Hebrews

Explains Jesus' superiority and encourages believers to persevere in faith amid persecution.

Chapter 9

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

*Then indeed, the first agreement also had rules for worshiping God and a holy place on earth.

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

*There was a first tabernacle built with three things inside: the candlestick, the table, and the showbread. This place is called the sanctuary.

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

*After the second curtain, the place called the Most Holy of everything.

4 Which 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;

*Which held the golden incense burner, and the chest of the agreement covered all around with gold, inside was the golden dish with manna, and Aaron's staff that bloomed, and the agreements' tablets;

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

*Over it, the cherubim with glory shielded the mercy seat, but we can't go into detail about it now.

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

*Now that these things were set up, the priests regularly entered the first tabernacle to carry out God's service.

7 But 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:

*Each year, the high priest went alone into the second room. He didn't go empty-handed; he brought blood. This blood was for both his own mistakes and those of the people.

8 The 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:

*This means that the path to the most holy place wasn't clear yet, because the first tent was still there. The Holy Spirit showed this.

9 Which 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;

*This verse says that during a certain period, people gave gifts and sacrifices. But these actions didn't make them completely perfect in terms of their feelings of guilt or moral duty.

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

*This was about following rules based on foods and drinks, along with various cleansing rituals and physical rituals, given to them until changes were made.

11 But 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;

*But Christ, as the high priest of good things to come, is in a better and more complete shelter, not made by people's hands, meaning it's not part of this physical building.

12 Neither 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.

*He didn't use animal blood, but his own blood to enter the sacred place just one time, getting us everlasting forgiveness.

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

*If the blood from bulls and goats, along with the ashes of a heifer, can cleanse people who are unclean, then it can also make people's bodies pure.

14 How 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?

*How much more will the blood of Christ, who was offered to God by the eternal Spirit without any flaw, clean your guilt-consciousness from useless actions so you can serve the true living God?

15 And 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.

*Because of this, he is the mediator of the new agreement. Through death, he redeems the mistakes from the first agreement so that those who are invited can get the promise of inheriting forever.

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

*In places where a will exists, the person who made the will has to pass away.

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

*A will is only effective after the person who made it passes away; it has no power while they're still alive.

18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

*So, this means that the first agreement (or covenant) couldn't be established without shedding blood.

19 For 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,

*When Moses finished teaching all the rules in the law, he used animal blood, water, red yarn, and a plant called hyssop to sprinkle the rule book and everyone present.

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

*"This is the blood representing the agreement God has asked you to follow."

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

*He also put blood on the tent and all the tools used for the work.

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

*Most things are cleaned by the law using blood, and forgiveness can't happen without spilling blood.

23 It 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.

*So, it was needed for the examples of objects in the sky to be made clean using these, but the heavenly objects needed better offerings than these.

24 For 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:

*Christ didn't enter a human-made holy place, which represents the real thing; instead, he went directly into heaven to be with God and represent us.

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

*He didn't need to do it repeatedly, like the high priest who went into the holy place each year with the blood of other animals.

26 For 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.

*He has experienced much suffering throughout history, but now, at the end of time, he has appeared to eliminate sin through his own sacrifice.

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

*And people must die one time, but then comes the judgment.

28 So 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.

*Christ was offered once to carry the sins of many people. He will appear a second time, without any sin, to save those who wait for him.

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