New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

1The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship.

1For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

2If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.

2Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins?

3But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year.

3But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.

4For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

4For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer.

5Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, "SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, BUT A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME;

6You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin.

6IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE.

7Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”

7"THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'"

8First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses).

8After saying above, "SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law),

9Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect.

9then He said, "BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second.

10For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

10By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins.

11Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;

12But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.

12but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,

13There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet.

13waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.

14For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

14For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

15And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,

15And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,

16“This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”

16"THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM," He then says,

17Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.”

17"AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."

18And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices. A Call to Persevere

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

19And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.

19Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

20By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.

20by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh,

21And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house,

21and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

22let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

22let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

23Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

24Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.

24and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,

25And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

26Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.

26For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

27There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.

27but a terrifying expectation of judgment and THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.

28For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

28Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

29Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.

29How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

30For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The LORD will judge his own people.”

30For we know Him who said, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY." And again, "THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE."

31It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

31It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.

32But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,

33Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.

33partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.

34You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

34For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.

35So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!

35Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

36Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

36For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

37“For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.

37FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.

38And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”

38BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH; AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.

39But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.

39But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org