Hebrews 9

1 Now then, the first also had rules for service, and its holy place, a worldly one. [a] 2 For a tent was built, the first one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the setting-out of the loaves; this is called the Holy Place. [b] 3 And behind the second veil, a tent called the Most Holy Place, [c] 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on every side with gold, in which were a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s staff that sprouted, and the tablets of the covenant; [d] 5 and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the place of atonement — about which it is not possible to speak now in detail. [e]

6 With these things prepared in this way, the priests go into the first tent continually, completing the services; 7 but into the second, once a year, only the chief priest — and not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the people’s acts of ignorance — [f] 8 the Holy Spirit making this plain: that the way into the holy place has not yet been made plain while the first tent still has its standing. 9 This is a parable for the present time, according to which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot make the one who serves complete as to conscience, [g] 10 being only about foods and drinks and various immersions — rules for the flesh, imposed until a time of setting straight. [h]

11 But Christ, having come as chief priest of the good things that have come, through the greater and more complete tent not made with hands — that is, not of this creation — [i] 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves but through his own blood, entered once for all into the holy place, having found an everlasting ransom. [j] 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling those who have been defiled, makes them holy toward the cleanness of the flesh, [k] † 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through an everlasting Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

15 And because of this he is mediator of a new covenant, so that — a death having taken place for the ransoming of the acts of overstepping under the first covenant — those who have been called may receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance. [l] 16 For where there is a covenant, the death of the one who made it must be brought forward; [m] 17 for a covenant is firm over dead bodies, since it is never in force while the one who made it is alive. 18 So not even the first has been dedicated without blood.

19 For when every command according to the law had been spoken by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of the calves, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, [n] 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” [o] 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels of the service. 22 And nearly everything is cleansed with blood according to the law, and without the pouring out of blood there is no forgiveness. [p]

23 So it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, counterparts of the true ones, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God on our behalf — [q] 25 nor to offer himself many times, as the chief priest enters the holy place year by year with blood not his own; 26 since then he would have had to suffer many times from the founding of the world. But as it is, once, at the completion of the ages, he has been made plain for the setting aside of sin through his sacrifice. [r]

27 And just as it is laid up for people to die once, and after this judgment, 28 so also Christ, offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, apart from sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him, for rescue. [s]