Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech: Hebrews | Page 7

009:022 Indeed we may almost say that in obedience to the Law everything is sprinkled with blood, and that apart from the outpouring of blood there is no remission of sins. 009:023 It was needful therefore that the copies of the things in Heaven should be cleansed in this way, but that the heavenly things themselves should be cleansed with more costly sacrifices. 009:024 For not into a Holy place built by men's hands--a mere copy of the reality--did Christ enter, but He entered Heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 009:025 Nor did He enter for the purpose of many times offering Himself in sacrifice, just as the High Priest enters the Holy place, year after year, taking with him blood not his own. 009:026 In that case Christ would have needed to suffer many times, from the creation of the world onwards; but as a matter of fact He has appeared once for all, at the Close of the Ages, in order to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 009:027 And since it is reserved for all mankind once to die, and afterwards to be judged; 009:028 so the Christ also, having been once offered in sacrifice in order that He might bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, separated from sin, to those who are eagerly expecting Him, to make their salvation complete. 010:001 For, since the Law exhibits only an outline of the blessings to come and not a perfect representation of the things themselves, the priests can never, by repeating the same sacrifices which they continually offer year after year, give complete freedom from sin to those who draw near. 010:002 For then would not the sacrifices have ceased to be offered, because the consciences of the worshippers--who in that case would now have been cleansed once for all--would no longer be burdened with sins? 010:003 But in those sacrifices sins are recalled to memory year after year. 010:004 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 010:005 That is why, when He comes into the world, He says, "Sacrifice and offering Thou has not desired, but a body Thou hast prepared for Me. 010:006 In whole burnt-offerings and in sin-offerings Thou hast taken no pleasure. 010:007 Then I said, `I have come--in the roll of the book it is written concerning Me--to do Thy will, O God.'" 010:008 After saying the words I have just quoted, "Sacrifices and offerings or whole burnt-offerings and sin-offerings Thou hast not desired or taken pleasure in"--all such being offered in obedience to the Law-- 010:009 He then adds, "I have come to do Thy will." He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 010:010 It is through that divine will that we have been set free from sin, through the offering of Jesus Christ as our sacrifice once for all. 010:011 And while every priest stands ministering, day after day, and constantly offering the same sacrifices--though such can never rid us of our sins-- 010:012 this Priest, on the contrary, after offering for sins a single sacrifice of perpetual efficacy, took His seat at God's right hand, 010:013 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be put as a footstool under His feet. 010:014 For by a single offering He has for ever completed the blessing for those whom He is setting free from sin. 010:015 And the Holy Spirit also gives us His testimony; for when He had said, 010:016 "`This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those days,' says the Lord: `I will put My laws upon their hearts and will write them on their minds;'" 010:017 He adds, "And their sins and offences I will remember no longer." 010:018 But where these have been forgiven no further offering for sin is required. 010:019 Since then, brethren, we have free access to the Holy place through the blood of Jesus, 010:020 by the new and ever-living way which He opened up for us through the rending of the veil--that is to say, of His earthly nature-- 010:021 and since we have a great Priest who has authority over the house of God, 010:022 let us draw near with sincerity and unfaltering faith, having had our hearts sprinkled, once for all, from consciences oppressed with sin, and our bodies bathed in pure water. 010:023 Let us hold firmly to an unflinching avowal of our hope, for He is faithful who gave us the promises. 010:024 And let us bestow thought on one another with a view to arousing one another to brotherly love and right conduct; 010:025 not neglecting--as some habitually do--to meet together, but encouraging one another, and