Hebrews 9-11

New King James Version

The Earthly Sanctuary^(A)

9 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and ^(B)the earthly sanctuary. ² For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the ^[a]sanctuary; ^3 (C)and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, ⁴ which had the ^(D)golden censer and ^(E)the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were ^(F)the golden pot that had the manna, ^(G)Aaron’s rod that budded, and ^(H)the tablets of the covenant; ⁵ and ^(I)above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

Limitations of the Earthly Service

⁶ Now when these things had been thus prepared, ^(J)the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. ⁷ But into the second part the high priest went alone ^(K)once a year, not without blood, which he offered for ^(L)himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; ⁸ the Holy Spirit indicating this, that ^(M)the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. ⁹ It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered ^(N)which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— ¹⁰ concerned only with ^(O)foods and drinks, ^(P)various ^[b]washings, ^(Q)and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

The Heavenly Sanctuary

¹¹ But Christ came as High Priest of ^(R)the good things ^[c]to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. ¹² Not ^(S)with the blood of goats and calves, but ^(T)with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place ^(U)once for all, ^(V)having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³ For if ^(W)the blood of bulls and goats and ^(X)the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, ^[d]sanctifies for the ^[e]purifying of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without ^[f]spot to God, ^(Y)cleanse your conscience from ^(Z)dead works ^(AA)to serve the living God? ¹⁵ And for this reason ^(AB)He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that ^(AC)those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

The Mediator’s Death Necessary

¹⁶ For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. ¹⁷ For ^(AD)a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. ^18 (AE)Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. ¹⁹ For when Moses had spoken every ^[g]precept to all the people according to the law, ^(AF)he took the blood of calves and goats, ^(AG)with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, ²⁰ saying, ^(AH)“This is the ^(AI)blood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” ²¹ Then likewise ^(AJ)he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. ²² And according to the law almost all things are ^[h]purified with blood, and ^(AK)without shedding of blood there is no ^[i]remission.

Greatness of Christ’s Sacrifice

²³ Therefore it was necessary that ^(AL)the copies of the things in the heavens should be ^[j]purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For ^(AM)Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are ^[k]copies of ^(AN)the true, but into heaven itself, now ^(AO)to appear in the presence of God for us; ²⁵ not that He should offer Himself often, as ^(AP)the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— ²⁶ He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. ^27 (AQ)And as it is appointed for men to die once, ^(AR)but after this the judgment, ²⁸ so ^(AS)Christ was ^(AT)offered once to bear the sins ^(AU)of many. To those who ^(AV)eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Animal Sacrifices Insufficient

10 For the law, having a ^(AW)shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, ^(AX)can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. ² For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once ^[l]purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. ³ But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. ⁴ For ^(AY)it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Christ’s Death Fulfills God’s Will^(AZ)

⁵ Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

⁸ Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), ⁹ then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, ^[m]O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. ^10 (BB)By that will we have been ^[n]sanctified ^(BC)through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified

¹¹ And every priest stands ^(BD)ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. ^12 (BE)But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down ^(BF)at the right hand of God, ¹³ from that time waiting ^(BG)till His enemies are made His footstool. ¹⁴ For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being ^[o]sanctified.

¹⁵ But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,

^16 (BH)“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” ¹⁷ then He adds, ^(BI)“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” ¹⁸ Now where there is ^[p]remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Hold Fast Your Confession

¹⁹ Therefore, brethren, having ^(BJ)boldness^[q] to enter ^(BK)the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and ^(BL)living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, ²¹ and having a High Priest over the house of God, ²² let us ^(BM)draw near with a true heart ^(BN)in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for ^(BO)He who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, ^25 (BP)not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and ^(BQ)so much the more as you see ^(BR)the Day approaching.

The Just Live by Faith

²⁶ For ^(BS)if we sin willfully ^(BT)after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there ^(BU)no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and ^(BV)fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three ^(BW)witnesses. ^29 (BX)Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, ^(BY)counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, ^(BZ)and insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, ^(CA)“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” ^[r]says the Lord. And again, ^(CB)“The Lord will judge His people.” ^31 (CC)It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

³² But ^(CD)recall the former days in which, after you were ^[s]illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: ³³ partly while you were made ^(CE)a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while ^(CF)you became companions of those who were so treated; ³⁴ for you had compassion on ^[t]me ^(CG)in my chains, and ^(CH)joyfully accepted the plundering of your ^[u]goods, knowing that ^(CI)you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves ^[v]in heaven. ³⁵ Therefore do not cast away your confidence, ^(CJ)which has great reward. ^36 (CK)For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, ^(CL)you may receive the promise:

³⁹ But we are not of those ^(CP)who draw back to ^[z]perdition, but of those who ^(CQ)believe to the saving of the soul.

By Faith We Understand

11 Now faith is the ^[aa]substance of things hoped for, the ^[ab]evidence ^(CR)of things not seen. ² For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

³ By faith we understand that ^(CS)the ^[ac]worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Faith at the Dawn of History^(CT)

⁴ By faith ^(CU)Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still ^(CV)speaks.

⁵ By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, ^(CW)“and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. ⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

⁷ By faith ^(CX)Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, ^(CY)prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of ^(CZ)the righteousness which is according to faith.

Faithful Abraham^(DA)

⁸ By faith ^(DB)Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, ^(DC)dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, ^(DD)the heirs with him of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he waited for ^(DE)the city which has foundations, ^(DF)whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹ By faith ^(DG)Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and ^(DH)she^[ad] bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him ^(DI)faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and him as good as ^(DJ)dead, were born as many as the ^(DK)stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

The Heavenly Hope

¹³ These all died in faith, ^(DL)not having received the ^(DM)promises, but ^(DN)having seen them afar off ^[ae]were assured of them, embraced them and ^(DO)confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things ^(DP)declare plainly that they seek a homeland. ¹⁵ And truly if they had called to mind ^(DQ)that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed ^(DR)to be called their God, for He has ^(DS)prepared a city for them.

The Faith of the Patriarchs^(DT)

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, ^(DU)when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ^18 [af]of whom it was said, ^(DV)“In Isaac your seed shall be called,” ¹⁹ concluding that God ^(DW)was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

²⁰ By faith ^(DX)Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, ^(DY)blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

²² By faith ^(DZ)Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

The Faith of Moses^(EA)

²³ By faith ^(EB)Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s ^(EC)command.

²⁴ By faith ^(ED)Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the ^[ag]passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶ esteeming ^(EE)the ^[ah]reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures ^[ai]in Egypt; for he looked to the ^(EF)reward.

²⁷ By faith ^(EG)he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith ^(EH)he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

²⁹ By faith ^(EI)they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

By Faith They Overcame

³⁰ By faith ^(EJ)the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. ³¹ By faith ^(EK)the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who ^[aj]did not believe, when ^(EL)she had received the spies with peace.

³² And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of ^(EM)Gideon and ^(EN)Barak and ^(EO)Samson and ^(EP)Jephthah, also of ^(EQ)David and ^(ER)Samuel and the prophets: ³³ who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, ^(ES)stopped the mouths of lions, ^34 (ET)quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ^35 (EU)Women received their dead raised to life again.

Others were ^(EV)tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and ^(EW)of chains and imprisonment. ^37 (EX)They were stoned, they were sawn in two, ^[ak]were tempted, were slain with the sword. ^(EY)They wandered about ^(EZ)in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, ^(FA)in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And all these, ^(FB)having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, ⁴⁰ God having provided something better for us, that they should not be ^(FC)made perfect apart from us.