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;

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

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

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 ple:

peo

of the law.

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;

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?

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.

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

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

18 Whereupon, neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people, according to the

a Not of this building, not of this lower world, or this creation.

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,

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

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

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

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.

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 :

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

26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world,b hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment;

b In the end of the world, at the conclusion of the Mosaic dispensation.

inferior to Christ.

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.

CHAP. X.

1 The weakness of the law-sacrifices. 10 10 The sacrifice of Christ's body once offered effectually. 19 An exhortation to faith and patience. FOR the law, having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect.

2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered ? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

4 For it is not possible, that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

5 Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith,a Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

6 In burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it

a He saith, Ps. xl. 6.

is written of me,b) to do thy will, O God.

8 Above, when he said, Sacrifice, and offering, and burnt-offerings, and offering for sin, thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; (which are offered by the law;)

9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish tl second.

10 By the which will, we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 And every priest standeth daily ministering, and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God;

13 From henceforth expecting,c till his enemies be made his footstool.d

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified;

15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us; for after that he had said before,

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them; after those days, saith the Lord I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

It is written of me, Gen. iii. 15. c Expecting, waiting.

d Be made bis footstool, be utterly destroyed.

the law sacrifices.

17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

A

18 Now, where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19 Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh;

21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

22 Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering: (for he is faithful that promised ;)

24 And let us consider one another, to provoke unto love, and to good works.

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.e

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful

e The day approaching, the day of the destruction of the Jewish state, and of calamity to the unbelieving Hebrews.

An exhortation to looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses;

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions:f

33 Partly, whilst ye were made a gazing-stock, both by reproaches and afflictious; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used:

34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a bet ter and an enduring substance.

f A great fight of afflictions, a great combat of afflictions, or a grievous persecution.

faith and patience.

35 Cast not away,

there

fore, your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.

36 For ye have need of pa tience; that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.

38 Now, the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

1

CHAP. XI.

What faith is. 6 Without faith we cannot please God: 7 The fruits thereof.

NOW, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; so that things which are seen, were not made of things which do

appear.

4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness, that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he, being dead, yet speaketh.

5 By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death; and was not found, be

Without faith we

cause God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place, which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as 39*

cannot please God.

the sand which is by the seashore, innumerable.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For they that say such things, declare plainly, that they seek a country.

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned:

16 But now, they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city.