Hebrews 9 - NKJV Bible Online

Hebrews 9

The Earthly Sanctuary

Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and ^athe earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the ¹sanctuary; 3 ^aand behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 which had the ^agolden censer and ^bthe ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were ^cthe golden pot that had the manna, ^dAaron’s rod that budded, and ^ethe tablets of the covenant; 5 and ^aabove it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

Limitations of the Earthly Service

6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, ^athe priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone ^aonce a year, not without blood, which he offered for ^bhimself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that ^athe way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered ^awhich cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience— 10 concerned only with ^afoods and drinks, ^bvarious ¹washings, ^cand fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

The Heavenly Sanctuary

11 But Christ came as High Priest of ^athe good things ¹to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not ^awith the blood of goats and calves, but ^bwith His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place ^conce for all, ^dhaving obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if ^athe blood of bulls and goats and ^bthe ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, ¹sanctifies for the ²purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without ¹spot to God, ^acleanse your conscience from ^bdead works ^cto serve the living God? 15 And for this reason ^aHe is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that ^bthose who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

The Mediator’s Death Necessary

16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For ^aa testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18 ^aTherefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every ¹precept to all the people according to the law, ^ahe took the blood of calves and goats, ^bwith water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, ^a“This is the ^bblood of the covenant which God has commanded you.” 21 Then likewise ^ahe sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are ¹purified with blood, and ^awithout shedding of blood there is no ²remission.

Greatness of Christ’s Sacrifice

23 Therefore it was necessary that ^athe copies of the things in the heavens should be ¹purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For ^aChrist has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are ¹copies of ^bthe true, but into heaven itself, now ^cto appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as ^athe high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 ^aAnd as it is appointed for men to die once, ^bbut after this the judgment, 28 so ^aChrist was ^boffered once to bear the sins ^cof many. To those who ^deagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

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