Hebrews 9

1Now indeed the first covenant had regulations for worship and the earthly holy place.

2For a tabernacle was furnished, the first one, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the presentation of the loaves—which is called the Holy Place.

3And behind the second veil was the tabernacle called the Holy of Holies.

4having a golden censer and the ark of the covenant covered with gold on every side, in which a golden pot held the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.

5And above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, about which it is not now to speak part by part.

6Now with these things thus prepared, the priests continually enter the first tabernacle, performing the services.

7But the high priest alone enters the second once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and the people's errors.

8The Holy Spirit makes this plain: the way into the holy places had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle remained standing.

9which is a symbol for the present season, in which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper according to conscience.

10Fleshly ordinances concerned only with foods and drinks and various washings, imposed until a time of reformation.

11But Christ came as high priest of the good things to come, through a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands—that is, not of this creation.

12nor through the blood of goats and calves but through his own blood he entered once into the holy places, having obtained eternal redemption.

13For if the blood of goats and oxen, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the purification of the flesh,

14How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself blameless to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15And for this reason he is the mediator of the new covenant, so that with a death having occurred for redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

16For where a testament is, the death of the testator must of necessity be brought.

17For a will is valid after people are dead, since it never has force while the one who made it lives.

18Therefore not even the first covenant has been inaugurated without blood.

19For when every commandment according to the law had been spoken by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of the calves with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the scroll itself and all the people.

20saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded you.”

21He also sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of the service likewise with the blood.

22And according to the law, almost everything is purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23Therefore it was necessary for copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

24For Christ did not enter handmade holy places, copies of the true ones, but heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.

25nor that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with another's blood.

26Otherwise he would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world, but now once at the consummation of the ages he has appeared to annul sin through his own sacrifice.

27And as it is appointed for humans to die once, but after this judgment.

28So Christ also, offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time apart from sin to those who await him expectantly for salvation.