Now even the first covenant had ^aregulations for divine worship and for the earthly ^bsanctuary. Ex 25:10-40 2 ^aA tabernacle (sacred tent) was put up, the outer one or first section, in which were ^bthe lampstand and ^cthe table with its loaves of ^dthe sacred showbread; this is called the Holy Place. Lev 24:5, 6 3 Behind ^athe second veil there was another tabernacle the inner one or second section known as the ^bHoly of Holies, Ex 26:31-33 4 ¹having the golden ^aaltar of incense and ^bthe ark of the covenant covered entirely with gold. This contained ^ca golden jar which held the manna, and the ^drod of Aaron that sprouted, and ^ethe two stone tablets of the covenant inscribed with the Ten Commandments; Ex 16:32-34; 30:1-6; Num 17:8-10 5 and above the ark were the golden ^acherubim of glory ^bovershadowing ¹the mercy seat; but we cannot now go into detail about these things.

6 Now when these things have been prepared in this way, the priests ^acontinually enter the outer or first section of the tabernacle that is, the Holy Place performing their ritual acts of the divine worship, 7 but into ^athe second inner tabernacle, the Holy of Holies, only ^bthe high priest enters and then only ^conce a year, and ^dnever without bringing a sacrifice of blood, which he ^eoffers as a substitutionary atonement for himself and for the ^fsins of the people committed in ignorance. Lev 16:15 8 By this ^athe Holy Spirit signifies ^bthat the way into the Holy Place the true Holy of Holies and the presence of God has not yet been disclosed as long as the ¹first or outer tabernacle is still standing that is, as long as the Levitical system of worship remains a recognized institution, 9 for this first or outer tabernacle is a symbol that is, an archetype or paradigm for the present time. Accordingly both ^agifts and sacrifices are offered which ^bare incapable of perfecting the conscience and renewing the inner self of the worshiper. 10 For they the gifts, sacrifices, and ceremonies deal only with clean and unclean ^afood and ^bdrink and various ritual ^cwashings, mere external ^dregulations for the body imposed to help the worshipers until ^ethe time of reformation that is, the time of the new order when Christ will establish the reality of what these things foreshadow—a better covenant.

11 But when Christ appeared as a ^aHigh Priest of the ^bgood things to come that is, true spiritual worship, He entered through ^cthe greater and more perfect tabernacle, ^dnot made with hands, that is to say, ^enot a part of this material creation. 12 He ^awent ^bonce for all into the Holy Place the Holy of Holies of heaven, into the presence of God, and not through ^cthe blood of goats and calves, but through ^dHis own blood, having obtained and secured ^eeternal redemption that is, the salvation of all who personally believe in Him as Savior. 13 For if ^athe sprinkling of ceremonially defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and ^bthe ashes of a burnt heifer is sufficient for the cleansing of the body, Lev 16:6, 16; Num 19:9, 17, 18 14 how much more will ^athe blood of Christ, who through ^bthe eternal Holy Spirit willingly ^coffered Himself unblemished that is, without moral or spiritual imperfection as a sacrifice to God, ^dcleanse your conscience from ^edead works and lifeless observances to serve ^fthe ever living God?

15 For this reason ^aHe is the ^bMediator and Negotiator of a ^cnew covenant that is, an entirely new agreement uniting God and man, so that those who have been ^dcalled by God may ^ereceive the fulfillment of the promised ^feternal inheritance, since a death has taken place as the payment which redeems them from the sins committed under the obsolete first covenant. 16 For where there is a will and ¹testament involved, the death of the one who made it must be established, 17 for a will and testament takes effect only at death, since it is never in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18 So even the first covenant was not put in force without the shedding of blood. 19 For when every commandment in the Law had been ^aread by Moses to all the people, ^bhe took the ^cblood of the calves and goats which had been sacrificed, together with ^dwater and scarlet wool and with a bunch of hyssop, and he sprinkled both ^ethe scroll itself and all the people, 20 saying, “^aTHIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT that seals and ratifies the agreement WHICH GOD ORDAINED and COMMANDED me to deliver to YOU.” Ex 24:6-8 21 And in the same way he ^asprinkled both the tabernacle and all the containers and sacred utensils of worship with the blood. 22 In fact under the Law ^aalmost everything is cleansed with blood, and ^bwithout the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness neither release from sin and its guilt, nor cancellation of the merited punishment.

23 Therefore it was necessary for the earthly ^acopies of the heavenly things to be cleansed with these, but ^bthe heavenly things themselves required far better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ ^adid not enter into a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of ^bthe true one, but He entered into ^cheaven itself, now ^dto appear in the very presence of God on our behalf; 25 nor did He enter into the heavenly sanctuary to offer Himself again and again, as ^athe high priest enters ^bthe Holy Place ^cevery year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer over and over since ^athe foundation of the world; but now ^bonce for all at ^cthe consummation of the ages He has ^dappeared and been publicly manifested to put away sin ^eby the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And just as ^ait is appointed and destined for all men to die once and after this ^bcomes certain judgment, 28 so Christ, having been ^aoffered once and once for all to ^bbear as a burden ¹the sins of many, will appear ^ca second time when he returns to earth, ^dnot to deal with sin, but to bring ^esalvation to those who are ^feagerly and confidently waiting for Him.