Hebrews 9

The Earthly Holy Place

1 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and a the earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the 1 sanctuary; 3 b and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 which had the c golden censer and d the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were e the golden pot that had the manna, f Aaron's rod that budded, and g the tablets of the covenant; 5 and h above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, i the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone j once a year, not without blood, which he offered for k himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that l the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered m which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to the conscience - 10 concerned only with n foods and drinks, o various 2 washings, p and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

Redemption Through the Blood of Christ

11 But Christ came as High Priest of q the good things 3 to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not r with the blood of goats and calves, but s with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place t once for all, u having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if v the blood of bulls and goats and w the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, 4 sanctifies for the 5 purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without 6 spot to God, x cleanse your conscience from y dead works z to serve the living God?

15 And for this reason a He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that b those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. 16 For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For c a testament is in force after men are dead, since it has no power at all while the testator lives. 18 d Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken every 7 precept to all the people according to the law, e he took the blood of calves and goats, f with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, g "This is the h blood of the covenant which God has commanded you." 8 21 Then likewise i he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 22 And according to the law almost all things are 9 purified with blood, and j without shedding of blood there is no 10 remission.

23 Therefore it was necessary that k the copies of the things in the heavens should be 11 purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For l Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are 12 copies of m the true, but into heaven itself, now n to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as o the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another - 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 p And as it is appointed for men to die once, q but after this the judgment, 28 so r Christ was s offered once to bear the sins t of many. To those who u eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

  1. Cross References
    Exodus 25:8
    And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.
    Hebrews 8:2
    A Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.
    Hebrews 9:11
    But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
    Hebrews 9:24
    For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.
  2. Cross References
    Exodus 26:31 - 35
    You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim.
    Exodus 40:3
    You shall put in it the ark of the Testimony, and partition off the ark with the veil.
  3. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:12
    Then he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, with his hands full of sweet incense beaten fine, and bring it inside the veil.
  4. Cross References
    Exodus 25:10
    And they shall make an ark of acacia wood; two and a half cubits shall be its length, a cubit and a half its width, and a cubit and a half its height.
  5. Cross References
    Exodus 16:33
    And Moses said to Aaron, "Take a pot and put an omer of manna in it, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.
  6. Cross References
    Numbers 17:1 - 10
    And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
  7. Cross References
    Exodus 25:16
    And you shall put into the ark the Testimony which I will give you.
    Exodus 34:29
    Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses' hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him.
    Deuteronomy 10:2 - 5
    'And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you shall put them in the ark.'
  8. Cross References
    Exodus 25:17
    You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold; two and a half cubits shall be its length and a cubit and a half its width.
    Exodus 25:20
    And the cherubim shall stretch out their wings above, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and they shall face one another; the faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.
    Leviticus 16:2
    And the LORD said to Moses: "Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.
    1 Kings 8:7
    For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles.
  9. Cross References
    Numbers 18:2 - 6
    Also bring with you your brethren of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may be joined with you and serve you while you and your sons are with you before the tabernacle of witness.
    Numbers 28:3
    And you shall say to them, 'This is the offering made by fire which you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs in their first year without blemish, day by day, as a regular burnt offering.
  10. Cross References
    Exodus 30:10
    "And Aaron shall make atonement upon its horns once a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonement; once a year he shall make atonement upon it throughout your generations. It is most holy to the LORD."
    Leviticus 16:34
    This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the children of Israel, for all their sins, once a year." And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
    Hebrews 10:3
    But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
  11. Cross References
    Hebrews 5:3
    Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins.
  12. Cross References
    John 14:6
    Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
    Hebrews 10:20
    By a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.
  13. Cross References
    Galatians 3:21
    Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law.
    Hebrews 7:19
    For the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
  14. Cross References
    Leviticus 11:2
    Speak to the children of Israel, saying, 'These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth:
    Colossians 2:16
    So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths.
  15. Cross References
    Numbers 19:7
    Then the priest shall wash his clothes, he shall bathe in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp; the priest shall be unclean until evening.
  16. Cross References
    Ephesians 2:15
    Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.
  17. Cross References
    Ephesians 1:3 - 11
    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
    Hebrews 10:1
    For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect.
  18. Cross References
    Hebrews 10:4
    For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
  19. Cross References
    Isaiah 53:12
    Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
    Ephesians 1:7
    In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
  20. Cross References
    Zechariah 3:9
    For behold, the stone That I have laid before Joshua: Upon the stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,' Says the LORD of hosts, 'And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
  21. Cross References
    Daniel 9:24
    Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.
  22. Cross References
    Leviticus 16:14
    He shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
    Leviticus 16:15
    Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, bring its blood inside the veil, do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and before the mercy seat.
    Hebrews 9:19
    For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people.
    Hebrews 10:4
    For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.
  23. Cross References
    Numbers 19:2
    This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD has commanded, saying: 'Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring you a red heifer without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which a yoke has never come.
  24. Cross References
    1 John 1:7
    But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
  25. Cross References
    Hebrews 6:1
    Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.
  26. Cross References
    Luke 1:74
    To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear.
  27. Cross References
    Romans 3:25
    Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.
  28. Cross References
    Hebrews 3:1
    Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus.
  29. Cross References
    Galatians 3:15
    Brethren, I speak in the manner of men: Though it is only a man's covenant, yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it.
  30. Cross References
    Exodus 24:6
    And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
  31. Cross References
    Exodus 24:5
    Then he sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD.
    Exodus 24:6
    And Moses took half the blood and put it in basins, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
  32. Cross References
    Leviticus 14:4
    Then the priest shall command to take for him who is to be cleansed two living and clean birds, cedar wood, scarlet, and hyssop.
    Leviticus 14:7
    And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed from the leprosy, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose in the open field.
    Numbers 19:6
    And the priest shall take cedar wood and hyssop and scarlet, and cast them into the midst of the fire burning the heifer.
    Numbers 19:18
    A clean person shall take hyssop and dip it in the water, sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons who were there, or on the one who touched a bone, the slain, the dead, or a grave.
  33. Cross References
    Matthew 26:28
    For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
  34. Cross References
    Exodus 24:3 - 8
    So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words which the LORD has said we will do.
  35. Cross References
    Exodus 29:12
    You shall take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour all the blood beside the base of the altar.
    Exodus 29:36
    And you shall offer a bull every day as a sin offering for atonement. You shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to sanctify it.
  36. Cross References
    Leviticus 17:11
    'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.'
  37. Cross References
    Hebrews 8:5
    Who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, "See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.
  38. Cross References
    Hebrews 6:20
    Where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
  39. Cross References
    Hebrews 8:2
    A Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.
  40. Cross References
    Romans 8:34
    Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
  41. Cross References
    Hebrews 9:7
    But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance.
  42. Cross References
    Genesis 3:19
    In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.
    Ecclesiastes 3:20
    All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
  43. Cross References
    2 Corinthians 5:10
    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
    1 John 4:17
    Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
  44. Cross References
    Romans 6:10
    For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
  45. Cross References
    Isaiah 53:12
    Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.
    1 Peter 2:24
    Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed.
  46. Cross References
    Matthew 26:28
    For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
  47. Cross References
    1 Corinthians 1:7
    So that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    Titus 2:13
    Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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