1 The Jewish Law is not a full and faithful model of the real things; it is only a faint outline of the good things to come. The same sacrifices are offered forever, year after year. How can the Law, then, by means of these sacrifices make perfect the people who come to God? 2 If the people worshiping God had really been purified from their sins, they would not feel guilty of sin any more, and all sacrifices would stop. 3 As it is, however, the sacrifices serve year after year to remind people of their sins. 4 For the blood of bulls and goats can never take away sins.
5 For this reason, when Christ was about to come into the world, he said to God:
“You do not want sacrifices and offerings,
but you have prepared a body for me.
6 You are not pleased with animals burned whole on the altar
or with sacrifices to take away sins.
7 Then I said, ‘Here I am,
to do your will, O God,
just as it is written of me in the book of the Law.’”
8 First he said, “You neither want nor are you pleased with sacrifices and offerings or with animals burned on the altar and the sacrifices to take away sins.” He said this even though all these sacrifices are offered according to the Law. 9 Then he said, “Here I am, O God, to do your will.” So God does away with all the old sacrifices and puts the sacrifice of Christ in their place. 10 Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do, we are all purified from sin by the offering that he made of his own body once and for all.
11 Every Jewish priest performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times; but these sacrifices can never take away sins. 12 Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective forever, and then he sat down at the right side of God. 13 There he now waits until God puts his enemies as a footstool under his feet. 14 With one sacrifice, then, he has made perfect forever those who are purified from sin.
15 And the Holy Spirit also gives us his witness. First he says,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them
in the days to come, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts
and write them on their minds.”
17 And then he says, “I will not remember their sins and evil deeds any longer.” 18 So when these have been forgiven, an offering to take away sins is no longer needed.
Let Us Come Near to God
19 We have, then, my friends, complete freedom to go into the Most Holy Place by means of the death of Jesus. 20 He opened for us a new way, a living way, through the curtain—that is, through his own body. 21 We have a great priest in charge of the house of God. 22 So let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, with hearts that have been purified from a guilty conscience and with bodies washed with clean water. 23 Let us hold on firmly to the hope we profess, because we can trust God to keep his promise. 24 Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good. 25 Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer.
26 For there is no longer any sacrifice that will take away sins if we purposely go on sinning after the truth has been made known to us. 27 Instead, all that is left is to wait in fear for the coming Judgment and the fierce fire which will destroy those who oppose God! 28 Anyone who disobeys the Law of Moses is put to death without any mercy when judged guilty from the evidence of two or more witnesses. 29 What, then, of those who despise the Son of God? who treat as a cheap thing the blood of God's covenant which purified them from sin? who insult the Spirit of grace? Just think how much worse is the punishment they will deserve! 30 For we know who said, “I will take revenge, I will repay”; and who also said, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!
32 Remember how it was with you in the past. In those days, after God's light had shone on you, you suffered many things, yet were not defeated by the struggle. 33 You were at times publicly insulted and mistreated, and at other times you were ready to join those who were being treated in this way. 34 You shared the sufferings of prisoners, and when all your belongings were seized, you endured your loss gladly, because you knew that you still possessed something much better, which would last forever. 35 Do not lose your courage, then, because it brings with it a great reward. 36 You need to be patient, in order to do the will of God and receive what he promises. 37 For, as the scripture says,
“Just a little while longer,
and he who is coming will come;
he will not delay.
38 My righteous people, however, will believe and live;
but if any of them turns back,
I will not be pleased with them.”
39 We are not people who turn back and are lost. Instead, we have faith and are saved.
1 Jo bauslībai piemīt nākamo labumu ēna, ne pats lietu veids; nekad nevar ik gadus ar tiem pašiem upuriem, ko nepārtraukti atnes, padarīt pilnīgus tos, kas ar tiem tuvojas. 2 Jo vai citādi upurēšana nebūtu mitējusies, tāpēc ka upurētāji, reiz šķīstīti, neapzinātos vairs nekādus grēkus? 3 Bet ar upuriem ik gadus tiek atgādināti grēki, 4 jo vēršu un āžu asinīm nav varas atņemt grēkus. 5 Tāpēc, pasaulē ienākdams, Viņš saka: upurus un dāvanas Tu neesi gribējis, bet miesu Tu Man esi radījis. 6 Dedzināmie upuri un grēku upuri Tev nav patikuši. 7 Tad Es sacīju: raugi, Es nāku, grāmatā par Mani ir rakstīts, Tavu prātu darīt, ak, Dievs! - 8 Iepriekš sacījis: upurus un dāvanas un dedzināmos upurus un grēku upurus, kas pēc bauslības tiek upurēti, Tu neesi gribējis, un tie nav Tev patikuši, - 9 tad Viņš sacīja: raugi, Es nāku Tavu prātu darīt. - Viņš atceļ pirmo, lai nodibinātu otru. 10 Pēc šīs gribas mēs esam ar Jēzus Kristus miesas upuri padarīti svēti pavisam. 11 Un katrs priesteris gan ik dienas stāv kalpodams un bieži tos pašus upurus upurēdams, kas nekad nevar iznīcināt grēkus. 12 Bet Viņš vienu upuri par grēkiem upurējis, uz visiem laikiem ir nosēdies pie Dieva labās rokas, 13 joprojām gaidīdams, kamēr Viņa ienaidnieki tiks likti Viņa kāju pameslam. 14 Jo ar vienu upuri Viņš uz visiem laikiem ir padarījis pilnīgus tos, kas tiek darīti svēti. 15 Bet arī Svētais Gars mums liecina. Pēc tam kad ir teikts: 16 šī ir tā derība, ko Es ar viņiem celšu pēc tām dienām, saka Tas Kungs, Savus baušļus Es došu viņu sirdīs un rakstīšu tos viņu prātā, 17 un viņu grēkus un viņu netaisnības vairs nepieminēšu. - 18 Bet, kur ir grēku piedošana, tur vairs nav upuru par grēku. 19 Tā kā nu mēs, brāļi, droši varam ieiet svētajā vietā Jēzus asiņu dēļ, 20 ko Viņš mums sagatavojis par jaunu un dzīvu ceļu caur priekškaru, tas ir, Viņa miesu, 21 un, tā kā mums ir liels priesteris pār Dieva namu, 22 tad tuvosimies patiesīgu sirdi pilnā ticībā, apslacīti savās sirdīs un atsvabināti no ļaunās apziņas un miesu nomazgājuši ar tīru ūdeni. 23 Turēsimies nešaubīgi pie cerības apliecināšanas, jo uzticams ir Tas, kas apsolījis. 24 Un vērosim cits citu, lai paskubinātu uz mīlestību un labiem darbiem, 25 neatstādami savas sapulces, kā daži paraduši, bet cits citu paskubinādami un jo vairāk, redzot tuvojamies to dienu. 26 Jo, ja mēs pēc patiesības atziņas saņemšanas tīši grēkojam, tad neatliek vairs upuris par grēkiem, 27 bet gan briesmīga tiesas gaidīšana un uguns karstums, kas aprīs pretiniekus. 28 Kas pārkāpis Mozus bauslību, tas mirst bez žēlošanas, diviem vai trīs lieciniekiem liecinot. 29 Cik gan smagāku sodu, jūs domājat, pelnīs tas, kas Dieva Dēlu minis kājām un derības asinis, ar ko viņš svētīts, turējis par nesvētām un žēlastības Garu nievājis. 30 Jo mēs pazīstam To, kas ir sacījis: Man pieder atriebšana, Es atmaksāšu, un atkal: Tas Kungs tiesās Savu tautu. - 31 Briesmīgi ir krist dzīvā Dieva rokā! 32 Bet atcerieties iepriekšējās dienas, kurās jūs, gaismu saņēmuši, esat izcietuši smagu ciešanu cīņu, 33 gan zaimos un mokās paši nodoti atklātam izsmieklam, gan arī kļuvuši par tādā veidā piemeklēto līdzdalībniekiem. 34 Jo jūs esat cietumniekiem līdzi cietuši un ar prieku uzņēmuši savas mantas nolaupīšanu, zinādami, ka jums ir labāka un paliekama manta. 35 Neatmetiet tāpēc savu cerības drosmi, tai ir liela alga! 36 Jo jums vajag pacietības, lai, Dieva prātu darījuši, iemantotu apsolījumu. 37 "Jo vēl mazs brīdis, un Tas, kam jānāk, nāks un nekavēsies. 38 Bet Mans taisnais no ticības dzīvos, bet uz to, kas atkāpjas, Manai dvēselei nav labs prāts." 39 Bet mēs neesam tie, kas atkāpjas uz pazušanu, bet kas tic un iemanto dzīvību.
