For otherwise would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers would have been purified once for all and so have no further consciousness of sin? ³ But in those 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 So when he came into the world, he said,

⁸ When he says above, "Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you did not desire nor did you take delight in them" (which are offered according to the law), ⁹ then he says, "Here I am: I have come to do your will." He does away with the first to establish the second. ¹⁰ By his will we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. ¹¹ And every priest stands day after day serving and offering the same sacrifices again and again—sacrifices that can never take away sins. ¹² But when this priest had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ where he is now waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. ¹⁴ For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy. ¹⁵ And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us, for after saying, ¹⁶ "This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws on their hearts and I will inscribe them on their minds," ¹⁷ then he says, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no longer." ¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Drawing Near to God in Enduring Faith

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings, because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. ²³ And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. ²⁴ And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, ²⁵ not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.

²⁶ For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us, ²⁷ but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a fury of fire that will consume God's enemies. ²⁸ Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the Son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know the one who said, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people." ³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

³² But remember the former days when you endured a harsh conflict of suffering after you were enlightened. ³³ At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and afflictions, and at other times you came to share with others who were treated in that way. ³⁴ For in fact you shared the sufferings of those in prison, and you accepted the confiscation of your belongings with joy, because you knew that you certainly had a better and lasting possession. ³⁵ So do not throw away your confidence, because it has great reward. ³⁶ For you need endurance in order to do God's will and so receive what is promised. ³⁷ For just a little longer and he who is coming will arrive and not delay. ³⁸ But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I take no pleasure in him. ³⁹ But we are not among those who shrink back and thus perish, but are among those who have faith and preserve their souls.