The Holy Place on Earth
THEN indeed the first covenant had also commandments of divine service, and a holy place on earth.
2 For there was a tent made: the first part of which is called the holy place, wherein was the lampstand, and the table, and the bread of setting forth (purpose).
3 And after the second veil, the tent which is called the Holy of Holies;
4 Which had the golden alter of incense, and the ark of the covenant covered all over with gold, wherein was the golden jar that had the manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;
5 And above it the cherubim of glory overshadowing the atonement cover; concerning which, it is not possible at this time to speak of in detail.
The Holy Place a Parable
6 ¶ Now, when these things were, in this way, made ready; the priests on the one hand, always went into the first tent to accomplish the service of God.
7 But on the other hand; into the second went the high priest alone once every year, and not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance:
8 The Holy Spirit, by this, making known the way into the holiest place was not yet made visible, while as the first tent was yet standing:
9 Which was a parable for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him, that performed the service, perfect with regards to the conscience;
10 Which stood only in meals and drinks, and diverse washings, and carnal commandments imposed on them until the time of reformation.
The Heavenly Tabernacle
11 ¶ But Christ came as high priest of the good things being about to come, through the greater and more perfect tent, not made by human hands, that is to say, not of this creation;
12 Neither through the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in, once and for all time, into the holy places, having found and obtained eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, make holy to the purifying of the flesh:
14 How much more the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God; to purify your conscience from dead works, for the purpose of service to the living God?
15 And for this new covenant he is mediator; in order that, death for the purpose of redemption, for the transgressions committed under the first covenant; that those called may receive the promised inheritance.
Death of the Testator Necessary
16 ¶ For where there is a will (covenant), there must also of necessity be the death of the one who made it.
17 For a will is in force upon death: for it has no strength at all while the one who made it lives.
18 Because of this, not even the first was put into effect without blood.
19 ¶ For when Moses had spoken every commandment 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 scroll itself and all the people,
20 Saying, This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded to you.
21 And likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tent, and all the vessels of service.
22 And almost all things in accordance with the law are purified with blood; and without shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness.
Christ in the Presence of God for Us
23 ¶ Therefore by obligation, on the one hand, the patterns of things within the heavens should be purified with these; but on the other hand, the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ did not enter into the holy places made by human hands, which are copies of the true; rather into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
25 And not, in order that he should offer himself many times, as the high priest enters into the holy places every year with the blood of others;
26 For then, he must have suffered many times since the foundation of the world: but now, once and for all, at the end of the ages, he has appeared to put away sin through the sacrifice of himself.
27 And just as it is appointed for men to die once, and then, after this, judgment:
28 In this way Christ was offered once as a sacrifice, for the purpose of bearing the sins of many. And to those that await for him eagerly, he will appear the second time (apart from sin) for the purpose of salvation.