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The old law has no power to cleanse away sin, but Christ did it with the offering of his body once and for all. An exhortation to receive this goodness of God thankfully, with patience and steadfast faith.

10 For the law, which has but the shadow of good things to come, and not the real things themselves, can never, with the sacrifices that the priests offer year by year continually, make those who come to it perfect. For would not then those sacrifices have ceased to be offered, because the offerers, once purged, would have had no more conscience of sins? But in those sacrifices, mention is made of sins every year. For it is impossible that the blood of oxen and of goats should take away sins. Therefore when he comes into the world he says: Sacrifice and offering you would not have, but a body you have made ready for me. In sacrifices and sin-offerings you have no pleasure. Then I said, Lo, I come! In the chief part of the book it is written of me, that I will do your will, O God.

Above – when he said sacrifice and offering, and burnt sacrifices and sin-offerings you would not have, neither have accepted (which yet are offered according to the law), and then said, Lo, I come to do your will, O God – he takes away the first in order to establish the latter. 10 In accordance with this God’s will, we are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.

11 And every priest is ready daily ministering, and repeatedly offers one manner of offering that can never take away sins. 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, sat down forever on the right hand of God, 13 and from henceforth waits till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For with one offering, he has made perfect forever those who are sanctified.

15 And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us of this, namely when he foretold: 16 This is the testament that I will make unto them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and in their mind I will write them, 17 and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.

18 Now where there is remission of these things, there is no more offering for sin.

19 Seeing, brethren, that by the means of the blood of Jesus we may be bold to enter into that holy place, 20 by the new and living way that he has prepared for us through the veil (that is to say, by his flesh), 21 and seeing also that we have a high priest who is ruler over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart, in full faith, sprinkled in our hearts from an evil conscience, and washed in our bodies with pure water. 23 And let us keep the profession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another, to encourage to love and to good works. 25 And let us not forsake the fellowship that we have among ourselves, as the manner of some is, but let us exhort one another, and that so much the more because you see that the day draws near.

26 For if we sin willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful looking for judgment and violent fire, which will devour the adversaries. 28 He who despises Moses’ law dies without mercy under two or three witnesses: 29 of how much sorer punishment do you suppose that person will be counted deserving who treads under foot the Son of God, and counts as an unholy thing the blood of the testament by which he was sanctified, and does dishonour to the Spirit of Grace? 30 For we know him who has said: Vengeance belongs to me; I will recompense, says the Lord. And again: The Lord shall judge his people. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 Call to remembrance the days that are past, in which, after you had received light, you endured a great fight in adversities – 33 at times when everyone wondered and gazed at you for the shame and tribulation that was done to you, and other times when you became companions of those in such circumstances. 34 For you suffered also with my bonds. And you bore patiently the spoiling of your goods, and that with gladness, knowing in yourselves that you had in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which earns great reward. 36 For you have need of patience, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 37 For yet a very little while, and he who is to come will come, and will not be long. 38 But the just shall live by faith. And if a person withdraws himself, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39 But we are not of those who withdraw ourselves unto damnation, but are of faith to the winning of the soul.

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

10 The law is only a shadow(A) of the good things(B) that are coming—not the realities themselves.(C) For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect(D) those who draw near to worship.(E) Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.(F) But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.(G) It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats(H) to take away sins.(I)

Therefore, when Christ came into the world,(J) he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
    but a body you prepared for me;(K)
with burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you were not pleased.
Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll(L)
    I have come to do your will, my God.’”[a](M)

First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”(N)—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.”(O) He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy(P) through the sacrifice of the body(Q) of Jesus Christ once for all.(R)

11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices,(S) which can never take away sins.(T) 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins,(U) he sat down at the right hand of God,(V) 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.(W) 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect(X) forever those who are being made holy.(Y)

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies(Z) to us about this. First he says:

16 “This is the covenant I will make with them
    after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
    and I will write them on their minds.”[b](AA)

17 Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts
    I will remember no more.”[c](AB)

18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

A Call to Persevere in Faith

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence(AC) to enter the Most Holy Place(AD) by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way(AE) opened for us through the curtain,(AF) that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest(AG) over the house of God,(AH) 22 let us draw near to God(AI) with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings,(AJ) having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience(AK) and having our bodies washed with pure water.(AL) 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope(AM) we profess,(AN) for he who promised is faithful.(AO) 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,(AP) 25 not giving up meeting together,(AQ) as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another(AR)—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.(AS)

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning(AT) after we have received the knowledge of the truth,(AU) no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire(AV) that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.(AW) 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God(AX) underfoot,(AY) who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant(AZ) that sanctified them,(BA) and who has insulted the Spirit(BB) of grace?(BC) 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d](BD) and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”[e](BE) 31 It is a dreadful thing(BF) to fall into the hands(BG) of the living God.(BH)

32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light,(BI) when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.(BJ) 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution;(BK) at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.(BL) 34 You suffered along with those in prison(BM) and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.(BN) 35 So do not throw away your confidence;(BO) it will be richly rewarded.

36 You need to persevere(BP) so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.(BQ) 37 For,

“In just a little while,
    he who is coming(BR) will come
    and will not delay.”[f](BS)

38 And,

“But my righteous[g] one will live by faith.(BT)
    And I take no pleasure
    in the one who shrinks back.”[h](BU)

39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 10:7 Psalm 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)
  2. Hebrews 10:16 Jer. 31:33
  3. Hebrews 10:17 Jer. 31:34
  4. Hebrews 10:30 Deut. 32:35
  5. Hebrews 10:30 Deut. 32:36; Psalm 135:14
  6. Hebrews 10:37 Isaiah 26:20; Hab. 2:3
  7. Hebrews 10:38 Some early manuscripts But the righteous
  8. Hebrews 10:38 Hab. 2:4 (see Septuagint)