Hebrews 9

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

1The first agreement between God and his people had rules for worship. It also had a holy place built here on earth.

2For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

2A tent was set up for worship. Its first room held the lampstand, the table, and the holy bread. That room was called the Holy Place.

3And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

3Behind a second curtain was another room. It was called the Most Holy Place.

4Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

4In there was the gold altar where sweet-smelling smoke was burned. There was also the ark of the covenant, a chest covered with gold. Inside the chest was a gold jar of manna. Manna was the bread God sent his people in the desert. Aaron's walking stick that had grown buds was in there too. So were the stone tablets with God's agreement written on them.

5And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

5Above the chest were gold figures of winged creatures called cherubim. Their wings spread over the lid, which was called the mercy seat. We cannot talk about all these things now.

6Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

6Everything was set up this way. The priests went into the first room again and again. Priests were men whose job was to serve God for the people.

7But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

7Only the high priest went into the second room. The high priest was the leader of all the priests. He went in just once a year. He never went in without blood. He offered that blood for his own sins. He offered it for the sins the people did without knowing.

8The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

8By this, the Holy Spirit was showing something. The way into the Most Holy Place was not open yet. It stayed shut while the first tent was still standing.

9Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

9That tent was a picture for the time back then. People brought gifts and animals to offer to God. But those gifts could not make a person clean on the inside.

10Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

10The rules were only about food, drink, and different kinds of washing. They were outside rules for the body. They were given only until the time when God would make things new.

Note"Meats" in the King James wording means food of any kind, not just meat from animals. "Divers washings" means different kinds of washing with water.

11But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

11But Christ came as our high priest. He brings the good things that are here now. He went through a greater and more perfect tent. Human hands did not make it. It is not part of this world.

12Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

12He did not go in with the blood of goats and calves. He went in with his own blood. He went in one time, and that was enough. He won us a rescue that lasts forever.

13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

13Under the old rules, the blood of goats and bulls was sprinkled on people. So were the ashes of a young cow. That made their bodies clean for worship.

14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

14The blood of Christ does far more. Through the eternal Spirit, he offered himself to God. He had no sin at all. His blood makes us clean inside from deeds that lead to death. Then we can serve the living God.

15And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

15So Christ brings God and people together in a new agreement. He died to pay for the wrongs done under the first agreement. Now the people God has called can receive what he promised. They will get a home with him that lasts forever.

16For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

16When someone leaves a will, that person must die first. A will is a paper saying who gets his things.

NoteThe word the King James Bible writes as "testament" can mean two things: an agreement between people, or a will, which is a paper saying who gets a person's things after he dies. The writer uses both meanings here.

17For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

17A will only works after the person has died. It does nothing while he is still alive.

18Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

18That is why the first agreement also needed blood.

19For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

19Moses told all the people every rule in God's law. Then he took the blood of calves and goats. He mixed it with water. He used red wool and a plant called hyssop. He sprinkled the book and all the people.

20Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

20He said, "This is the blood of the agreement God has told you to keep."

21Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

21He also sprinkled blood on the tent. He sprinkled it on all the tools used in worship.

22And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

22God's law says almost everything must be made clean with blood. Without blood being poured out, there is no forgiving of sin.

23It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

23Those things on earth were copies of the real things in heaven. The copies had to be made clean this way. But the heavenly things needed better offerings than those.

24For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

24Christ did not go into a holy place built by human hands. That place was only a copy of the real one. He went into heaven itself. Now he stands there in front of God for us.

25Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

25He does not offer himself over and over again. The high priest goes into the Most Holy Place every year. He brings blood that is not his own. Christ is not like that.

26For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

26If he were, he would have had to suffer again and again since the world began. But he came one time, at the end of the ages. He took sin away by offering himself.

Note"The end of the world" in the King James wording means the end of the ages. It points to the time in history when Christ came, not to the earth being destroyed.

27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

27People die one time. After that comes the time when God judges them.

28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

28In the same way, Christ was offered one time. He carried the sins of many people. He will come again. He will not come to deal with sin. He will come to save those who are waiting for him.