Hebrews 9 - Amplified Bible(AMP)

The Old and the New

1Now even the first covenant had regulations for divine worship and for the earthly sanctuary.

2A tabernacle (sacred tent) was put up, the outer one or first section, in which were the lampstand and the table with the sacred showbread; this is called the Holy Place.

3Behind the second veil there was another tabernacle known as the Holy of Holies,

4having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered entirely with gold. This contained a golden jar which held the manna, and the rod of Aaron that sprouted, and the tablets of the covenant;

5and above the ark were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but we cannot now go into detail about these things.

6Now when these things have been prepared in this way, the priests continually enter the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship,

7but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.

8By this the Holy Spirit signifies that the way into the Holy Place has not yet been disclosed as long as the first or outer tabernacle is still standing,

9for this is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which are incapable of perfecting the conscience and renewing the worshiper.

10For they deal only with food and drink and various ritual washings, external regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

11But when Christ appeared as a High Priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not a part of this creation.

12He went once for all into the Holy Place, and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, having obtained and secured eternal redemption.

13For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer is sufficient for the cleansing of the body,

14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit willingly offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the ever living God?

15For this reason He is the Mediator and Negotiator of a new covenant, so that those who have been called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has taken place which redeems them from the sins committed under the obsolete first covenant.

16For where there is a will and testament involved, the death of the one who made it must be established,

17for a will and testament takes effect at death, since it is never in force as long as the one who made it is alive.

18So even the first covenant was not put in force without blood.

19For when every commandment in the Law had been read by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of the calves and goats, together with water and scarlet wool and with a bunch of hyssop, and he sprinkled both the scroll itself and all the people,

20saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God ordained and commanded you.”

21And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the containers and sacred utensils of worship with the blood.

22In fact under the Law almost everything is cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves required far better sacrifices than these.

24For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the very presence of God on our behalf;

25nor did He offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.

26Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer over and over since the foundation of the world; but now once for all at the consummation of the ages He has appeared and been publicly manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

27And just as it is appointed and destined for all men to die once and after this judgment,

28so Christ, having been offered once and once for all to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly and confidently waiting for Him.