1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship andmEx. 25:8 an earthly place of holiness. 2 FornEx. 26:1 a tent1Or tabernacle; also verses 11, 21 was prepared, the first section, in which wereoEx. 25:31-39; 26:35; 40:4 the lampstand andpEx. 25:23-29 the table andqEx. 25:30; Lev. 24:5-8 the bread of the Presence. It is called the Holy Place. 3 BehindrEx. 26:31-33; 40:3, 21 the second curtain was a second section called the Most Holy Place, 4 having the goldensLev. 16:12, 13 altar of incense andtEx. 25:10; 26:33; 40:3, 21; Rev. 11:19 the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which wasuEx. 16:33, 34 a golden urn holding the manna, andvNum. 17:10 Aaron's staff that budded, andwEx. 25:16; 40:20; Deut. 10:2, 5; 1 Kgs. 8:9, 21; 2 Chr. 5:10 the tablets of the covenant. 5 Above it werexEx. 25:18-22; [1 Kgs. 8:6, 7] the cherubim of glory overshadowingyLev. 16:2 the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
6 These preparations having thus been made,z[Num. 28:3] the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 but into the second onlyaLev. 16:15, 34; [ch. 10:3; Ex. 30:10] the high priest goes, and he butaLev. 16:15, 34; [ch. 10:3; Ex. 30:10] once a year, and not without taking blood,bSee ch. 5:3 which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates thatcch. 10:20; [John 14:6] the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age).1Or which is symbolic for the age then present According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offereddSee ch. 7:19 that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only witheSee Lev. 11:2 food and drink andfMark 7:4, 8; See Lev. 11:25 various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
11 But when Christ appeared as a high priestgch. 10:1 of the good things that have come, then throughh[ver. 24; ch. 8:2] the greater and more perfect tent (iSee Mark 14:58 not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 hejver. 24 enteredkch. 7:27; 10:10 once for all into the holy places, not by means oflch. 10:4 the blood of goats and calves butmSee Acts 20:28 by means of his own blood,nJob 33:24; [Dan. 9:24; 1 Cor. 6:20] thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the sprinkling of defiled persons withoLev. 16:14-16 the blood of goats and bulls and withpNum. 19:2, 17, 18 the ashes of a heifer sanctifies1Or For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more willqver. 12; 1 John 1:7; Rev. 7:14 the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spiritrch. 7:27; 8:3 offered himself without blemish to God,sch. 1:3; 10:22 purify our consciencetch. 6:1 from dead worksuRom. 6:13; 1 Pet. 4:2 to serve the living God.
15 Therefore he isvch. 8:6; 12:24 the mediator of a new covenant, so thatw[ch. 3:1]; See Rom. 8:28 those who are called mayx[ch. 10:36; Ex. 32:13] receive the promised eternal inheritance,yRom. 3:24, 25; 5:6 since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 Forz[Gal. 3:15] a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inauguratedaEx. 24:6, 8 without blood. 19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he tookbver. 12 the blood of calves and goats,c[Lev. 14:4, 7; Num. 19:6, 17] with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying,dCited from Ex. 24:8; [Matt. 26:28] “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you. ” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood bothe[Ex. 29:12, 36; Lev. 8:15, 19; 16:14, 16; 2 Chr. 29:22] the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, andfLev. 17:11 without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
23 Thus it was necessary forgch. 8:5 the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy placeshch. 8:2; [ver. 11] made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of Godich. 7:25; See Rom. 8:34 on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, asjSee ver. 7 the high priest enterskch. 10:19 the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is,l1 John 3:5 he has appearedmver. 12; ch. 7:27; 10:10; 1 Pet. 3:18 once for alln[ch. 1:2; 1 Cor. 10:11] at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just asoSee Gen. 3:19 it is appointed for man to die once, andpSee Matt. 16:27 after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered onceqIsa. 53:12; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:18 to bear the sins ofrMatt. 20:28; 26:28; Mark 10:45; Rev. 5:9 many, will appearsActs 1:11 a second time,tSee ch. 4:15 not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerlyuTitus 2:13; [Isa. 25:9] waiting for him.