c. v. 6

CHAPTER VIII.

Now,

the sum of what hath been said, is this:

2 We have such an High Priest, who sitteth on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens ;

3 a minister of the true Holy of Holies, and of the true tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched, not man :

4 for, every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it was necessary, that this one also should have some thing to offer:

5 but, if he were on earth, he would not be a priest; there being already those who offer the gifts prescribed by the law,

6 who minister to the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, made according as Moses was enjoined, when he was about to execute the tabernacle: for, Exod. xxv. 40. "See, saith he, that thou make "all things according to the "pattern which was shewed to "thee on the mount :"

66

me, from the least to the greatest of them:

13" for, I will be merciful "to their iniquities, and their "sins I will remember no "more."

14 In saying, "A New Co"venant," he superannuated the first: but, that which is superannuated and grown aged, is at the point of disappearing.

Exod. xxx. 1, 6, 7.

Num. xxvii.

CHAPTER IX.

BUT, the First Covenant,

also, had its ordinances of worship, and its worldly Holy Place:

2 for, first, the tabernacle Iwas formed in which were the candlestick, and the table and shew-bread, and the golden altar for incense; which tabernacle is called Holy:

3 and, secondly, after the Veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,

4 which contained the ark of the covenant, overlaid entirely with gold within which were kept the golden vessel that

Exod. xvi. 32. held the manna, and Aaron's rod that had budded, and the tables of the Covenant:

10. Deut. xxxi. 26.

Exod. xxv. 18-21.

5 and, above it, were the two cherubs of glory, over-shadowing the mercy-seat; of which it is not now necessary to speak severally.

6 And, when these things had been thus completed, the priests who performed the service went, at all times, into the first tabernacle ;

7 but, into the second, the high priest alone entered, once only in the year; but not without blood, which he offered for the errors of himself and of the people:

8 the Holy Spirit signifying Rev. xi. 19; this; that the way into the Holiest Place was not laid

xv. 5.

open, while the first tabernacle was still standing,

9 which first tabernacle was a figure relating to the present time; according to which figure, both gifts and sacrifices were offered, but such as were not able to make the wor- Ezek. xx. 25. shipper perfect, as to his conscience;

10 only in respect of meats, and drinks, and various washings and ordinances of the flesh, imposed until the time of rectification.

11 But, when Christ came, a High Priest of the good things that were come; through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

12 nor with the blood of goats and of calves, but with his own blood, he entered, once for all, into the Holiest Place, having obtained for us eternal redemption.

13 For, if the blood of goats, and of bulls, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh;

14 how much rather will the blood of Christ, who, through his eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purify our conscience from dead works, to serve the living

God?

15 And, for this cause, he is

D D

c. x. 2.

c. x. 20.

6-9.

the Mediator of a New Covenant; that, as his death was accepted as a ransom from the transgressions under the First Covenant, so, they who are now called, may receive the promise of the eternal inherit

ance:

16 for, where a covenant is made, the death of the interposed sacrifice must of necessity be endured:

17 for, a covenant is confirmed only over lifeless bodies; since it hath no force while the interposed sacrifice is living:

18 wherefore, neither was the First Covenant instituted without blood;

19 for, after the whole commandment of the law had been Exod. xxiv. pronounced by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of the calves, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and also the Book, and sprinkled all the people,

Ib. v. 8.

20 saying, "This is the blood "of the Covenant which God "hath ratified to you:"

21 and he sprinkled also, with blood, both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry;

22 and almost all things, according to the law, are purified with blood, and without bloodshedding is no remission.

23 It was necessary, therefore, that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with those sacri

fices; but, the heavenly things. themselves, with better sacrifices than those;

24 for, Christ is not entered into the Holiest Place made with hands, which was only a copy of the true one; but, into heaven itself, now to appear

in the presence of God on behalf of us:

25 and, not to offer himself often, as the high-priest entereth into the Holiest Place, every year, with blood of others;

26 for, then he must have suffered often, since the foundation of the world: but now, in the end of the world, he hath been manifested, once for all, for the cancelling of sin, by the sacrifice of himself.

27 And, as it is appointed to men once to die, and after that the judgment;

28 so also Christ, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, will appear the second time without sin, to those who look to him, through faith, for salvation.

CHAPTER X.

FOR, the law having only a shadow of the good things that were to come, and not the very image of the things, they could never, by the sacrifices which they continually offer,

year after year, make those who come to them perfect : 2 for then, they would not cease to be offered; because, the several worshippers, having been once purified, would no longer have conscience of their sins:

3 but, in those sacrifices, a remembrance of their sins is renewed every year:

4 for, it is impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

5 Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, "Sacrifice and offering thou "wouldest not, but thou hast

ministering daily, and offering often the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;

12 but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins, sat down for ever on the right hand of God;

13 waiting, from thenceforth, until his enemies shall be made his footstool:

14 for, by one offering he hath perfected, for ever, them that are sanctified.

15 And the Holy Spirit beareth witness to us: for, after having said,

16 "This is the Covenant "that I will make with them "after those days, saith the "Lord, I will put my laws

"into their hearts, and will "write them in their mind;" John, iv. 23.

17 he afterwards saith, " And "their sins and iniquities I "will remember no more :"

18 now, where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19 Having therefore, brethren, confidence by the blood of Jesus in that entrance to the Holiest Place,

20 which He hath opened for us, as a new and living way through the Veil, that is, through his flesh;

21 and having a High Priest over the house of God;

22 let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of

c. vi. 4.

from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure

water:

23 let us hold fast the profession of our faith, without wavering; (for he who promised is faithful;)

24 and let us regard each other, to provoke to love and to good works:

25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the custom of some is; but, exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching:

26 for, if we sin wilfully after having received the knowledge 2 Pet. ii. 21. of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remaineth;

27 but, a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and of 1 Thess. i. a fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

c. ii. 1-3.

28 He who disregarded the law of Moses, died without pity, under two or three witnesses : 29 of how much worse a pu nishment, think ye, he will be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath accounted unholy the blood of the Covenant with which he hath been sanctified; and hath outraged the Spirit of grace?

30 For, we know who hath said, "Vengeance belongeth to "me, I will recompense, saith "the Lord:" and again, "The "Lord will judge his people:"

31 it is a fearful thing, to fall Luke, xii. 7. into the hands of the living God!

32 But, call ye to remembrance your former days, in which, after ye had been enlightened, ye endured a great conflict of sufferings;

33 partly, whilst ye yourselves were publicly exposed to revilings and tribulations; and partly, when ye became companions of them that were so treated:

34 for truly, ye suffered with me in my bonds, and took joyfully the plundering of your goods; knowing, that ye have for yourselves, in heaven, a better and a lasting possession. 35 Cast not from you, therefore, your confidence, which hath a great recompense of reward;

36 for ye have need of patience, that, when ye shall have done the will of God, ye may receive his promise:

37 for yet, but a little while, and "he who cometh will Hab. ii. 3, 6 come, and will not delay: