One Sacrifice of Christ Is Sufficient
1 For since the Law has only a shadow [just a pale representation] of the good things to come–not the very image of those things–it can never, by offering the same sacrifices continually year after year, makeperfect those who approach [its altars].
2 For if it were otherwise, would not these sacrifices have stopped being offered? For the worshipers, having once [for all time] been cleansed, would no longer have a consciousness of sin.
3 But [as it is] these [continual]sacrificesbring a fresh reminder of sins [to be atoned for] year after year,
4 for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Therefore, when Christ enters into the world, He says,
“Sacrifice and offeringYou have not desired,
But[instead] You have prepareda body forMe[to offer];
6 In burnt offerings andsacrificesfor sinYou have taken no delight.
7 “ThenIsaid, ‘Behold, Ihave come
To doYour will, O God–
[To fulfill]what is written ofMe inthe scroll of the book.’”
8 After saying [in the citation] above, “You have neither desired,nor haveYou taken delight insacrifices and offerings andwhole burnt offerings andsacrificesforsin” (which are offered according to the Law)
9 then He said, “Behold, Ihave come to doYour will.” [And so] He does away with the first [covenant as a means of atoning for sin based on animal sacrifices] so that He may inaugurateandestablish the second [covenant by means of obedience].
10 And in accordance with this will [of God] we [who believe in the message of salvation] have been sanctified [that is, set apart as holy for God and His purposes] through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) once for all.
11 Every priest stands [at his altar of service] ministering daily, offering the same sacrifices over and over, which are never ableto strip away sins [that envelop and cover us];
12 whereas Christ, having offered the one sacrifice [the all-sufficient sacrifice of Himself] for sins for all time,sat down[signifying the completion of atonement for sin]at the right hand ofGod[the position of honor],
13 waiting from that time onwarduntil his enemies are made a footstool forHis feet.
14 For by the one offering He has perfected foreverandcompletely cleansed those who are being sanctified [bringing each believer to spiritual completion and maturity].
15 And the Holy Spirit also adds His testimony to us [in confirmation of this]; for after having said,
16 “This is the covenant thatIwill make with them
After those days,says theLord:
Iwill imprintMy laws upon their heart,
And on their mindIwill inscribe them[producing an inward change],”
He then says,
17 “And their sins and their lawless acts
Iwill remember no more[no longer holding their sins against them].”
18 Now where there is [absolute] forgivenessandcomplete cancellation of the penalty of these things, there is no longer any offering [to be made to atone] for sin.
A New and Living Way
19 Therefore,believers, since we have confidenceandfull freedom to enter the Holy Place [the place where God dwells] by [means of] the blood of Jesus,
20 by this new and living way which He initiatedandopened for us through the veil [as in the Holy of Holies], that is, through His flesh,
21 and since we have a greatandwonderful Priest [Who rules] over the house of God,
22 let us approach [God] with a trueandsincere heart in unqualified assurance of faith, having had our hearts sprinkledcleanfrom an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23 Let us seizeandhold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliableandtrustworthyandfaithful [to His word];
24 and let us consider [thoughtfully] how we may encourage one another to love and to do good deeds,
25 not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouragingone another;and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.
Christ or Judgment
26 For if we go on willfullyanddeliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate],
27 but a kind of awfulandterrifying expectation of [divine] judgment andthe fury of a fireandburning wrath which will consume the adversaries[those who put themselves in opposition to God].
28 Anyone who has ignoredandset aside the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy onthe testimony oftwo or three witnesses.
29 How much greater punishment do you think he will deserve who has rejectedandtrampled under foot the Son of God, and has considered uncleanandcommon the blood of the covenant thatsanctified him, and has insulted the Spirit of grace [who imparts the unmerited favor and blessing of God]?
30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance isMine[retribution and the deliverance of justice rest with Me], Iwill repay[the wrongdoer].” And again, “TheLord will judgeHis people.”
31 It is a fearfulandterrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God [incurring His judgment and wrath].
32 But remember the earlier days, when, after being [spiritually] enlightened, you [patiently] endured a great conflict of sufferings,
33 sometimes by being made a spectacle, publicly exposed to insults and distress, and sometimes by becoming companions with those who were so treated.
34 For you showed sympathyanddeep concern for those who were imprisoned, and you joyfully accepted the [unjust] seizure of your belongingsandthe confiscation of your property, conscious of the fact that you have a better possession and a lasting one [prepared for you in heaven].
35 Do not, therefore, fling away your [fearless] confidence, for it has a gloriousandgreat reward.
36 For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receiveandenjoy to the full what is promised.
37 For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come,and will not delay.
38 ButMy righteous one[the one justified by faith]shall live by faith[respecting man’s relationship to God and trusting Him];
And if he draws back[shrinking in fear], My soul has no delight in him.
39 Butour way is not that of those who shrink back to destruction, but [we are] of those who believe [relying on God through faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah]andby this confident faith preserve the soul.