Study Desk

A crowning point on the things being spoken: - such a one as this, have we, as high-priest, who hath sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, -

Of the Holy place, a public minister, and of the Real Tent, which, the Lord, pitched and not man.

For, every high-priest, for the offering of both gifts and sacrifices, is constituted; whence it was necessary for, this one also, to have something which he might offer.

If, indeed, therefore, he had been on earth, he had not, in that case, even been a priest, since there are those who are offering the gifts, according to the law: -

Who, indeed, are rendering divine service, with a glimpse and shadow, of the heavenly things; even as Moses hath received intimation, when about to complete the tent, - For see! saith he - Thou shalt make all things according to the model which hath been pointed out to thee in the mount.

But, now, hath he attained unto, a more distinguished public ministry, - by as much as of a better covenant also he is, mediator, which indeed, upon better promises, hath been legislated.

For, if, that first, had been, faultless, not, in that case, for a second, had there been sought, a place.

For, finding fault with them, he saith - Lo! days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will conclude, for the house of Israel and the house of Judah, a covenant of a new sort:

Not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by their hand, to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt, - because, they, abode not in my covenant, and, I, disregarded them, saith the Lord.

Because, this, is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord: - giving my laws into their understanding, upon their hearts also, will I inscribe them: and I will become their God, and, they, shall become my people;

And in nowise shall they teach - every one his fellow-citizen, and every one his brother, saying, - Get to know the Lord! Because, all, shall know me, from the least unto the greatest of them;

Because, propitious, will I be as to their unrighteousnesses, and, of their sins, in nowise will I be mindful, any more.

In saying, Of a new sort, he hath made obsolete, the first; but, the thing that is becoming obsolete and aged, is near, disappearing!

Even the first, indeed, therefore, used to have righteous appointments of divine service, even the holy ritual well arranged.

For a tent was prepared, the first, in which were both the lampstand and the table and the setting forth of the loaves, - the which is called the Holy place;

But, after the second veil, a tent, that which is called Most Holy:

Having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant covered around on every side with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and the rod of Aaron that sprouted, and the tables of the covenant;

But, over-above it, Cherubim of glory overshadowing the propitiatory: - concerning which things, it is not now needful to be speaking, particularly.

Now, these things having been thus prepared, into the first tent, indeed, continually do the priests enter, the divine services completing;

But, into the second, once for all in the year, only the high-priest, not without blood, which he offered for himself and the ignorances of the people:

The Holy Spirit making this evident - that, not yet, hath been manifested, the way through the Holy place, so long as the first tent hath a standing.

The which is a similitude for the present season, according to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot, as to the conscience, perfect him that rendereth the divine service: -

Only as to eatings, and drinkings, and diversified immersions, - righteous-appointments of the flesh, which, until a season of rectifying, are in force.

But, when Christ approached, as high-priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tent, not made by hand, that is, not of this creation, -

Nor yet through blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood he entered once for all into the Holy place, age-abiding redemption discovering.

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the profaned, halloweth unto the purity of the flesh,

How much rather shall the blood of the Christ, who through an age-abiding spirit offered himself unspotted unto God, purify our conscience from dead works, to the rendering of divine-service, unto a Living God?

And, for this cause, of a new covenant, is he mediator, - to the end that, death coming to pass for the redemption of the transgressions against the first covenant, the called might receive the promise of the age-abiding inheritance;

For, where a covenant is, it is necessary for, the death, to be brought in, of him that hath covenanted;

For, a covenant over dead persons, is firm, - since it is not then of force when he is living that hath covenanted.

Whence, not even the first, apart from blood, hath been consecrated;

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

Saying - This, is the blood of the covenant which, God, hath sent in command unto you:

Yea, the tent also, and all the utensils of the public ministry, with blood, in like manner, he sprinkled:

And, nearly, all things, with blood, are purified, according to the law, and, apart from blood-shedding, cometh no remission.

It was indeed therefore necessary for the glimpses of the things in the heavens with these to be purified; but, the heavenly things themselves, with better sacrifices than these.

For, not into a Holy place made by hand, entered Christ, - counterpart of the real Holy place ; but, into the heaven itself, now, to be plainly manifested before the face of God in our behalf; -

Nor yet that, ofttimes, he should be offering himself, - just as the high-priest entereth into the Holy place, year by year, with alien blood; -

Else had it been needful for him, ofttimes, to suffer, from the foundation of the world; but, now, once for all, upon a conjunction of the ages, for a setting aside of sin through means of his sacrifice, hath he been made manifest;

And, inasmuch as it is in store for men - once for all to die, but after this, judgment,

Thus, the Christ also, once for all having been offered, for the bearing of the sins, of many, a second time, apart from sin, will appear, to them who for him are ardently waiting - unto salvation.

For the law, having in a shadow of the destined good things, not the very image of the things, they can never, with the same sacrifices which year by year they offer evermore, make them who approach, perfect;

Else would they not, in that case, have ceased being offered, by reason of those rendering the divine service having no further conscience at all of sins, being once for all purified?

But, in them, is a recalling to mind of sins, year by year,

For it is impossible for blood of bulls and goats to be taking away sins.

Wherefore, coming into the world, he saith: Sacrifice and offering, thou willedst not, but, a body, hast thou fitted for me, -

In whole-burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sins, thou didst not delight:

Then, said I - Lo! I am come, - in the heading of the scroll, it is written concerning me, - to do, O God, thy will.

Higher up, saying - Sacrifices, and offerings, and whole-burnt-offerings, and sacrifices for sins, thou willedst not, neither delightedst in, - the which, according to the law, are offered,

Then, hath he said - Lo! I am come! to do, thy will: - he taketh away the first, that, the second, he may establish:

By which will, we have been made holy, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all.

And, every priest, indeed, standeth daily publicly ministering, and the same sacrifices ofttimes offering, the which never can clear away sins;

But this priest, having offered one sacrifice for sins evermore, sat down on the right hand of God:

As for the rest, waiting - until his foes be made his footstool;

For, by one offering, hath he perfected for evermore, them who are being made holy.

But even the Holy Spirit beareth us witness; for, after having said -

This is the covenant which I will covenant unto them after these days, saith the Lord, - Giving my laws upon their hearts, upon their understandings also, will I inscribe them,

He also saith - of their sins, and of their lawlessnesses, I will in nowise be mindful any more.

But, wherever a remission of these is, there is, no further, offering, for sins.

Having therefore, brethren, freedom of speech for the entrance through the Holy place, by the blood of Jesus,

Which entrance he hath consecrated for us, as a way recent and living, through the veil, that is, his flesh, -

And having a great priest over the house of God,

Let us approach with a genuine heart, in full assurance of faith, having been sprinkled, as to our hearts, from an evil conscience, and bathed, as to our bodies, with pure water;

Let us hold fast the confession of the hope without wavering, - for, faithful, is he that hath promised;

And let us attentively consider one another, to provoke unto love and noble works, -

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, according to the custom of some, but exhorting, and by so much the more as this, by as much as ye behold, the day, drawing near.

For, if, by choice, we be sinning, after the receiving of the full-knowledge of the truth, no longer, for sins, is there left over, a sacrifice,

But some fearful reception of judgment and fiery jealousy, about to devour the opposers.

Any one having set aside a law of Moses, apart from compassions, upon the testimony of two or three witnesses, dieth:

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be accounted worthy, who hath trampled underfoot the Son of God, and, the blood of the covenant, hath esteemed, a profane thing, by which he had been made holy, and, unto the Spirit of favour, hath offered wanton insult?

For we know him that hath said - To me, belongeth avenging, I, will recompense; and again - The Lord will judge his people.

A fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of a Living God!

But be calling to mind the former days, in which, once ye were illuminated, a great combat of sufferings, ye endured; -

Partly, indeed, because, both with reproaches and tribulations, ye were being made a spectacle, but, partly, because, into fellowship with them who were so involved, ye were brought; -

For, even with them who were in bonds, ye sympathised, and, unto the seizure of your goods, with joy, ye bade welcome, - knowing that ye have yourselves, for a better possession and an abiding.

Do not, then, cast away your freedom of speech, - the which hath a great recompense.

For, of endurance, ye have need, in order that, the will of God having done, Ye may bear away, the promise.

For, yet a little while, how short! how short! The Coming One will be here, and will not tarry;

But, my righteous one, by faith, shall live, and, if he draw back, my soul delighteth not in him.

We, however, are not of a drawing back unto destruction, but, of faith, unto an acquisition of life.