1 Ora, visto que a lei tem sombra dos bens vindouros, não a imagem real das coisas, nunca jamais pode tornar perfeitos os ofertantes, com os mesmos sacrifícios que, ano após ano, perpetuamente, eles oferecem. 2 Doutra sorte, não teriam cessado de ser oferecidos, porquanto os que prestam culto, tendo sido purificados uma vez por todas, não mais teriam consciência de pecados? 3 Entretanto, nesses sacrifícios faz-se recordação de pecados todos os anos, 4 porque é impossível que o sangue de touros e de bodes remova pecados. 5 Por isso, ao entrar no mundo, diz:

Sacrifício e oferta não quiseste; antes, um corpo me formaste;

6 não te deleitaste com holocaustos e ofertas pelo pecado.

7 Então, eu disse: Eis aqui estou (no rolo do livro está escrito a meu respeito), para fazer, ó Deus, a tua vontade.

8 Depois de dizer, como acima:

Sacrifícios e ofertas não quiseste, nem holocaustos e oblações pelo pecado, nem com isto te deleitaste

(coisas que se oferecem segundo a lei), 9 então, acrescentou:

Eis aqui estou para fazer, ó Deus, a tua vontade.

Remove o primeiro para estabelecer o segundo. 10 Nessa vontade é que temos sido santificados, mediante a oferta do corpo de Jesus Cristo, uma vez por todas.

11 Ora, todo sacerdote se apresenta, dia após dia, a exercer o serviço sagrado e a oferecer muitas vezes os mesmos sacrifícios, que nunca jamais podem remover pecados; 12 Jesus, porém, tendo oferecido, para sempre, um único sacrifício pelos pecados, assentou-se à destra de Deus, 13 aguardando, daí em diante, até que os seus inimigos sejam postos por estrado dos seus pés. 14 Porque, com uma única oferta, aperfeiçoou para sempre quantos estão sendo santificados. 15 E disto nos dá testemunho também o Espírito Santo; porquanto, após ter dito:

16 Esta é a aliança que farei com eles, depois daqueles dias, diz o Senhor: Porei no seu coração as minhas leis e sobre a sua mente as inscreverei,

17 acrescenta:

Também de nenhum modo me lembrarei dos seus pecados e das suas iniquidades, para sempre.

18 Ora, onde há remissão destes, já não há oferta pelo pecado.

19 Tendo, pois, irmãos, intrepidez para entrar no Santo dos Santos, pelo sangue de Jesus, 20 pelo novo e vivo caminho que ele nos consagrou pelo véu, isto é, pela sua carne, 21 e tendo grande sacerdote sobre a casa de Deus, 22 aproximemo-nos, com sincero coração, em plena certeza de fé, tendo o coração purificado de má consciência e lavado o corpo com água pura. 23 Guardemos firme a confissão da esperança, sem vacilar, pois quem fez a promessa é fiel. 24 Consideremo-nos também uns aos outros, para nos estimularmos ao amor e às boas obras. 25 Não deixemos de congregar-nos, como é costume de alguns; antes, façamos admoestações e tanto mais quanto vedes que o Dia se aproxima.

26 Porque, se vivermos deliberadamente em pecado, depois de termos recebido o pleno conhecimento da verdade, já não resta sacrifício pelos pecados; 27 pelo contrário, certa expectação horrível de juízo e fogo vingador prestes a consumir os adversários. 28 Sem misericórdia morre pelo depoimento de duas ou três testemunhas quem tiver rejeitado a lei de Moisés. 29 De quanto mais severo castigo julgais vós será considerado digno aquele que calcou aos pés o Filho de Deus, e profanou o sangue da aliança com o qual foi santificado, e ultrajou o Espírito da graça? 30 Ora, nós conhecemos aquele que disse:

A mim pertence a vingança; eu retribuirei.

E outra vez:

O Senhor julgará o seu povo.

31 Horrível coisa é cair nas mãos do Deus vivo.

32 Lembrai-vos, porém, dos dias anteriores, em que, depois de iluminados, sustentastes grande luta e sofrimentos; 33 ora expostos como em espetáculo, tanto de opróbrio quanto de tribulações, ora tornando-vos coparticipantes com aqueles que desse modo foram tratados. 34 Porque não somente vos compadecestes dos encarcerados, como também aceitastes com alegria o espólio dos vossos bens, tendo ciência de possuirdes vós mesmos patrimônio superior e durável. 35 Não abandoneis, portanto, a vossa confiança; ela tem grande galardão. 36 Com efeito, tendes necessidade de perseverança, para que, havendo feito a vontade de Deus, alcanceis a promessa.

37 Porque, ainda dentro de pouco tempo, aquele que vem virá e não tardará;

38 todavia, o meu justo viverá pela fé;

e:

Se retroceder, nele não se compraz a minha alma.

39 Nós, porém, não somos dos que retrocedem para a perdição; somos, entretanto, da fé, para a conservação da alma.

1 For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect them that draw nigh. 2 Else would they not have ceased to be offered? because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. 5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith,

Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not,

But a body didst thou prepare for me;

6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure:

7 Then said I, Lo, I am come (In the roll of the book it is written of me)

To do thy will, O God.

8 Saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law), 9 then hath he said, Lo, I am come to do thy will. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins: 12 but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 henceforth expecting till his enemies be made the footstool of his feet. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also beareth witness to us; for after he hath said,

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them

After those days, saith the Lord:

I will put my laws on their heart,

And upon their mind also will I write them;

then saith he,

17 And their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

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

19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 and having a great priest over the house of God; 22 let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water, 23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised: 24 and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which shall devour the adversaries. 28 A man that hath set at nought Moses’ law dieth without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses: 29 of how much sorer punishment, think ye, shall he be judged worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great conflict of sufferings; 33 partly, being made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, becoming partakers with them that were so used. 34 For ye both had compassion on them that were in bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your possessions, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Cast not away therefore your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, having done the will of God, ye may receive the promise.

37 For yet a very little while,

He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry.

38 But my righteous one shall live by faith:

And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him.

39 But we are not of them that shrink back unto perdition; but of them that have faith unto the saving of the soul.

1 The 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.

2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.

3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.

4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;

6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.

7 Then I said, 'Here I am —it is written about me in the scroll — I have come to do your will, my God.'" [^1]

8 First 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.

9 Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second.

10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,

13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.

14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

15 The 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." [^2]

17 Then he adds: "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more." [^3]

18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,

20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,

21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

22 let 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.

23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,

25 not 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.

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,

27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

29 How 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?

30 For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," "and again, "The Lord will judge his people." [^5]

31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering.

33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.

34 You 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.

35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

37 For, "In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay." [^6]

38 And, "But my righteous "one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back." [^8]

39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.