26 For it was fitting for us to have such a ahigh priest, bholy, cinnocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and dexalted above the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to aoffer up sacrifices, bfirst for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did conce for all when He doffered up Himself. 28 For the Law appoints men as high priests awho are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints ba Son, who has been cmade perfect forever.
Jesus, High Priest of a New Covenant
Now the main point in what is being said is this: we have such a ahigh priest, who sat down at bthe right hand of the throne of the bMajesty in the heavens, 2 a aminister in the holy places and in the btrue tabernacle, which the Lord cpitched, not man. 3 For every ahigh priest is appointed bto offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. 4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who aoffer the gifts according to the Law; 5 who serve aa copy and bshadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was cwarned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “dSee,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the amediator of ba better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. 7 For aif that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. 8 For finding fault with them, He says,
“aBehold, days are coming, says the Lord,
When I will complete ba new covenant
With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
9 aNot like the covenant which I made with their fathers
In the day when I took them by the hand
To lead them out of the land of Egypt;
For they did not continue in My covenant,
And I did not care for them, says the Lord.
10 aFor this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws into their minds,
And bupon their hearts I will write them.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.
11 aAnd they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen,
And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
For ball will know Me,
From the least to the greatest of them.
12 aFor I will be merciful to their iniquities,
bAnd I will remember their sins no more.”
13 When He said, “aA new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. bBut whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.
The Old Covenant
Now even the first covenant had arequirements of divine worship and bthe earthly sanctuary. 2 For there was aa tabernacle prepared: the first part, in which were bthe lampstand and cthe table and dthe sacred bread, which is called the holy place. 3 And behind athe second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the bHoly of Holies, 4 having a golden aaltar of incense and bthe ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was ca golden jar holding the manna, and dAaron’s rod which budded, and ethe tablets of the covenant. 5 And above it were the acherubim of glory bovershadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests aare continually entering the first part of the tabernacle performing the divine worship, 7 but into athe second, only bthe high priest enters conce a year, dnot without taking blood, which he eoffers for himself and for the fsins of the people committed in ignorance. 8 aThe Holy Spirit is indicating this, bthat the way into the holy places has not yet been manifested while that first part of the tabernacle is still standing, 9 which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly aboth gifts and sacrifices are offered which bcannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, 10 since they relate only to afood and bdrink and various cwashings, drequirements for the body imposed until ea time of reformation.
The New Covenant
11 But when Christ appeared as a ahigh priest of the bgood things to come, He entered through cthe greater and more perfect tabernacle, dnot made with hands, that is to say, enot of this creation, 12 and not through athe blood of goats and calves, but bthrough His own blood, He centered the holy places donce for all, having obtained eeternal redemption.