Hebrews 9

1 Now the first [primitive, initial] covenant had regulations [ordinances, divine service] for worship [ministry, serving God] and also an earthly [worldly, terrestrial] sanctuary [holy place, tabernacle]. word study 2 A tabernacle [a sacred tent] was prepared [made ready, set in order]. In its first room were the lampstand [candlestick], the table [for the showbread], and the consecrated bread [sacred loaves]. This was called [designated as] the Holy Place [sanctuary]. word study 3 Behind [after, following] the second curtain [veil, partition] was a room [tabernacle] called [named] the Most Holy Place [Holy of holies], word study 4 containing the golden [made of gold, overlaid with gold] altar of incense [for burning perfumes, a place of fumigation] and the gold-covered [overlaid round about with gold] ark of the covenant [a wooden box, the agreement chest]. Inside the ark were the gold [golden, made of gold] jar [vessel, container] of manna [a special food], Aaron’s [the brother of Moses, a high priest] staff [rod, walking stick] that had budded [sprouted, germinated], and the stone [flat, level] tablets [plates, slabs] of the covenant [a formal agreement, a promise]. word study 5 Above [over, higher than] the ark were the cherubim [angelic beings, heavenly guardians] of glory [honor, praise, divine splendor], overshadowing [protecting, covering with a shadow] the mercy seat [propitiatory, place of atonement]. But we cannot [it is not possible for us] discuss these things [speak particularly, go into detail] in detail now [at this present time]. word study 6 When everything [having been thus ordained, in this way] had been prepared [set up, made ready] in this way, the priests [those who serve God, ministers] entered [went into, came into] regularly [always, continually] into the first room [tabernacle, sacred tent] to perform [accomplish, complete] their sacred [holy, divine] duties [ministries, services of God]. word study 7 But only the high priest [alone, solitary] entered the second room [the inner sanctuary], and then only once [one time, annually] a year, and never without [separately from, apart from] blood [the atoning sacrifice], which he offered [brought to, presented] for himself [his own sins, his own behalf] and for the sins [errors, ignorances] the people [a nation, a group] had committed [done unintentionally, erred] in ignorance [unintentional sin, unawareness]. word study 8 By this arrangement [indicating a divine plan] the Holy Spirit [the divine Presence, Spirit of God] was showing [making clear, revealing] that the way [road, path] into the Most Holy Place [the inner sanctuary, the presence of God] had not yet [at this time, still not] been disclosed [revealed, made manifest] as long as the first tabernacle [tent, sacred dwelling] was still [yet, ongoing] standing [in existence, upright]. word study 9 It is an illustration [a figure, parable] for the present time [the current age, this era], because the gifts [offerings, sacrifices] and sacrifices [atonements, sacred offerings] being offered [brought to, presented] were unable [not capable, powerless] to cleanse [purify, make holy] the conscience [moral awareness, inner sense] of the worshiper [one who serves, minister]. word study 10 They consist only [merely, alone] in food [physical or spiritual nourishment] and drink [any kind of liquid] and special [diverse, various] washings [ceremonial cleansings, baptisms]—external [fleshly, carnal] regulations [ordinances, rules] imposed [laid on, placed upon] until [up to a certain point in time] the time [opportune moment, season] of reform [reformation, correction, making things right]. word study 11 But when Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] came as high priest [chief spiritual leader] of the good things [beneficial, righteous] that have come, He went through [entered, passed into] the greater [larger, more superior] and more perfect [complete, mature] tabernacle [tent, sacred dwelling] that is not made [constructed, created] by hands [human effort] and is not a part of this creation [the world, universe]. word study 12 He did not enter by the blood [of sacrifice, atoning] of goats [he-goats, used in ritual] and calves [young bullocks, as offerings], but He entered the Most Holy Place [the inner sanctuary, sacred area] once for all [at one time, once and for all] by His own blood [personal, voluntary sacrifice], thus securing [obtaining, gaining] eternal [lasting forever, age-during] redemption [deliverance, freedom from sin]. word study 13 For [as a reason, explaining why] if the blood of goats [he-goats, used in sacrifice] and bulls [young male cattle] and the ashes [remnants of something burned, symbolizing repentance] of a heifer [a young female cow] sprinkled [poured or scattered in a ceremonial sense] on those who are ceremonially unclean [defiled, made impure] sanctify [make holy, set apart] them so that their bodies [physical flesh, human form] are clean [pure, free from dirt or sin, having cleanness], word study 14 how much more [to a greater degree] will the blood [the atoning sacrifice] of Christ [the Anointed One], who through the eternal [age-lasting] Spirit [the divine breath] offered Himself [as a willing sacrifice] unblemished [without fault, blameless] to God [the supreme Deity], purify [cleanse, make pure] our consciences [moral awareness] from works [deeds, actions] of death [spiritual lifelessness], so that we may serve [minister, worship] the living [eternally existing] God [the one true God]! word study 15 Therefore Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] is the mediator [a go-between, reconciler] of a new [fresh, renewed] covenant [agreement, promise], so that those who are called [invited, summoned] may receive [take, accept] the promised [assured, guaranteed] eternal [lasting forever, age-during] inheritance [possession, legacy], now that He has died [given His life, sacrificed] to redeem [set free, rescue] them from the transgressions [violations, sins] committed [done, carried out] under the first [original, preceding] covenant [agreement, testament]. word study 16 In the case of a [last will and testament, covenant] will, it is necessary [of necessity, by requirement] to establish the [physical or spiritual] death of the one [testator, the covenant-victim] who made it, word study 17 because a will [or covenant] does not take effect [be strong] until the one who made it [the testator] has died [become lifeless]; it cannot be executed [have force] while he is still alive [living]. word study 18 That is why [whence, from which source] even the first [initial, foremost] covenant [agreement, testament] was not put into effect [dedicated, inaugurated] without [separately from, apart from] blood [the atoning blood of Christ, literal or figurative]. word study 19 For when Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] had proclaimed every commandment [divine instruction] of the law [God’s covenant rules] to all [every single one] the people, he took the blood of calves [young bullocks] and goats [he-goats], along with water [purification], scarlet [crimson-colored] wool, and hyssop [a plant used in rituals], and sprinkled [scattered or poured liquid over] the scroll [written document] and all [every single one] the people, word study 20 saying, “This [the sign of the agreement] is the blood [literally or figuratively, as in atoning] of the covenant [a formal agreement or contract between two parties], which God [the one true deity] has commanded [ordered or given instruction] you to keep [obey or fulfill].” word study 21 In the same way [similarly, in a like manner], he sprinkled [poured, scattered] with blood [the atoning blood of Christ] the tabernacle [the tent, a sacred dwelling place] and all [every, everything] the vessels [implements, utensils] used in worship [ministry, religious service] [including all the items used for sacred rituals]. word study 22 According to the law [as stated in Scripture, following Moses’ teachings], in fact, nearly [almost, very close to] everything must be purified [cleansed, made ritually clean] with blood [the atoning blood of Christ], and without [apart from, separately from] the shedding of blood [bloodshed, the act of shedding blood] there is no [none, absolutely no] forgiveness [pardon, remission of sin]. word study 23 So it was necessary [a divine requirement, an unavoidable need] for the copies [patterns, examples] of the heavenly things [things in heaven, spiritual realities] to be purified [cleansed, made holy] with these sacrifices [ritual offerings, atonements], but the heavenly things [things in the spiritual realm] themselves with better [stronger, more excellent] sacrifices [offerings to God] than these [the earthly, symbolic ones]. word study 24 For Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] did not enter a man-made [handcrafted, constructed by humans] copy [representation, antitype] of the true [authentic, genuine] sanctuary [holy place, temple], but He entered [to go into, to penetrate] heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling] itself [the very presence of God], now [at this present time, currently] to appear [to be manifested, to show Himself] on our behalf [for our benefit, in our place] in the presence [before the face, in the sight] of God [the Supreme Deity, Creator]. word study 25 Nor did He enter [the heavenly sanctuary] heaven to offer [sacrifice, present] Himself again and again [frequently, many times], as the high priest [chief spiritual leader] enters the Most Holy Place [the innermost sacred area] every year [annually, year by year] with blood [the atoning sacrifice] that is not [belonging to another, someone else’s] his own. word study 26 Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly [often, many times] since the foundation [beginning, conception] of the world [the earth, human history]. But now He has appeared [been manifested, revealed] once [one time] for all at the end [consummation, completion] of the ages [a long period of time, eternity] to do away with [put away, nullify] sin [missing the mark, falling short of God’s standards] by the sacrifice [offering, gift] of Himself [His own life, His own body]. word study 27 Just as [in the same manner, according to God’s plan] man [human beings, people] is appointed [destined, laid up] to die [stop living, pass away] once [one time, for all], and after that [following, subsequent to] to face [encounter, experience] judgment [divine verdict, decision], word study 28 so also Christ [the anointed Messiah] was offered [sacrificed, once for all] once to bear [carry, take away] the sins [transgressions, missing the mark] of many [a large multitude]; and He will appear [be seen, revealed] a second time [again, without sin], not to bear [carry, atone for] sin [transgression, rebellion], but to bring [bestow, provide] salvation [rescue, spiritual deliverance] to those who eagerly await [expect, look for] Him. word study