10
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming. It is not the real things themselves. The same sacrifices have to be offered over and over again. They must be offered year after year. That's why the law can never make perfect those who come near to worship. 2 If the law could, wouldn't the sacrifices have stopped being offered? The worshippers would have been made ‘clean’ once and for all time. They would not have felt guilty for their sins anymore. 3 But those offerings remind people of their sins every year. 4 It isn't possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 So when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘You didn't want sacrifices and offerings.
Instead, you prepared a body for me.
6 You weren't pleased
with burnt offerings and sin offerings.
7 Then I said, “Here I am. It is written about me in the book.
I have come to do what you want, my God.” ’ (Psalm 40:6–8)
8 First Christ said, ‘You didn't want sacrifices and offerings. You didn't want burnt offerings and sin offerings. You weren't pleased with them.’ He said this even though they were offered in keeping with the law. 9 Then he said, ‘Here I am. I have come to do what you want.’ He did away with the shadow of the good things that were coming. He did it to put in place the good things themselves. 10 We have been made holy by what God wanted. We have been made holy because Jesus Christ offered his body once and for all time.
11 Day after day every priest stands and does his special duties. He offers the same sacrifices again and again. But they can never take away sins. 12 Jesus our priest offered one sacrifice for sins for all time. Then he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 And since that time, he waits for his enemies to be put under his control. 14 By that one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy.
15 The Holy Spirit also speaks to us about this. First he says,
16 ‘This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts.
I will write my laws on their minds.’ (Jeremiah 31:33)
17 Then he adds,
‘I will not remember their sins anymore.
I will not remember the evil things they have done.’ (Jeremiah 31:34)
18 Where these sins have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer necessary.
19 Brothers and sisters, we are not afraid to enter the Most Holy Room. We enter boldly because of the blood of Jesus. 20 His way is new because he lives. It has been opened for us through the curtain. I'm talking about his body. 21 We also have a great priest over the house of God. 22 So let us come near to God with a sincere heart. Let us come near boldly because of our faith. Our hearts have been sprinkled. Our minds have been cleansed from a sense of guilt. Our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold firmly to the hope we claim to have. The God who promised is faithful. 24 Let us consider how we can stir up one another to love. Let us help one another to do good works. 25 And let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this. Instead, let us encourage one another with words of hope. Let us do this even more as you see Christ's return approaching.
10:1–25 In his work as priest, Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice on the cross. Those who believe in him are forgiven of their sins for ever. That is how Jesus broke the power of sin. And he broke the power of death when God raised him from the dead. In the future all of God's enemies will be put completely under Jesus' control. In the holy tent and the temple, only the high priest could be close to God. That happened in the Most Holy Room. It was separated from other rooms by a curtain. The Most Holy Room was a copy of the place where God rules in heaven. After his resurrection, Jesus went to the real place in heaven where God rules. He remains there. He makes it possible for his followers to also be in God's presence. His followers enter into God's presence by believing in Jesus. Jesus' body is like a curtain that believers enter through. They go through it into the Most Holy Room where God is. The author of Hebrews wanted his readers to come to God boldly. They didn't need to be afraid of God. They were to encourage one another to stay near to God. Being forgiven of sin and being in God's presence fills believers with hope. It fills them with the desire to do good works and to show love to others.
26 What if we keep sinning on purpose? What if we do it even after we know the truth? Then there is no offering for our sins. 27 All we can do is to wait in fear for God to judge. His blazing fire will burn up his enemies. 28 Suppose someone did not obey the law of Moses. And suppose two or three witnesses made charges against them. That person would die without mercy. 29 People who deserve even more punishment include those who have hated the Son of God. They include people who have said no to him. They include people who have treated as unholy the blood of the covenant that makes them holy. They also include people who have disrespected the Holy Spirit who brings God's grace. Don't you think people like this should be punished more than anyone else? 30 We know the God who said, ‘I am the God who judges people. I will pay them back.’ (Deuteronomy 32:35\rq*) Scripture also says, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ (\rq Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalm 135:14) 31 It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 Remember those earlier days after you received the light. You remained strong in a great battle that was full of suffering. 33 Sometimes people spoke badly about you in front of others. Sometimes you were treated badly. At other times you stood side by side with people being treated like this. 34 You suffered along with people in prison. When your property was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew that God had given you better and more lasting things. 35 So don't throw away your bold faith. It will bring you rich rewards.
36 You need to be faithful. Then you will do what God wants. You will receive what he has promised.
37 ‘In just a little while,
he who is coming will come.
He will not wait any longer.’
38 And,
‘The one who is right with God will live by faith.
And I am not pleased with
the one who pulls back.’ (Habakkuk 2:3, 4)
39 But we don't belong to the people who pull back and are destroyed. We belong to the people who believe and are saved.
10:26–39 The believers who received the letter of Hebrews had been treated badly for their faith. Unbelievers spoke badly about them, stole their property and put them in prison. Yet the believers had remained faithful to Jesus even as they suffered. The author of Hebrews wanted them to keep being faithful to God. Then when Jesus returns they will enjoy what God promised to give them. The author didn't want them to throw away their faith. That would happen if they kept on sinning on purpose. It would happen if they said they didn't know Jesus. They were tempted to do that in order to stop being treated badly. But believers who do that no longer come near to God boldly. Instead they wait in fear for judgement day. They are like all the people who don't want to receive God's grace. Such people refuse to be saved from death. God doesn't force people to accept his gifts.