1 Now indeed even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the show bread, which is called the Holy Place. 3 After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, 4 having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, of which things we can’t speak now in detail.

6 Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services, 7 but into the second the high priest alone, once in the year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people. 8 The Holy Spirit is indicating this, that the way into the Holy Place wasn’t yet revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 This is a symbol of the present age, where gifts and sacrifices are offered that are incapable, concerning the conscience, of making the worshiper perfect, 10 being only (with foods and drinks and various washings) fleshly ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.

11 But Christ having come as a high priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where a last will and testament is, there must of necessity be the death of him who made it. 17 For a will is in force where there has been death, for it is never in force while he who made it lives. 18 Therefore even the first covenant has not been dedicated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been spoken by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you."

21 He sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry in the same way with the blood. 22 According to the law, nearly everything is cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission.

23 It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ hasn’t entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place year by year with blood not his own, 26 or else he must have suffered often since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages, he has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment, 28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

1 So het dan die eerste verbond sowel verordeninge vir die erediens asook sy aardse heiligdom gehad.

2 Want die tabernakel is so ingerig: die eerste, waarin die kandelaar was en die tafel en die toonbrode, wat die Heilige genoem word;

3 en agter die tweede voorhangsel die tabernakel wat genoem word die Allerheiligste,

4 waarin 'n goue wierookbak was en die ark van die verbond, rondom heeltemal met goud oortrek, waarin die goue kruik met die manna was en die staf van A„ron wat gebloei het, en die tafels van die verbond;

5 en daar bo-op die g,rubs van die heerlikheid wat die versoendeksel oorskadu het, waaroor nie nou afsonderlik gespreek kan word nie.

6 En nadat hierdie dinge so ingerig was, het die priesters wel gedurig in die eerste tabernakel ingegaan om die dienste te vervul,

7 maar in die tweede die hoëpriester alleen, een maal in die jaar, nie sonder bloed nie, wat hy offer vir homself en vir die sondes van die volk uit onwetendheid begaan --

8 waarmee die Heilige Gees d¡t duidelik maak, dat die weg na die heiligdom nog nie geopen is so lank as die eerste tabernakel nog standhou nie.

9 Dit was 'n beeld met die oog op die teenwoordige tyd waarin daar gawes en offers gebring word, wat hom wat die diens verrig, na die gewete nie volkome kan maak nie,

10 omdat dit net bestaan het in spys en drank en verskillende wassinge en vleeslike verordeninge wat opgelê is tot op die tyd van herstelling.

11 Maar Christus, wat opgetree het as Hoëpriester van die toekomstige weldade, het deur die groter en volmaakter tabernakel wat nie met hande gemaak is nie, dit wil sê, wat nie aan hierdie skepping behoort nie,

12 ook nie met die bloed van bokke en kalwers nie, maar met sy eie bloed, een maal ingegaan in die heiligdom en 'n ewige verlossing teweeggebring.

13 Want as die bloed van stiere en bokke en die as van 'n vers wat die verontreinigdes besprinkel, heilig maak tot reiniging van die vlees,

14 hoeveel te meer sal die bloed van Christus, wat Homself deur die ewige Gees aan God sonder smet geoffer het, julle gewete reinig van dooie werke om die lewende God te dien.

15 En daarom is Hy Middelaar van 'n nuwe testament, sodat, terwyl daar 'n dood plaasgevind het vir die verlossing van die oortredinge onder die eerste testament, die wat geroepe is, die belofte van die ewige erfenis kan ontvang.

16 Want waar 'n testament is, moet noodsaaklik die dood van die testamentmaker aangekondig word;

17 want 'n testament is geldig by sterfgevalle, aangesien dit nooit van krag is so lank as die testamentmaker nog leef nie.

18 Daarom is ook die eerste testament nie sonder bloed ingewy nie;

19 want toe elke gebod volgens die wet deur Moses aan die hele volk aangekondig is, het hy die bloed van die kalwers en bokke saam met water en skarlakenrooi wol en hisop geneem en die boek self en die hele volk besprinkel

20 en gesê: Dit is die bloed van die testament wat God met die oog op julle verorden het.

21 En hy het ook die tabernakel en al die gereedskap van die diens net so met die bloed besprinkel.

22 En byna alles word met bloed gereinig volgens die wet, en sonder bloedvergieting vind daar geen vergifnis plaas nie.

23 Dit was dus nodig dat die afbeeldinge van die dinge in die hemele deur hierdie offers gereinig moes word, maar die hemelse dinge self deur beter offers as hierdie.

24 Want Christus het nie ingegaan in 'n heiligdom met hande gemaak, 'n teëbeeld van die ware nie, maar in die hemel self om nou voor die aangesig van God vir ons te verskyn;

25 ook nie om Homself dikwels te offer, soos die hoëpriester elke jaar in die heiligdom ingaan met bloed wat nie sy eie is nie,

26 want dan moes Hy dikwels gely het van die grondlegging van die wêreld af. Maar nou het Hy een maal in die voleinding van die eeue verskyn om die sonde deur sy offer weg te doen.

27 En net soos die mense bestem is om een maal te sterwe en daarna die oordeel,

28 so sal Christus ook, nadat Hy een maal geoffer is om die sondes van baie weg te neem, vir die tweede maal sonder sonde verskyn aan die wat Hom verwag tot saligheid.