1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming – not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.2Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshippers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.3But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.4It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;6with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.7Then I said, “Here I am – it is written about me in the scroll – I have come to do your will, my God.” ’[1] (Ps 40:6)8First he said, ‘Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them’ – though they were offered in accordance with the law.9Then he said, ‘Here I am, I have come to do your will.’ He sets aside the first to establish the second.10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.11Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.12But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,13and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.14For by one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy.15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:16‘This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.’ (Jer 31:33)17Then he adds: ‘Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.’ (Jer 31:34)18And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.
A call to persevere in faith
19Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,20by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,21and since we have a great priest over the house of God,22let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.24And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds,25not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,27but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.29How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?30For we know him who said, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ and again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’[2] (De 32:35; De 32:36; Ps 135:14)31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.32Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.33Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.34You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.37For, ‘In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.’[3] (Isa 26:20; Hab 2:3)38And, ‘But my righteous[4] one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.’[5] (Hab 2:4)39But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
Hebrews 10
English Standard Version
Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All
1For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. (Col 2:17; Heb 8:5; Heb 9:9; Heb 9:11)2Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?3But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. (Le 16:21; Heb 9:7)4For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Heb 10:11)5Consequently, when Christ[1] came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; (Ps 40:6; Heb 1:6)6in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.7Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”8When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), (Heb 10:5)9then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. (Heb 10:7)10And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Mt 26:26; Mr 14:22; Lu 22:19; 1Co 11:24; Heb 2:11; Heb 7:27; Heb 9:12; Heb 10:5; Heb 13:12)11And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. (Nu 28:3; Heb 5:1; Heb 9:9; Heb 10:1; Heb 10:4)12But when Christ[2] had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, (Mr 16:19; Heb 1:3)13waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. (1Co 15:25; Heb 1:13)14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. (Heb 10:1)15And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,16“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” (Jer 31:33; Ro 11:27; Heb 8:10)17then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” (Jer 31:34; Heb 8:12)18Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
The Full Assurance of Faith
19Therefore, brothers,[3] since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, (Heb 4:16; Heb 9:25)20by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, (Joh 10:9; Joh 14:6; Heb 9:3; Heb 9:8)21and since we have a great priest over the house of God, (Zec 6:11; Heb 2:17; Heb 4:14)22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Eze 36:25; 1Co 6:11; 2Co 7:1; Heb 9:14; Heb 12:24; 1Pe 1:2)23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (1Co 1:9; Heb 4:14; Heb 11:11)24And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, (Heb 3:13)25not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Ac 2:42; Ro 13:11; 1Co 3:13)26For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, (Nu 15:30; De 17:12; Heb 6:4; Heb 6:6; 2Pe 2:20; 1Jo 5:16)27but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. (Ps 79:5; Isa 26:11; Eze 36:5; Zep 1:18; Zep 3:8; Zec 8:2; 2Th 1:8; Heb 2:3; Heb 12:25)28Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. (Nu 35:30; De 17:2)29How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? (Zec 9:11; Mt 12:31; Eph 4:30; Heb 6:6; Heb 9:13; Heb 13:20)30For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” (De 32:35; De 32:36; Ps 50:4; Ps 135:14; Ro 12:19)31It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. (Isa 33:14; Lu 12:5)32But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, (Php 1:30; Heb 6:4)33sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. (1Co 4:9)34For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. (Mt 5:12; Mt 25:36; 2Ti 1:16; Heb 13:3; 1Pe 1:4)35Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. (Heb 2:2; Heb 11:26)36For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. (Mt 10:22; Lu 21:19; Ro 2:7; Ro 12:12; Heb 11:39; Heb 12:1; Heb 13:21; 1Jo 2:17)37For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; (Isa 26:20; Hab 2:3; Hag 2:6; Lu 18:8)38but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” (Ro 1:17; Ga 3:11)39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.