The Earthly Tabernacle
(Acts 7:44–47)

1THEN also the first tabernacle had indeed regulations for the divine service, and a sanctuary furnished. 2For the tabernacle was prepared; the first part, in which was both the candlestick, and the table, and the shew-bread, which is called the holy. 3But behind the second vail was the tabernacle, called the holy of holies: 4having the golden censer, and the coffer of the covenant, overlaid with gold within and without, in which were the golden urn containing the manna, and Aaron?s rod which had budded, and the stone tables of the covenant; 5and above, over it the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the propitiatory.

6Now when these things were thus disposed, the priests entered continually into the first tabernacle indeed, performing the divine services: 7but into the second once in every year entered the high-priest alone, not without blood, which he offered for his own inadvertencies, and for those of the people: 8the Holy Ghost thus signifying, that the way into the holies was not yet made manifest, whilst the first tabernacle held its station; 9which figurative representation continues unto the present time, according to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot, with respect to conscience, make him perfect who performs the services, 10as they consist only of meats, and drinks, and different ablutions, and corporal services, until the appointed time of perfect reformation.

Redemption through His Blood

11But Christ becoming the high-priest of future good things, through a better and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this creation; 12nor by the blood of goats and of calves, but by his own blood, he entered once for all into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption. 13For if the blood of bulls, and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the defiled sanctifieth to corporal purification, 14how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, by the eternal Spirit, offered up himself in sacrifice without blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, that we may perform divine service to the living God?

15And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that, death being suffered for the redemption of transgressions committed against the first testament, they who are called might receive the promise of an eternal inheritance. 16For where a testament is, of necessity the death of the testator is implied. 17For a testament is valid when men are dead; for else it is of no efficacy whilst the testator is alive. 18Wherefore also that first testament was not consecrated without blood. 19For when every command according to the law had been spoken by Moses to all the people, taking the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, he sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. 21And the tabernacle also, and all the vessels employed in the divine service, he in like manner sprinkled with blood. 22And almost all things are purified by blood according to the law, and without effusion of blood there is no remission of sin.

23There was a necessity therefore that the representations of the things in heaven should be purified by these; but the celestial things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ is not entered into the holies made with hands, the antitypes of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the presence of God for us: 25and not that he should often offer up himself in sacrifice, as the high-priest enters every year into the holies with blood not his own, 26(for in that case he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world:) but now once for all at the consummation of the ages hath he been manifested for the abolishing sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27And forasmuch as it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment, 28so Christ having been once offered in sacrifice to bear the sins of men, will appear the second time without sin, to those who expect him, for their salvation.