1 The first therefore also indeed had ordinances of service, and the sanctuary, a worldly one. 2 For a tabernacle was set up; the first, in which were both the candlestick and the table and the exposition of the loaves, which is called Holy; 3 but after the second veil a tabernacle which is called Holy of holies, 4 having a golden censer, and the ark of the covenant, covered round in every part with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, and the rod of Aaron that had sprouted, and the tables of the covenant; 5 and above over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the mercy-seat; concerning which it is not now the time to speak in detail. 6 Now these things being thus ordered, into the first tabernacle the priests enter at all times, accomplishing the services; 7 but 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 the Holy Spirit shewing this, that the way of the holy of holies has not yet been made manifest while as yet the first tabernacle has its standing; 9 the which is 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 consisting only of meats and drinks and divers washings, ordinances of flesh, imposed until the time of setting things right. 11 But 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 nor by blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, has entered in once for all into the holy of holies, having found an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and a heifer’s ashes sprinkling the defiled, sanctifies for the purity of the flesh, 14 how 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 the living God?

15 And 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 there is a testament, the death of the testator must needs come in. 17 For a testament is of force when men are dead, since it is in no way of force while the testator is alive.) 18 Whence neither the first was inaugurated without blood. 19 For every commandment having been spoken according to the 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 saying, This is the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined to you. 21 And the tabernacle too and all the vessels of service he sprinkled in like manner with blood; 22 and almost all things are purified with blood according to the law, and without blood-shedding there is no remission.

23 It was necessary 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 For 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 nor 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 since he had then 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 the putting away of sin by his sacrifice. 27 And forasmuch as it is the portion of men once to die, and after this judgment; 28 thus 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.

1 Esimese lepinguga kaasnesid jumalateenistuse eeskirjad ja maine pühamu. 2 Selleks oli valmistatud eestelk, kus olid lambijalg ja laud koos ohvrileibadega; seda nimetatakse „pühaks paigaks". 3 Teise eesriide taga oli telk, mida nimetatakse „kõige pühamaks paigaks". 4 Seal oli kuldne suitsutusaltar ja kullaga kaetud lepingulaegas, selles olid kuldkruus mannaga ja Aaroni kepp, mis oli kord haljendanud, ja lepingutahvlid. 5 Lepingulaeka peal varjasid auhiilguse keerubid lepituskaant. Aga sellest pole praegu vaja pikemalt rääkida.

6 Asjade sellise korralduse juures lähevad preestrid korrapäraselt eestelki, et täita teenistuskohustusi, 7 aga ainult üks kord aastas läheb ülempreester teise telki. Ta läheb sinna ohvrilooma verega, mille ta ohverdab iseenda ja rahva pattude eest, mida nad on teadmatusest teinud. 8 Sellega näitab Püha Vaim, et tee kõige pühamasse paika ei ole veel avatud, seni kuni esimene telk püsib. 9 Siin on võrdpilt praeguse aja kohta, et endisel viisil ohverdatud annid ja ohvrid ei suuda teha jumalateenijat täiuslikuks südametunnistuse poolest. 10 See kõik puudutab vaid toitu, jooki ja mitmesuguseid pesemistalitusi – ihusse puutuvaid eeskirju, mis kehtivad kuni uue korra saabumiseni.

11 Kuid kui Kristus tuli nüüd juba siin olevate hüvede ülempreestrina, läbis ta suurema ja täiuslikuma telgi, mis pole tehtud inimkätega, see tähendab – pole osa sellest loodud maailmast. 12 Ta läks sisse kõige pühamasse paika, mitte kitsede ega vasikate vere, vaid iseenese vere läbi – ühe korra ja lõplikult – ning saavutas igavese lunastuse. 13 Sest kui juba kitsede ja härgade vere piserdamine ning mullikate tuha puistamine pühitseb neid, kes on rüvetunud, et nad oleksid väliselt puhtad, 14 siis kui palju enam Kristuse veri, kes igavese Vaimu läbi ohverdas iseenese veatuna Jumalale, puhastab meie südametunnistuse surma põhjustavatest tegudest, et saaksime teenida elavat Jumalat.

15 Sellepärast on Kristus uue lepingu vahendaja, et kutsutud saaksid kätte tõotatud igavese pärandi nüüd, kui tema surm oli saanud lunastuseks esimese lepingu all tehtud pattude eest.

16 Testamendi*9:16 Kreeka k diatheke tähendab nii lepingut kui testamenti. puhul on vajalik tõendada testamendi tegija surm, 17 sest testament hakkab kehtima pärast surma ega jõustu kunagi testamendi tegija eluajal.

18 Seepärast ei kehtestatud ka esimest lepingut ilma vereta. 19 Sest kui Mooses oli andnud kogu rahvale edasi kõik käsud vastavalt Seadusele, võttis ta vasikate vere, vett, helepunast lõnga ja iisopit ning piserdas nii rullraamatu kui ka rahva peale, 20 öeldes: „See on selle lepingu veri, mida Jumal on käskinud teil pidada." 21 Samuti piserdas ta verd telgi ja kõigi selle teenistuses kasutuses olevate esemete peale. 22 Tõepoolest, Seaduse järgi puhastatakse peaaegu kõik asjad verega ja ilma ohvri vere valamiseta ei ole andeksandmist.

23 Niisiis tuli sellisel viisil puhastada taevaste asjade eelkujundeid, kuid taevaste asjade endi jaoks on tarvis paremaid ohvreid. 24 Sest Kristus ei läinud ju inimkätega tehtud pühamusse, mis vaid jäljendab tõelist, vaid päris taevasse ja on nüüd meie eestkostjana Jumala ees. 25 Samuti ei läinud ta end korduvalt ohverdama, nõnda nagu ülempreester läheb võõra verega igal aastal kõige pühamasse paika, 26 sest muidu oleks ta pidanud korduvalt kannatama maailma loomisest peale. Kuid ta ilmus vaid üks kord ajastu lõpul, et ennast ohverdades kõrvaldada patt. 27 Ja nii nagu inimeste osaks on üks kord surra ja pärast seda seista kohtu ees, 28 nõnda suri ka Kristus üks kord ohvrisurma, et kanda karistust inimkonna pattude eest. Teist korda ei tule ta enam patu pärast, vaid päästma neid, kes teda ootavad.