The Epistle to the Hebrews

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 10 -

(Psalm 40:1–17)

For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins.

Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,

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

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me.

In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.

Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do Your will, O God.’”(a)

In the passage above He says, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (although they are offered according to the law).

Then He adds, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second.

And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.

Since that time, He waits for His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet,

because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says:

“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”(b)

Then He adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”(c)

And where these have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer needed.

A Call to Persevere

(Jude 1:17–23)

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place

(d)

by the blood of Jesus,

by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body,(e)

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

let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.

And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.

Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,

but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries.

Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,”(f) and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”(g)

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

Remember the early days that you were in the light.(h) In those days, you endured a great conflict in the face of suffering.

Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who were so treated.

You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.

So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.

You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.

For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.

But My righteous one will live by faith;(i) and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”(j)

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Footnotes

(a)10:7 Psalms 40:6–8 (see also LXX)

(b)10:16 Jeremiah 31:33

(d)10:19 Or the Holy Place

(e)10:20 Literally through the veil that is His flesh

(f)10:30 Deuteronomy 32:35 (see also LXX)

(g)10:30 Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalms 135:14

(h)10:32 Or Remember when you were first enlightened.

(i)10:38 BYZ and TR But the righteous will live by faith

(j)10:38 Habakkuk 2:3–4 (see also LXX)

(Psalm 40:1–17)

For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.

Or else wouldn’t they have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins?

But in those sacrifices there is a yearly reminder of sins.

For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “You didn’t desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me.

You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.

Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’”(a)

Previously saying, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn’t desire, neither had pleasure in them” (those which are offered according to the law),

then he has said, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He takes away the first, that he may establish the second,

by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,

but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God,

from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet.

For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,

“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,” says the Lord, “I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;”(b) then he says,

“I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.”(c)

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

A Call to Persevere

(Jude 1:17–23)

Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh,

and having a great priest over God’s house,

let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our body washed with pure water,

let’s hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.

Let’s consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,

not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more a sacrifice for sins,

but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.

A man who disregards Moses’ law dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.

How much worse punishment do you think he will be judged worthy of who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

For we know him who said, “Vengeance belongs to me. I will repay,” says the Lord.(d) Again, “The Lord will judge his people.”(e)

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

But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:

partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions, and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so.

For you both had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens.

Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.

For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

“In a very little while, he who comes will come and will not wait.

But the righteous one will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”(f)

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

Footnotes

(a)10:7 ℘ Psalms 40:6-8

(b)10:16 ℘ Jeremiah 31:33

(d)10:30 ℘ Deuteronomy 32:35

(e)10:30 ℘ Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalms 135:14

(f)10:38 ℘ Habakkuk 2:3-4