1Indeed, the first covenant also had regulations for worship and a sanctuary here on earth.
2A Tent was set up. In its first room were the lampstand, the table, and the holy bread; this was called the Holy Place.
3Behind the second curtain was the part of the Tent called the Most Holy Place.
4It contained the golden altar of incense and the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered all over with gold. Inside the Ark were a golden jar holding manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.
5Above the Ark were the cherubim, glorious angelic beings, overshadowing the atonement cover. We cannot discuss these things in detail now.
6With all these things arranged in this way, the priests regularly entered the first Tent to perform their duties.
7But the high priest entered the second room only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people committed in ignorance.
8The Holy Spirit shows by this that the way into the Most Holy Place was not yet open as long as the first Tent was still standing.
9This is a symbol for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices offered are not able to make the worshiper perfect in his conscience.
10These regulations have to do only with food, drink, and various ceremonial washings—outward rules imposed until a time of reform.
11But when Christ came as the high priest of the good things that are now here, he went through the greater and more perfect Tent that is not made by human hands, that is to say, not a part of this creation.
12He entered the Most Holy Place once for all time, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, and secured our eternal redemption.
13If the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkled on those who are defiled, make them holy and outwardly clean,
14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself to God without blemish, purify our consciences from useless rituals so that we can serve the living God?
15That is why he is the mediator of a new covenant. His death occurred to set people free from the sins committed under the first covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promised eternal inheritance.
16For where there is a will, the death of the one who made it must be proven.
17A will takes effect only after someone has died, because it is not valid as long as the one who made it is still living.
18That is why the first agreement could not be put into effect without blood.
19Moses told every commandment in the law to all the people. Then he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, red wool, and hyssop. He sprinkled the book of the law and all the people.
20He said, “This is the blood of the agreement that God has commanded you to keep.”
21In the same way, he also sprinkled the Tent of Meeting and all the equipment used in worship with the blood.
22According to the law, almost everything is made clean with blood, and sins are not forgiven without the shedding of blood.
23So it was necessary for these copies of the heavenly things to be made clean with these sacrifices. But the heavenly things themselves needed to be made clean with better sacrifices than these.
24For Christ did not go into a Holy Place made by human hands, which was only a copy of the real one. Instead, he went into heaven itself, where he now appears before God on our behalf.
25He did not go there to offer himself many times, like the high priest who goes into the Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
26If that were the case, Christ would have had to suffer many times since the world was created. But now, at the end of the ages, he has appeared once and for all to take away sin by sacrificing himself.
27Just as people are destined to die once, and then face judgment,
28so Christ was offered once to take away the sins of many people. He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly waiting for him.