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10 ¶ For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never make perfect those who come by the same sacrifices which they offer year by year continually.

Otherwise, they would cease to offer them, because those that sacrifice, once purged, would have no more conscience of sin.

But in these sacrifices each year the same remembrance of sins is made.

For the blood of bulls and of goats cannot take away sins.

Therefore when he came into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire, but a body hast thou prepared me;

in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

¶ Then said I, Behold, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God.

Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou dost not desire, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law;

then he said, Behold, I come to do thy will, O God. He took away the first, that he may establish the second.

10 In this will, we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus, the Christ, once for all.

11 And so every priest stands daily ministering and offering many times the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,

12 but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, is seated at the right hand of God,

13 waiting for that which follows, that is, until his enemies are made his footstool.

14 For by one offering he has perfected for ever those that are sanctified.

15 Likewise the Holy Spirit gives us the same witness, who afterwards said,

16 This is the testament that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will give my laws in their hearts, and in their souls will I write them;

17 and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19 ¶ Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus,

20 by a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

21 and having that great priest over the house of God,

22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts purified from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water;

23 let us hold fast the profession of our hope without wavering (for he is faithful that promised).

24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto charity and unto good works,

25 not forsaking our gathering together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more, when ye see that day approaching.

26 For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,

27 but a certain fearful hope of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

28 He that despised the law of Moses died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

29 Of how much greater punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden underfoot the Son of God and has counted the blood of the covenant, with which he was sanctified, an unholy thing and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

30 For we know who he is that has said, Vengeance belongs to me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But bring to memory the former days, in which, after ye received the light, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

33 on the one hand ye were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and on the other ye became companions of those that were so used.

34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing that in yourselves ye have a better substance in the heavens, and that abides.

35 Do not lose, therefore, this your confidence, which has great recompense of reward;

36 for patience is necessary, so that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come and will not tarry.

38 Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39 But we are not of those who draw back unto perdition, but faithful unto the saving of the soul.

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

10 The law is only a shadow(A) of the good things(B) that are coming—not the realities themselves.(C) For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect(D) those who draw near to worship.(E) Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.(F) But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.(G) It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats(H) to take away sins.(I)

Therefore, when Christ came into the world,(J) he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
    but a body you prepared for me;(K)
with burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you were not pleased.
Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll(L)
    I have come to do your will, my God.’”[a](M)

First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”(N)—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.”(O) He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10 And by that will, we have been made holy(P) through the sacrifice of the body(Q) of Jesus Christ once for all.(R)

11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices,(S) which can never take away sins.(T) 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins,(U) he sat down at the right hand of God,(V) 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.(W) 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect(X) forever those who are being made holy.(Y)

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies(Z) 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,
    and I will write them on their minds.”[b](AA)

17 Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts
    I will remember no more.”[c](AB)

18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

A Call to Persevere in Faith

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence(AC) to enter the Most Holy Place(AD) by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way(AE) opened for us through the curtain,(AF) that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest(AG) over the house of God,(AH) 22 let us draw near to God(AI) with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings,(AJ) having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience(AK) and having our bodies washed with pure water.(AL) 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope(AM) we profess,(AN) for he who promised is faithful.(AO) 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,(AP) 25 not giving up meeting together,(AQ) as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another(AR)—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.(AS)

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning(AT) after we have received the knowledge of the truth,(AU) no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire(AV) that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.(AW) 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God(AX) underfoot,(AY) who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant(AZ) that sanctified them,(BA) and who has insulted the Spirit(BB) of grace?(BC) 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d](BD) and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”[e](BE) 31 It is a dreadful thing(BF) to fall into the hands(BG) of the living God.(BH)

32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light,(BI) when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.(BJ) 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution;(BK) at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.(BL) 34 You suffered along with those in prison(BM) and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.(BN) 35 So do not throw away your confidence;(BO) it will be richly rewarded.

36 You need to persevere(BP) so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.(BQ) 37 For,

“In just a little while,
    he who is coming(BR) will come
    and will not delay.”[f](BS)

38 And,

“But my righteous[g] one will live by faith.(BT)
    And I take no pleasure
    in the one who shrinks back.”[h](BU)

39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 10:7 Psalm 40:6-8 (see Septuagint)
  2. Hebrews 10:16 Jer. 31:33
  3. Hebrews 10:17 Jer. 31:34
  4. Hebrews 10:30 Deut. 32:35
  5. Hebrews 10:30 Deut. 32:36; Psalm 135:14
  6. Hebrews 10:37 Isaiah 26:20; Hab. 2:3
  7. Hebrews 10:38 Some early manuscripts But the righteous
  8. Hebrews 10:38 Hab. 2:4 (see Septuagint)