1 T he first therefore also indeed had ordinances of service, and the sanctuary, a worldly one.

2 F or a tabernacle was set up; the first, in which both the candlestick and the table and the exposition of the loaves, which is called Holy;

3 b ut after the second veil a tabernacle which is called Holy of holies,

4 h aving a golden censer, and the ark of the covenant, covered round in every part with gold, in which the golden pot that had the manna, and the rod of Aaron that had sprouted, and the tables of the covenant;

5 a nd above over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy-seat; concerning which it is not now to speak in detail.

6 N ow these things being thus ordered, into the first tabernacle the priests enter at all times, accomplishing the services;

7 b ut into the second, the high priest only, once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people:

8 t he Holy Spirit shewing this, that the way of the holies has not yet been made manifest while as yet the first tabernacle has standing;

9 t he which an image for the present time, according to which both gifts and sacrifices, unable to perfect as to conscience him that worshipped, are offered,

10 o nly of meats and drinks and divers washings, ordinances of flesh, imposed until time of setting things right.

11 B ut Christ being come high priest of the good things to come, by the better and more perfect tabernacle not made with hand, (that is, not of this creation,)

12 n or by blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, has entered in once for all into the holies, having found an eternal redemption.

13 F or if the blood of goats and bulls, and a heifer's ashes sprinkling the defiled, sanctifies for the purity of the flesh,

14 h ow much rather shall the blood of the Christ, who by the eternal Spirit offered himself spotless to God, purify your conscience from dead works to worship living God?

15 A nd for this reason he is mediator of a new covenant, so that, death having taken place for redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, the called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

16 ( For where a testament, the death of the testator must needs come in.

17 F or a testament of force when men are dead, since it is in no way of force while the testator is alive.)

18 W hence neither the first was inaugurated without blood.

19 F or every commandment having been spoken according to law by Moses to all the people; having taken the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, he sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

20 s aying, This the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined to you.

21 A nd the tabernacle too and all the vessels of service he sprinkled in like manner with blood;

22 a nd almost all things are purified with blood according to the law, and without blood-shedding there is no remission.

23 n ecessary then that the figurative representations of the things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with sacrifices better than these.

24 F or the Christ is not entered into holy places made with hand, figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us:

25 n or in order that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy places every year with blood not his own;

26 s ince he had been obliged often to suffer from the foundation of the world. But now once in the consummation of the ages he has been manifested for putting away of sin by his sacrifice.

27 A nd forasmuch as it is the portion of men once to die, and after this judgment;

28 t hus the Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear to those that look for him the second time without sin for salvation.