1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming. It is not the real things themselves. The same sacrifices have to be offered over and over again. They must be offered year after year. That’s why the law can never make perfect those who come near to worship.2If the law could, wouldn’t the sacrifices have stopped being offered? The worshippers would have been made ‘clean’ once and for all time. They would not have felt guilty for their sins anymore.3But those offerings remind people of their sins every year.4It isn’t possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.5So when Christ came into the world, he said, ‘You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings. Instead, you prepared a body for me.6You weren’t pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings.7Then I said, “Here I am. It is written about me in the book. I have come to do what you want, my God.” ’ (Ps 40:6)8First Christ said, ‘You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings. You didn’t want burnt offerings and sin offerings. You weren’t pleased with them.’ He said this even though they were offered in keeping with the law.9Then he said, ‘Here I am. I have come to do what you want.’ He did away with the shadow of the good things that were coming. He did it to put in place the good things themselves.10We have been made holy by what God wanted. We have been made holy because Jesus Christ offered his body once and for all time.11Day after day every priest stands and does his special duties. He offers the same sacrifices again and again. But they can never take away sins.12Jesus our priest offered one sacrifice for sins for all time. Then he sat down at the right hand of God.13And since that time, he waits for his enemies to be put under his control.14By that one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy.15The Holy Spirit also speaks to us about this. First he says,16‘This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts. I will write my laws on their minds.’ (Jer 31:33)17Then he adds, ‘I will not remember their sins anymore. I will not remember the evil things they have done.’ (Jer 31:34)18Where these sins have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer necessary.
An appeal and warning to remain faithful
19Brothers and sisters, we are not afraid to enter the Most Holy Room. We enter boldly because of the blood of Jesus.20His way is new because he lives. It has been opened for us through the curtain. I’m talking about his body.21We also have a great priest over the house of God.22So let us come near to God with a sincere heart. Let us come near boldly because of our faith. Our hearts have been sprinkled. Our minds have been cleansed from a sense of guilt. Our bodies have been washed with pure water.23Let us hold firmly to the hope we claim to have. The God who promised is faithful.24Let us consider how we can stir up one another to love. Let us help one another to do good works.25And let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this. Instead, let us encourage one another with words of hope. Let us do this even more as you see Christ’s return approaching.26What if we keep sinning on purpose? What if we do it even after we know the truth? Then there is no offering for our sins.27All we can do is to wait in fear for God to judge. His blazing fire will burn up his enemies.28Suppose someone did not obey the law of Moses. And suppose two or three witnesses made charges against them. That person would die without mercy.29People who deserve even more punishment include those who have hated the Son of God. They include people who have said no to him. They include people who have treated as unholy the blood of the covenant that makes them holy. They also include people who have disrespected the Holy Spirit who brings God’s grace. Don’t you think people like this should be punished more than anyone else?30We know the God who said, ‘I am the God who judges people. I will pay them back.’ Scripture also says, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ (De 32:35; De 32:36; Ps 135:14)31It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.32Remember those earlier days after you received the light. You remained strong in a great battle that was full of suffering.33Sometimes people spoke badly about you in front of others. Sometimes you were treated badly. At other times you stood side by side with people being treated like this.34You suffered along with people in prison. When your property was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew that God had given you better and more lasting things.35So don’t throw away your bold faith. It will bring you rich rewards.36You need to be faithful. Then you will do what God wants. You will receive what he has promised.37‘In just a little while, he who is coming will come. He will not wait any longer.’38And, ‘The one who is right with God will live by faith. And I am not pleased with the one who pulls back.’ (Hab 2:3; Hab 2:4)39But we don’t belong to the people who pull back and are destroyed. We belong to the people who believe and are saved.
Hebrews 10
English Standard Version
Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All
1For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. (Col 2:17; Heb 8:5; Heb 9:9; Heb 9:11)2Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?3But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. (Le 16:21; Heb 9:7)4For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Heb 10:11)5Consequently, when Christ[1] came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; (Ps 40:6; Heb 1:6)6in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.7Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”8When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), (Heb 10:5)9then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. (Heb 10:7)10And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Mt 26:26; Mr 14:22; Lu 22:19; 1Co 11:24; Heb 2:11; Heb 7:27; Heb 9:12; Heb 10:5; Heb 13:12)11And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. (Nu 28:3; Heb 5:1; Heb 9:9; Heb 10:1; Heb 10:4)12But when Christ[2] had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, (Mr 16:19; Heb 1:3)13waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. (1Co 15:25; Heb 1:13)14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (Heb 10:1)15And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,16“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” (Jer 31:33; Ro 11:27; Heb 8:10)17then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” (Jer 31:34; Heb 8:12)18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
The Full Assurance of Faith
19Therefore, brothers,[3] since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, (Heb 4:16; Heb 9:25)20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, (Joh 10:9; Joh 14:6; Heb 9:3; Heb 9:8)21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, (Zec 6:11; Heb 2:17; Heb 4:14)22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Eze 36:25; 1Co 6:11; 2Co 7:1; Heb 9:14; Heb 12:24; 1Pe 1:2)23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (1Co 1:9; Heb 4:14; Heb 11:11)24And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, (Heb 3:13)25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Ac 2:42; Ro 13:11; 1Co 3:13)26For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (Nu 15:30; De 17:12; Heb 6:4; Heb 6:6; 2Pe 2:20; 1Jo 5:16)27but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. (Ps 79:5; Isa 26:11; Eze 36:5; Zep 1:18; Zep 3:8; Zec 8:2; 2Th 1:8; Heb 2:3; Heb 12:25)28Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. (Nu 35:30; De 17:2)29How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? (Zec 9:11; Mt 12:31; Eph 4:30; Heb 6:6; Heb 9:13; Heb 13:20)30For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” (De 32:35; De 32:36; Ps 50:4; Ps 135:14; Ro 12:19)31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Isa 33:14; Lu 12:5)32But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, (Php 1:30; Heb 6:4)33sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. (1Co 4:9)34For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. (Mt 5:12; Mt 25:36; 2Ti 1:16; Heb 13:3; 1Pe 1:4)35Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. (Heb 2:2; Heb 11:26)36For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. (Mt 10:22; Lu 21:19; Ro 2:7; Ro 12:12; Heb 11:39; Heb 12:1; Heb 13:21; 1Jo 2:17)37For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; (Isa 26:20; Hab 2:3; Hag 2:6; Lu 18:8)38but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” (Ro 1:17; Ga 3:11)39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.