The Epistle to the Hebrews

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 9 -

(Exodus 40:1–33; Acts 7:44–47)

Now the first covenant (a) had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.

A tabernacle was prepared. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread.(b) This was called the Holy Place.

Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,(c)

containing the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside the ark were the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

Above the ark were the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat.(d) But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

When everything had been prepared in this way, the priests entered regularly into the first room to perform their sacred duties.

But only the high priest entered the second room, and then only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.

By this arrangement the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place (e) had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.

It is an illustration for the present time, because the gifts and sacrifices being offered were unable to cleanse the conscience of the worshiper.

They consist only in food and drink and special washings—external regulations imposed until the time of reform.

Redemption through His Blood

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come,(f) He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands and is not a part of this creation.

He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that their bodies are clean,

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our

(g)

consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!

Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

In the case of a will,(h) it is necessary to establish the death of the one who made it,

because a will does not take effect until the one who made it has died; it cannot be executed while he is still alive.

That is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.

For when Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats,(i) along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people,

saying, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”(j)

In the same way, he sprinkled with blood the tabernacle and all the vessels used in worship.

According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

So it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.

Nor did He enter heaven to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.

Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,

so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.

Footnotes

(a)9:1 Literally the first; also in verse 18; see the footnote for Hebrews 8:13.

(b)9:2 Or the Bread of the Presence

(d)9:5 Or atonement cover

(e)9:8 Or the Holy Place; also in verses 12 and 25

(f)9:11 BYZ and TR that are to come

(g)9:14 BYZ and TR your

(h)9:16 Greek diathēkē is also translated as covenant throughout this chapter.

(i)9:19 SBL does not include and goats.

(j)9:20 Exodus 24:8

(Exodus 40:1–33; Acts 7:44–47)

Now indeed even the first (a) covenant had ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary.

For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread, which is called the Holy Place.

After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,

having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;

and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, of which things we can’t speak now in detail.

Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services,

but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people.

The Holy Spirit is indicating this, that the way into the Holy Place wasn’t yet revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing.

This is a symbol of the present age, where gifts and sacrifices are offered that are incapable, concerning the conscience, of making the worshiper perfect,

being only (with foods and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.

Redemption through His Blood

But Christ having come as a high priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,

nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption.

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh,

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

For where a last will and testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him who made it.

For a will is in force where there has been death, for it is never in force while he who made it lives.

Therefore even the first covenant has not been dedicated without blood.

For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.”(b)

He sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry in the same way with the blood.

According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.

It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For Christ hasn’t entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;

nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place year by year with blood not his own,

or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,

so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Footnotes

(a)9:1 TR adds “tabernacle”

(b)9:20 ℘ Exodus 24:8