Hebrews 9

1Now even the firstcovenanthad ordinances of divine service, and its sanctuary, a sanctuary of this world.

1The first covenant also had rules for worship and a physical place for that worship on earth.

2For there was a tabernacle prepared, the first, wherein were the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the Holy place.

2A sacred tent was set up. In the first room, there was a lampstand, a table, and the special bread offered to God. This room was called the Holy Place.

3And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holy of holies;

3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place.

4having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

4It contained a golden altar for incense and the chest of the covenant, which was covered completely in gold. Inside the chest were a gold jar of manna, Aaron’s wooden staff that had grown buds, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

5and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat; of which things we cannot now speak severally.

5Above the chest were the glorious winged creatures called cherubim, with their wings spread over the place where sins were forgiven. But we cannot explain all these things in detail right now.

6Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services;

6After everything was set up this way, the priests regularly entered the first room of the tent to perform their duties.

7but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the errors of the people:

7But only the high priest entered the inner room, and he did so only once a year. He always took blood with him, which he offered for his own sins and for the sins the people committed in ignorance.

8the Holy Spirit this signifying, that the way into the holy place hath not yet been made manifest, while the first tabernacle is yet standing;

8By this, the Holy Spirit was showing that the way into the Most Holy Place was not yet open as long as the first tent was still being used.

9which is a figure for the time present; according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshipper perfect,

9This is an illustration for the present time. It shows that the gifts and sacrifices being offered cannot truly clear the conscience of the person worshiping.

10being only (with meats and drinks and divers washings) carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.

10These rules only dealt with food and drink and various ceremonies of washing. They were physical regulations required only until the time came to set things right.

11But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,

11But Christ has now come as the High Priest of the good things that are already here. He went through a greater and more perfect tent that was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world.

12nor 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.

12He did not enter by using the blood of goats and calves. Instead, he entered the Most Holy Place once and for all by using his own blood, securing our eternal rescue.

13For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh:

13Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow were sprinkled on people who were unclean, making their bodies clean again.

14how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

14Think how much more the blood of Christ will do! Through the eternal Spirit, he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless actions so that we can serve the living God.

15And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

15That is why Christ is the one who mediates a new covenant. Because he died to set people free from the sins committed under the first covenant, those who are called by God can now receive the eternal inheritance he promised.

16For where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him that made it.

16Whenever there is a will, the death of the person who made it must be proven.

17For a testament is of force where there hath been death: for it doth never avail while he that made it liveth.

17A will only goes into effect after someone has died; it has no power as long as the person who made it is still alive.

18Wherefore even the first covenant hath not been dedicated without blood.

18This is why even the first covenant required blood to be put into effect.

19For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses unto 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,

19First, Moses told all the people every commandment in the law. Then he took the blood of calves and goats, mixed it with water, and used scarlet wool and branches of hyssop to sprinkle the book of the law and all the people.

20saying, This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded to you-ward.

20He said, 'This is the blood that confirms the covenant God has commanded you to keep.'

21Moreover the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry he sprinkled in like manner with the blood.

21In the same way, he sprinkled blood on the sacred tent and on everything used in worship.

22And according to the law, I may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.

22In fact, according to the law, almost everything is purified with blood. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.

23It 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.

23So it was necessary for these earthly copies of heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices. But the real things in heaven required much better sacrifices than these.

24For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands, like in pattern to the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us:

24For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the real one. He entered into heaven itself, and he is there now to stand before God on our behalf. scraps

25nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not his own;

25He did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the earthly high priest who enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. scraps

26else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once at the end of the ages hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

26If that were necessary, Christ would have had to suffer many times since the world began. But now, at the end of the ages, he has appeared once and for all to remove sin by sacrificing himself.

27And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment;

27Each person is destined to die once, and after that comes judgment.

28so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time, apart from sin, to them that wait for him, unto salvation.

28In the same way, Christ was offered once to take away the sins of many people. He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly waiting for him.