Hebrews 10

Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice

1 The Law is a shadow of the good things that are coming, not the real things themselves. It never can perfect the ones who are trying to draw near to God through the same sacrifices that are offered continually every year.2 Otherwise, wouldn’t they have stopped being offered? If the people carrying out their religious duties had been completely cleansed once, no one would have been aware of sin anymore.3 Instead, these sacrifices are a reminder of sin every year,

4 because it’s impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 Therefore, when he comes into the world he says,
You didn’t want a sacrifice or an offering,
but you prepared a body for me;
6  you weren’t pleased with entirely burned offerings or a sin offering.

7  So then I said,
" Look, I’ve come to do your will, God.
This has been written about me in the scroll. "t
8 He says above, You didn’t want and you weren’t pleased with a sacrifice or an offering or with entirely burned offerings or a purification offering, t which are offered because the Law requires them.9 Then he said, Look, I’ve come to do your will .t He puts an end to the first to establish the second.

10 We have been made holy by God’s will through the offering of Jesus Christ’s body once for all.
11 Every priest stands every day serving and offering the same sacrifices over and over, sacrifices that can never take away sins.12 But when this priest offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right side of God.13 Since then, he’s waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for his feet,

14 because he perfected the people who are being made holy with one offering for all time.

15 The Holy Spirit affirms this when saying,
16  This is the covenant that I will make with them.
After these days, says the Lord,
I will place my laws in their hearts
and write them on their minds.

17  And I won’t remember their sins
and their lawless behavior anymore. t

18 When there is forgiveness for these things, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Second summary of the message

19 Brothers and sisters, we have confidence that we can enter the holy of holies by means of Jesus’ blood,20 through a new and living way that he opened up for us through the curtain, which is his body,

21 and we have a great high priest over God’s house.

22 Therefore, let’s draw near with a genuine heart with the certainty that our faith gives us, since our hearts are sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies are washed with pure water.

23 Let’s hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, because the one who made the promises is reliable.
24 Let’s also think about how to motivate each other to show love and to do good works.

25 Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the day drawing near.

Judgment for intentional sin

26 If we make the decision to sin after we receive the knowledge of the truth, there isn’t a sacrifice for sins left any longer.27 There’s only a scary expectation of judgment and of a burning fire that’s going to devour God’s opponents.28 When someone rejected the Law from Moses, they were put to death without mercy on the basis of the testimony of two or three witnesses.29 How much worse punishment do you think is deserved by the person who walks all over God’s Son, who acts as if the blood of the covenant that made us holy is just ordinary blood, and who insults the Spirit of grace?

30 We know the one who said,
Judgment is mine; I will pay people back. t
And he also said,
The Lord will judge his people. t

31 It’s scary to fall into the hands of the living God!

Confidence and faith to endure

32 But remember the earlier days, after you saw the light. You stood your ground while you were suffering from an enormous amount of pressure.33 Sometimes you were exposed to insults and abuse in public. Other times you became partners with those who were treated that way.34 You even showed sympathy toward people in prison and accepted the confiscation of your possessions with joy, since you knew that you had better and lasting possessions.35 So don’t throw away your confidence—it brings a great reward.

36 You need to endure so that you can receive the promises after you do God’s will.
37  In a little while longer,
the one who is coming will come and won’t delay;

38  But my righteous one will live by faith,
and my whole being won’t be pleased with anyone who shrinks back. t

39 But we aren’t the sort of people who timidly draw back and end up being destroyed. We’re the sort of people who have faith so that our whole beings are preserved.

Hebrews 10

Concluding Exposition: Old and New Sacrifices Contrasted

1 For the law possesses a shadow of the good things to come but not the reality itself, and is therefore completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, to perfect those who come to worship.t2 For otherwise would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers would have been purified once for all and so havet no further consciousness of sin?3 But in those sacrificest there is a reminder of sins year after year.4 For the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins.t

5 So when he came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.

6 “Whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you took no delight in.

7 “Then I said, ‘Here I am:tI have come – it is written of me in the scroll of the book – to do your will, O God.’”s
8 When he says above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin-offeringsyou did not desire nor did you take delight in them”s (which are offered according to the law),9 then he says, “Here I am:I have come to do your will.”s He does away witht the first to establish the second.10 By his willt we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.11 And every priest stands day after dayt serving and offering the same sacrifices again and again – sacrifices that can never take away sins.12 But when this priestt had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hands of God,13 where he is now waitingtuntil his enemies are made a footstool for his feet.s14 For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy.15 And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us, for after saying,t16 “This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord. I will puttmy laws on their hearts and I will inscribe them on their minds,”s17 then he says,t “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no longer.”s

18 Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Drawing Near to God in Enduring Faith

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters,t since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus,20 by the fresh and living way that he inaugurated for ust through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,s21 and since we have a great priestt over the house of God,22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in the assurance that faith brings,t because we have had our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil consciences and our bodies washed in pure water.23 And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy.24 And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works,t

25 not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the days drawing near.t
26 For if we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins is left for us,t27 but only a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a furytsof fire that will consume God’s enemies.ts28 Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to deatht without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.s29 How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt fort the Son of God, and profanest the blood of the covenant that made him holy,t and insults the Spirit of grace?30 For we know the one who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,”s and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”s

31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But remember the former days when you endured a harsh conflict of suffering after you were enlightened.33 At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and afflictions, and at other times you came to share with others who were treated in that way.34 For in fact you shared the sufferings of those in prison,s and you accepted the confiscation of your belongings with joy, because you knew that you certainlyt had a better and lasting possession.35 So do not throw away your confidence, because itt has great reward.36 For you need endurance in order to do God’s will and so receive what is promised.t37 For just a little longers and he who is coming will arrive and not delay.s38 But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, Ittake no pleasure in him.s

39 But we are not among those who shrink back and thus perish, but are among those who have faith and preserve their souls.t