The Blood of Christ

¹¹ But when Christ came as high priest^(A) of the good things that are now already here,^[a](B) he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle^(C) that is not made with human hands,^(D) that is to say, is not a part of this creation. ¹² He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves;^(E) but he entered the Most Holy Place^(F) once for all^(G) by his own blood,^(H) thus obtaining^[b] eternal redemption. ¹³ The blood of goats and bulls^(I) and the ashes of a heifer^(J) sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit^(K) offered himself^(L) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences^(M) from acts that lead to death,^[c](N) so that we may serve the living God!^(O)

¹⁵ For this reason Christ is the mediator^(P) of a new covenant,^(Q) that those who are called^(R) may receive the promised^(S) eternal inheritance^(T)—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.^(U)

¹⁶ In the case of a will,^[d] it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, ¹⁷ because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. ¹⁸ This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.^{(V) 19} When Moses had proclaimed^(W) every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves,^(X) together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.^{(Y) 20} He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”^{[e](Z) 21} In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. ²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,^(AA) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.^(AB)

²³ It was necessary, then, for the copies^(AC) of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one;^(AD) he entered heaven itself,^(AE) now to appear for us in God’s presence.^{(AF) 25} Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place^(AG) every year with blood that is not his own.^{(AH) 26} Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.^(AI) But he has appeared^(AJ) once for all^(AK) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.^{(AL) 27} Just as people are destined to die once,^(AM) and after that to face judgment,^{(AN) 28} so Christ was sacrificed once^(AO) to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,^(AP) not to bear sin,^(AQ) but to bring salvation^(AR) to those who are waiting for him.^(AS)

¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,”^(A) said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? ¹¹ Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know,^(B) and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.^{(C) 12} I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven^(D) except the one who came from heaven^(E)—the Son of Man.^{[a](F) 14} Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness,^(G) so the Son of Man must be lifted up,^{[b](H) 15} that everyone who believes^(I) may have eternal life in him.”^[c](J)

¹⁶ For God so loved^(K) the world that he gave^(L) his one and only Son,^(M) that whoever believes^(N) in him shall not perish but have eternal life.^{(O) 17} For God did not send his Son into the world^(P) to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.^{(Q) 18} Whoever believes in him is not condemned,^(R) but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.^{(S) 19} This is the verdict: Light^(T) has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.^{(U) 20} Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.^{(V) 21} But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.