The Scriptures (ISR 1998) 1Now the first covenant indeed had regulations of worship and the earthly set-apart place. 2For a Tent was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, and the table, and the showbread, which is called the Set-apart Place. 3And after the second veil, the part of the Tent which is called Most Set-apart, 4to which belonged the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that held the manna, and the rod of Aharon that budded, and the tablets of the covenant, 5and above it the keruḇim of esteem were overshadowing the place of atonement – about which we do not now speak in detail. 6And these having been prepared like this, the priests always went into the first part of the Tent, accomplishing the services. 7But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for sins of ignorance of the people,a 8the Set-apart Spirit signifying this, that the way into the Most Set-apart Place was not yet made manifest while the first Tent has a standing, 9which was a parable for the present time in which both gifts and slaughters are offered which are unable to perfect the one serving, as to his conscience, 10only as to foods and drinks, and different washings, and fleshly regulations imposed until a time of setting matters straight. 11But Messiah, having become a High Priest of the coming good matters, through the greater and more perfect Tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, 12entered into the Most Set-apart Place once for all, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood, having obtained everlasting redemption. 13For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the defiled, sets apart for the cleansing of the flesh, 14how much more shall the blood of the Messiah, who through the everlasting Spirit offered Himself unblemished to Elohim, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living Elohim? 15And because of this He is the Mediator of a renewed covenant, so that, death having taken place for redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called might receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance. 16For where a covenant is, it is necessary for the death of the covenanted one to be established. 17For a covenant over those dead is firm, since it is never valid while the covenanted one is living. 18Therefore not even the first covenant was instituted without blood. 19For when, according to Torah, every command had been spoken by Mosheh to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which Elohim commanded you.” 21And in the same way he sprinkled with blood both the Tent and all the vessels of the service. 22And, according to the Torah, almost all is cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23It was necessary, then, that the copies of the heavenly ones should be cleansed with these, but the heavenly ones themselves with better slaughter offerings than these. 24For Messiah has not entered into a Set-apart Place made by hand – figures of the true – but into the heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of Elohim on our behalf, 25not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters into the Set-apart Place year by year with blood not his own. 26For if so, He would have had to suffer often, since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the offering of Himself. 27And as it awaits men to die once, and after this the judgment, 28so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to those waiting for Him, unto deliverance. |