9:1 Indeed, then, even[1] the first covenant had regulations of service, and the earthly holy place. 2 For a tent[2] was prepared, the first, in which were the lampstand and the table and the presentation of the loaves,[3] which is called the holy place. 3 And after the second veil, a tent, the one being called the Holy of holies, 4 having the golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant having been covered on all sides with gold, in which were the golden jar holding the manna, and the rod of Aaron that budded, and the tables of the covenant. 5 And above it are the Cherubim[4] of glory overshadowing the atonement cover,[5] concerning which things we are not now speaking to in detail.
6 And these things having been so prepared, the priests continually enter into the first tent, performing the services. 7 But into the second only the high priest enters, once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and the people’s sins of ignorance. 8 By this the Holy Spirit is indicating that the way to the Holy of holies[6] was not yet made manifest, since the first tent is still standing.[7] 9 This is a figure for the time then[8] present, during which[9] both gifts and sacrifices being offered are not able to make perfect the conscience of the one serving, 10 dealing only with food and drink, and various washings, and regulations[10] of the body imposed until the time of reformation.
11 But Christ having come as a High Priest of the good things about to come,[11] through a greater and more perfect tent not made by hand (that is, not of this creation), 12 not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered once for all into the Holy of holies, having secured eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats[12] and ashes of a heifer sprinkling those having been made common[13] makes holy for the cleansing of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who by the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, purify your[14] conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
15 And because of this, He is the mediator of a new covenant, in order that, a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions committed during the first covenant, those having been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a testament[15] is, the death of the testator must be established. 17 For a testament is valid at death, since it is not in force when the one having made the will lives. 18 So not even[16] the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For having spoken every commandment according to the[17] law by Moses to all the people, having taken the blood of the calves and goats,[18] with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, he sprinkled both the book[19] itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded to you.” 21 And both the tent and all the vessels of service he likewise sprinkled with blood. 22 And almost all things are purified with blood according to the law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ[20] did not enter into the holy places[21] made with hands, representations of the true places, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, even as the high priest enters into the holy places every year, with the blood of another. 26 Otherwise He must often have suffered from the foundation of the world. But now[22] once at the consummation of the ages He has been made known for the setting aside of sin[23] by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And inasmuch as it is appointed[24] for men once to die, and after this, judgment, 28 so also the Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time apart from sin to those eagerly waiting for Him for salvation.
[1] Verse 1 – Byz, M, Tisch & TR read καὶ, even. WH, NU, following a half dozen or more Grk MSS, bracket the conjunction (i.e., [καὶ]) to indicate their doubtfulness of the reading.
[2] Verse 2 – Traditionally, tabernacle. Also in verses 3, 6, 8, 11, 21.
[3] Verse 2 – Traditionally, showbread.
[4] Verse 5 – Byz, M & TR read Χερουβὶμ, Cherubim, a Grk transliteration of the Heb כְּרֻבִים . Tis, following three Grk MSS, reads Χερουβεὶν, while WH, NU, following three other Grk MSS, read Χερουβὶν.
[5] Verse 5 – Or, place of atonement. Traditionally, mercy-seat.
[6] Verse 8 – Literally, of the holy places. Also at verse 12.
[7] Verse 8 – Literally, the first tent yet having a standing.
[8] Verse 9 – Literally, having been.
[9] Verse 9 – Byz, M & TR read ὃν (accusative masculine singular pronoun), which. Tis, WH & NU, following about a dozen Grk MSS, read ἣν (accusative feminine singular pronoun), which.
[10] Verse 10 – Byz, M & TR read καὶ δικαιώμασιν (dative neuter plural noun), and regulations. Tis, WH & NU, following about a dozen Grk MSS, omit the conjunction καὶ, and. Also, they read instead δικαιώματα (nominative neuter plural noun), regulations.
[11] Verse 11 – Byz, M, TR & Tis read μελλόντων, about to come. WH & NU, following four Grk MSS, read γενομένων, having come.
[12] Verse 13 – Byz, M & TR read ταύρων καὶ τράγων, of bulls and of goats. Tis, WH & NU, following nine Grk MSS, read τράγων καὶ ταύρων, of goats and of bulls.
[13] Verse 13 – Or, unclean, or defiled.
[14] Verse 14 – Byz, M, TR & Tis read ὑμῶν (second person plural genitive pronoun), your. WH & NU, following more than a dozen Grk MSS, read ἡμῶν (first person plural genitive pronoun), our.
[15] Verse 16 – Or, will. The Grk noun διαθήκη can mean either covenant or will/testament. Also verse 17.
[16] Verse 18 – Byz, M, TR & Tis read οὐδ᾽, not even. WH & NU, following a half dozen or so Grk MSS, read οὐδὲ, not even. The form of the conjunction οὐδὲ is elided to οὐδ᾽ before the definite article ἡ, but the meaning is the same.
[17] Verse 19 – Byz, M, TR & Tis read νόμον, law. WH & NU, following about a dozen Grk MSS, read τὸν νόμον, the law.
[18] Verse 19 – Byz, M & TR read τῶν μόσχων καὶ τράγων, the calves and goats. Tis & WH, following about a dozen Grk MSS, read τῶν μόσχων καὶ τῶν τράγων, the calves and the goats. NU reads [καὶ τῶν τράγων], bracketing the phrase to indicate doubtfulness. This betrays a leaning towards (but not firm commitment to) the reading found in nearly a dozen other Grk MSS that omit καὶ τῶν τράγων, and the goats.
[19] Verse 19 – Or, scroll.
[20] Verse 24 – Byz, M & TR read ὁ Χριστός, the Christ. Tis, WH & NU, following a half dozen or so Grk MSS, omit the definite article ὁ.
[21] Verse 24 – Byz, M & TR read ἅγια εἰσῆλθεν, holy places entered. Tis, WH & NU, following a half dozen Grk MSS, transpose the word order, i.e., εἰσῆλθεν ἅγια.
[22] Verse 26 – Byz, M & TR read νῦν, now. Tis, WH & NU, following eight or nine Grk MSS, read the more emphatic form νυνὶ, also translated now.
[23] Verse 26 – Byz, M, TR & Tis read ἁμαρτίας, sin. WH, following nearly a dozen Grk MSS, adds the definite article, reading τῆς ἁμαρτίας, the sin. NU brackets the definite article, reading [τῆς] ἁμαρτίας, favoring the WH reading while also casting it in doubt.
[24] Verse 27 – Or, reserved. Literally, laid or treasured up.