God’s Discipline Proves His Love (Hebrews 12:1-11) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1    Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 

2    We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 

3    Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.

4    After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.

5    And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you.

6    For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”  

7    As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? 

8    If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. 

9    Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?

10  For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. 

11  No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1   As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us. 

2    Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God's throne.

3    Think of what he went through; how he put up with so much hatred from sinners! So do not let yourselves become discouraged and give up. 

4    For in your struggle against sin you have not yet had to resist to the point of being killed. 

5    Have you forgotten the encouraging words which God speaks to you as his children?  “My child, pay attention when the Lord corrects you, and do not be discouraged when he rebukes you.

6    Because the Lord corrects everyone he loves, and punishes everyone he accepts as a child.”

7    Endure what you suffer as being a father's punishment; your suffering shows that God is treating you as his children. Was there ever a child who was not punished by his father? 

8    If you are not punished, as all his children are, it means you are not real children, but bastards. 

9    In the case of our human fathers, they punished us and we respected them. How much more, then, should we submit to our spiritual Father and live! 

10  Our human fathers punished us for a short time, as it seemed right to them; but God does it for our own good, so that we may share his holiness. 

11  When we are punished, it seems to us at the time something to make us sad, not glad. Later, however, those who have been disciplined by such punishment reap the peaceful reward of a righteous life.

Great Examples Of Faith (Hebrews 11) New Living Translation

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1    Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. 

2    Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.

3    By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

4    It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.

5    It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—“he disappeared, because God took him.” For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God. 

6    And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

7    It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

8    It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. 

9    And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. 

10  Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.

11  It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. 

12  And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.

13  All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 

14  Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 

15  If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 

16  But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17  It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 

18  even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”

19  Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.

20  It was by faith that Isaac promised blessings for the future to his sons, Jacob and Esau.

21  It was by faith that Jacob, when he was old and dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and bowed in worship as he leaned on his staff.

22  It was by faith that Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He even commanded them to take his bones with them when they left.

23  It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command.

24  It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 

25  He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. 

26  He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. 

27  It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible. 

28  It was by faith that Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons.

29  It was by faith that the people of Israel went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, they were all drowned.

30  It was by faith that the people of Israel marched around Jericho for seven days, and the walls came crashing down.

31  It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

32  How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. 

33  By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, 

34  quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. 

35  Women received their loved ones back again from death.  But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. 

36  Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. 

37  Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. 

38  They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.

39  All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 

40  For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

Let Us Come Near To God (Hebrews 10:19-39) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

19  And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 

20  By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.

21  And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 

22  let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

23  Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

24  Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 

25  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

26  Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. 

27  There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. 

28  For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 

29  Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. 

30  For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge.  I will pay them back.”  He also said,  “The Lord will judge his own people.”

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

32  Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. 

33  Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. 

34  You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.

35  So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! 

36  Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

37  “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.

38  And my righteous ones will live by faith.  But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”

39  But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

19  We have, then, my friends, complete freedom to go into the Most Holy Place by means of the death of Jesus. 
20  He opened for us a new way, a living way, through the curtain—that is, through his own body. 
21  We have a great priest in charge of the house of God. 
22  So let us come near to God with a sincere heart and a sure faith, with hearts that have been purified from a guilty conscience and with bodies washed with clean water.
23  Let us hold on firmly to the hope we profess, because we can trust God to keep his promise. 
24  Let us be concerned for one another, to help one another to show love and to do good. 
25  Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer.
26  For there is no longer any sacrifice that will take away sins if we purposely go on sinning after the truth has been made known to us. 
27  Instead, all that is left is to wait in fear for the coming Judgment and the fierce fire which will destroy those who oppose God! 
28  Anyone who disobeys the Law of Moses is put to death without any mercy when judged guilty from the evidence of two or more witnesses. 
29  What, then, of those who despise the Son of God? who treat as a cheap thing the blood of God's covenant which purified them from sin? who insult the Spirit of grace? Just think how much worse is the punishment they will deserve! 
30  For we know who said, “I will take revenge, I will repay”; and who also said, “The Lord will judge his people.” 
31  It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!
32  Remember how it was with you in the past. In those days, after God's light had shone on you, you suffered many things, yet were not defeated by the struggle. 
33  You were at times publicly insulted and mistreated, and at other times you were ready to join those who were being treated in this way. 
34  You shared the sufferings of prisoners, and when all your belongings were seized, you endured your loss gladly, because you knew that you still possessed something much better, which would last forever. 
35  Do not lose your courage, then, because it brings with it a great reward. 
36  You need to be patient, in order to do the will of God and receive what he promises. 
37  For, as the scripture says, “Just a little while longer, and he who is coming will come; he will not delay.
38  My righteous people, however, will believe and live; but if any of them turns back,

    I will not be pleased with them.”

39  We are not people who turn back and are lost. Instead, we have faith and are saved.

God Is Not Unfair (Hebrews 6:1-12) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1    So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. 

2    You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 

3    And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.

4    For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 

5    who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 

6    and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.

7   When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing.

8    But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.

9    Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. 

10  For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. 

11  Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. 

12  Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1    Let us go forward, then, to mature teaching and leave behind us the first lessons of the Christian message. We should not lay again the foundation of turning away from useless works and believing in God;

2    of the teaching about baptisms and the laying on of hands; of the resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment. 

3    Let us go forward! And this is what we will do, if God allows.

4    For how can those who abandon their faith be brought back to repent again? They were once in God's light; they tasted heaven's gift and received their share of the Holy Spirit; 

5    they knew from experience that God's word is good, and they had felt the powers of the coming age.

6    And then they abandoned their faith! It is impossible to bring them back to repent again, because they are again crucifying the Son of God and exposing him to public shame.

7    God blesses the soil which drinks in the rain that often falls on it and which grows plants that are useful to those for whom it is cultivated. 

8    But if it grows thorns and weeds, it is worth nothing; it is in danger of being cursed by God and will be destroyed by fire.

9    But even if we speak like this, dear friends, we feel sure about you. We know that you have the better blessings that belong to your salvation. 

10  God is not unfair. He will not forget the work you did or the love you showed for him in the help you gave and are still giving to other Christians. 

11  Our great desire is that each of you keep up your eagerness to the end, so that the things you hope for will come true. 

12  We do not want you to become lazy, but to be like those who believe and are patient, and so receive what God has promised.

Christ’s Sacrifice Once For All (Hebrews 10:1-18) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1    The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. 

2    If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.

3    But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. 

4    For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 

5    That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings.  But you have given me a body to offer.

6    You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin.

7    Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”

8    First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 

9    Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 

10  For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

11  Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 

12  But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 

13  There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. 

14  For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

15  And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,

16  “This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord:  I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”

17  Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.”

18  And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1   The Jewish Law is not a full and faithful model of the real things; it is only a faint outline of the good things to come. The same sacrifices are offered forever, year after year. How can the Law, then, by means of these sacrifices make perfect the people who come to God? 

2    If the people worshiping God had really been purified from their sins, they would not feel guilty of sin any more, and all sacrifices would stop. 

3   As it is, however, the sacrifices serve year after year to remind people of their sins. 

4   For the blood of bulls and goats can never take away sins.

5   For this reason, when Christ was about to come into the world, he said to God:  “You do not want sacrifices and offerings, but you have prepared a body for me.

6   You are not pleased with animals burned whole on the altar or with sacrifices to take away sins.

7    Then I said, ‘Here I am, to do your will, O God, just as it is written of me in the book of the Law.’”

8    First he said, “You neither want nor are you pleased with sacrifices and offerings or with animals burned on the altar and the sacrifices to take away sins.” He said this even though all these sacrifices are offered according to the Law. 

9    Then he said, “Here I am, O God, to do your will.” So God does away with all the old sacrifices and puts the sacrifice of Christ in their place. 

10  Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted him to do, we are all purified from sin by the offering that he made of his own body once and for all.

11  Every Jewish priest performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times; but these sacrifices can never take away sins. 

12  Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective forever, and then he sat down at the right side of God. 

13  There he now waits until God puts his enemies as a footstool under his feet. 

14  With one sacrifice, then, he has made perfect forever those who are purified from sin.

15  And the Holy Spirit also gives us his witness. First he says, 

16  “This is the covenant that I will make with them in the days to come, says the Lord:  I will put my laws in their hearts and write them on their minds.”

17  And then he says, “I will not remember their sins and evil deeds any longer.” 

18  So when these have been forgiven, an offering to take away sins is no longer needed.

Christ Sacrifice Takes Away Sins (Hebrews 9:23-28) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
23  That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals.
24  For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf.
25  And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal.
26  If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.
27  And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,
28  so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION
23  Those things, which are copies of the heavenly originals, had to be purified in that way. But the heavenly things themselves require much better sacrifices. 
24  For Christ did not go into a Holy Place made by human hands, which was a copy of the real one. He went into heaven itself, where he now appears on our behalf in the presence of God. 
25  The Jewish high priest goes into the Most Holy Place every year with the blood of an animal. But Christ did not go in to offer himself many times, 
26  for then he would have had to suffer many times ever since the creation of the world. Instead, now when all ages of time are nearing the end, he has appeared once and for all, to remove sin through the sacrifice of himself. 
27  Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God. 
28  In the same manner Christ also was offered in sacrifice once to take away the sins of many. He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are waiting for him.

New Covenant (Hebrews 9:16-22) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
16  Now when someone leaves a will, it is necessary to prove that the person who made it is dead.
17  The will goes into effect only after the person’s death. While the person who made it is still alive, the will cannot be put into effect.
18  That is why even the first covenant was put into effect with the blood of an animal.
19  For after Moses had read each of God’s commandments to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God’s law and all the people, using hyssop branches and scarlet wool.
20  Then he said, “This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you.”
21  And in the same way, he sprinkled blood on the Tabernacle and on everything used for worship.
22  In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION
16  In the case of a will it is necessary to prove that the person who made it has died, 
17  for a will means nothing while the person who made it is alive; it goes into effect only after his death.
18  That is why even the first covenant went into effect only with the use of blood. 
19  First, Moses proclaimed to the people all the commandments as set forth in the Law. Then he took the blood of bulls and goats, mixed it with water, and sprinkled it on the book of the Law and all the people, using a sprig of hyssop and some red wool. 
20  He said, “This is the blood which seals the covenant that God has commanded you to obey.” 
21  In the same way Moses also sprinkled the blood on the Sacred Tent and over all the things used in worship. 
22  Indeed, according to the Law almost everything is purified by blood, and sins are forgiven only if blood is poured out.

Christ Is The Perfect Sacrifice (Hebrews 9:1-15) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1    That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. 

2    There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place. 

3    Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. 

4    In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 

5    Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.

6    When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties. 

7    But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 

8    By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.

9    This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them. 

10  For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established. 

11  So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. 

12  With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.

13  Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 

14  Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. 

15  That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1    The first covenant had rules for worship and a place made for worship as well. 

2    A tent was put up, the outer one, which was called the Holy Place. In it were the lampstand and the table with the bread offered to God. 

3    Behind the second curtain was the tent called the Most Holy Place. 

4    In it were the gold altar for the burning of incense and the Covenant Box all covered with gold and containing the gold jar with the manna in it, Aaron's stick that had sprouted leaves, and the two stone tablets with the commandments written on them. 

5    Above the Box were the winged creatures representing God's presence, with their wings spread over the place where sins were forgiven. But now is not the time to explain everything in detail.

6    This is how those things have been arranged. The priests go into the outer tent every day to perform their duties, 

7    but only the high priest goes into the inner tent, and he does so only once a year. He takes with him blood which he offers to God on behalf of himself and for the sins which the people have committed without knowing they were sinning. 

8    The Holy Spirit clearly teaches from all these arrangements that the way into the Most Holy Place has not yet been opened as long as the outer tent still stands. 

9    This is a symbol which points to the present time. It means that the offerings and animal sacrifices presented to God cannot make the worshiper's heart perfect, 

10  since they have to do only with food, drink, and various purification ceremonies. These are all outward rules, which apply only until the time when God will establish the new order.

11  But Christ has already come as the High Priest of the good things that are already here. The tent in which he serves is greater and more perfect; it is not a tent made by human hands, that is, it is not a part of this created world. 

12  When Christ went through the tent and entered once and for all into the Most Holy Place, he did not take the blood of goats and bulls to offer as a sacrifice; rather, he took his own blood and obtained eternal salvation for us. 

13  The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a burnt calf are sprinkled on the people who are ritually unclean, and this purifies them by taking away their ritual impurity. 

14  Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.

15  For this reason Christ is the one who arranges a new covenant, so that those who have been called by God may receive the eternal blessings that God has promised. This can be done because there has been a death which sets people free from the wrongs they did while the first covenant was in effect.

Christ Is Our High Priest (Hebrews 8:1-13) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1    Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven.

2    There he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands.

3    And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too. 

4    If he were here on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there already are priests who offer the gifts required by the law. 

5    They serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.”

6    But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.

7    If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. 

8    But when God found fault with the people, he said:  “The day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.

9    This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt.  They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the Lord.

10  But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord:  I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.

11  And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’  For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already.

12  And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

13  When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1   The whole point of what we are saying is that we have such a High Priest, who sits at the right of the throne of the Divine Majesty in heaven. 

2    He serves as high priest in the Most Holy Place, that is, in the real tent which was put up by the Lord, not by human hands.

3    Every high priest is appointed to present offerings and animal sacrifices to God, and so our High Priest must also have something to offer. 

4    If he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer the gifts required by the Jewish Law. 

5    The work they do as priests is really only a copy and a shadow of what is in heaven. It is the same as it was with Moses. When he was about to build the Sacred Tent, God told him, “Be sure to make everything according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain.”

6    But now, Jesus has been given priestly work which is superior to theirs, just as the covenant which he arranged between God and his people is a better one, because it is based on promises of better things.

7    If there had been nothing wrong with the first covenant, there would have been no need for a second one. 

8    But God finds fault with his people when he says, “The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will draw up a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.

9    It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt.  They were not faithful to the covenant I made with them, and so I paid no attention to them.

10  Now, this is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel in the days to come, says the Lord:  I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.

11  None of them will have to teach their friends or tell their neighbors, 'Know the Lord.’  For they will all know me, from the least to the greatest.

12  I will forgive their sins and will no longer remember their wrongs.”

13  By speaking of a new covenant, God has made the first one old; and anything that becomes old and worn out will soon disappear.

Jesus Is Like Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:15-28) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

15  This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared.

16  Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. 

17  And the psalmist pointed this out when he prophesied, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

18  Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless. 

19  For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

20  This new system was established with a solemn oath. Aaron’s descendants became priests without such an oath, 

21  but there was an oath regarding Jesus. For God said to him, “The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow:  ‘You are a priest forever.’”

22  Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God.

23  There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. 

24  But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. 

25  Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

26  He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.

27  Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. 

28  The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION
15  The matter becomes even plainer; a different priest has appeared, who is like Melchizedek. 
16  He was made a priest, not by human rules and regulations, but through the power of a life which has no end. 
17  For the scripture says, “You will be a priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.” 
18  The old rule, then, is set aside, because it was weak and useless. ¹⁹ For the Law of Moses could not make anything perfect. And now a better hope has been provided through which we come near to God.
²⁰ In addition, there is also God's vow. There was no such vow when the others were made priests. 
21  But Jesus became a priest by means of a vow when God said to him, “The Lord has made a solemn promise and will not take it back:  ‘You will be a priest forever.’”
22  This difference, then, also makes Jesus the guarantee of a better covenant.
23  There is another difference: there were many of those other priests, because they died and could not continue their work. 
24  But Jesus lives on forever, and his work as priest does not pass on to someone else. 
25  And so he is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them.
26  Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinners and raised above the heavens. 
27  He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins first and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all, when he offered himself. 
28  The Law of Moses appoints men who are imperfect to be high priests; but God's promise made with the vow, which came later than the Law, appoints the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Melchizedek Is Greater Than Abraham (Hebrews 7:1-14) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1    This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against the kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him. 

2  Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had captured in battle and gave it to Melchizedek. The name Melchizedek means “king of justice,” and king of Salem means “king of peace.” 

3   There is no record of his father or mother or any of his ancestors—no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling the Son of God.

4   Consider then how great this Melchizedek was. Even Abraham, the great patriarch of Israel, recognized this by giving him a tenth of what he had taken in battle. 

5    Now the law of Moses required that the priests, who are descendants of Levi, must collect a tithe from the rest of the people of Israel, who are also descendants of Abraham. 

6    But Melchizedek, who was not a descendant of Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham. And Melchizedek placed a blessing upon Abraham, the one who had already received the promises of God. 

7    And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed.

8    The priests who collect tithes are men who die, so Melchizedek is greater than they are, because we are told that he lives on. 

9    In addition, we might even say that these Levites—the ones who collect the tithe—paid a tithe to Melchizedek when their ancestor Abraham paid a tithe to him. 

10  For although Levi wasn’t born yet, the seed from which he came was in Abraham’s body when Melchizedek collected the tithe from him.

11  So if the priesthood of Levi, on which the law was based, could have achieved the perfection God intended, why did God need to establish a different priesthood, with a priest in the order of Melchizedek instead of the order of Levi and Aaron?

12  And if the priesthood is changed, the law must also be changed to permit it. 

13  For the priest we are talking about belongs to a different tribe, whose members have never served at the altar as priests. 

14  What I mean is, our Lord came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never mentioned priests coming from that tribe.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1    This Melchizedek was king of Salem and a priest of the Most High God. As Abraham was coming back from the battle in which he defeated the four kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him, 

2    and Abraham gave him one tenth of all he had taken. (The first meaning of Melchizedek's name is “King of Righteousness”; and because he was king of Salem, his name also means “King of Peace.”) 

3    There is no record of Melchizedek's father or mother or of any of his ancestors; no record of his birth or of his death. He is like the Son of God; he remains a priest forever.

4    You see, then, how great he was. Abraham, our famous ancestor, gave him one tenth of all he got in the battle. 

5    And those descendants of Levi who are priests are commanded by the Law to collect one tenth from the people of Israel, that is, from their own people, even though they are also descendants of Abraham.

6    Melchizedek was not descended from Levi, but he collected one tenth from Abraham and blessed him, the man who received God's promises. 

7    There is no doubt that the one who blesses is greater than the one who is blessed. 

8    In the case of the priests the tenth is collected by men who die; but as for Melchizedek the tenth was collected by one who lives, as the scripture says. 

9    And, so to speak, when Abraham paid the tenth, Levi (whose descendants collect the tenth) also paid it.

10  For Levi had not yet been born, but was, so to speak, in the body of his ancestor Abraham when Melchizedek met him.

11  It was on the basis of the levitical priesthood that the Law was given to the people of Israel. Now, if the work of the levitical priests had been perfect, there would have been no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek, not of Aaron. 

12  For when the priesthood is changed, there also has to be a change in the law. 

13  And our Lord, of whom these things are said, belonged to a different tribe, and no member of his tribe ever served as a priest. 

14  It is well known that he was born a member of the tribe of Judah; and Moses did not mention this tribe when he spoke of priests.

God's Promises Bring Hope (Hebrews 6:13-20) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

13  For example, there was God’s promise to Abraham. Since there was no one greater to swear by, God took an oath in his own name, saying:

14  “I will certainly bless you, and I will multiply your descendants beyond number.”

15  Then Abraham waited patiently, and he received what God had promised.

16  Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. 

17  God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind. 

18  So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. 

19  This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. 

20  Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

13  When God made his promise to Abraham, he made a vow to do what he had promised. Since there was no one greater than himself, he used his own name when he made his vow. 

14  He said, “I promise you that I will bless you and give you many descendants.” 

15  Abraham was patient, and so he received what God had promised. 

16  When we make a vow, we use the name of someone greater than ourselves, and the vow settles all arguments. 

17  To those who were to receive what he promised, God wanted to make it very clear that he would never change his purpose; so he added his vow to the promise. 

18  There are these two things, then, that cannot change and about which God cannot lie. So we who have found safety with him are greatly encouraged to hold firmly to the hope placed before us. 

19  We have this hope as an anchor for our lives. It is safe and sure, and goes through the curtain of the heavenly temple into the inner sanctuary. 

20  On our behalf Jesus has gone in there before us and has become a high priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.

God Is Not Unfair (Hebrews 6:1-12) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1    So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. 

2    You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 

3    And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.

4    For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 

5    who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 

6    and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.

7    When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing.

8    But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it.

9    Dear friends, even though we are talking this way, we really don’t believe it applies to you. We are confident that you are meant for better things, things that come with salvation. 

10  For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. 

11  Our great desire is that you will keep on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what you hope for will come true. 

12  Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their faith and endurance.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION
1    Let us go forward, then, to mature teaching and leave behind us the first lessons of the Christian message. We should not lay again the foundation of turning away from useless works and believing in God;
2    of the teaching about baptisms and the laying on of hands; of the resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment. 
3    Let us go forward! And this is what we will do, if God allows.
4    For how can those who abandon their faith be brought back to repent again? They were once in God's light; they tasted heaven's gift and received their share of the Holy Spirit; 
5    they knew from experience that God's word is good, and they had felt the powers of the coming age.
6    And then they abandoned their faith! It is impossible to bring them back to repent again, because they are again crucifying the Son of God and exposing him to public shame.
7    God blesses the soil which drinks in the rain that often falls on it and which grows plants that are useful to those for whom it is cultivated. 
8    But if it grows thorns and weeds, it is worth nothing; it is in danger of being cursed by God and will be destroyed by fire.
9    But even if we speak like this, dear friends, we feel sure about you. We know that you have the better blessings that belong to your salvation. 
10  God is not unfair. He will not forget the work you did or the love you showed for him in the help you gave and are still giving to other Christians. 
11  Our great desire is that each of you keep up your eagerness to the end, so that the things you hope for will come true. 
12  We do not want you to become lazy, but to be like those who believe and are patient, and so receive what God has promised.

Warning against Abandoning The Faith (Hebrews 5:11-14) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

11  There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 

12  You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 

13  For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 

14  Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

11  There is much we have to say about this matter, but it is hard to explain to you, because you are so slow to understand. 

12  There has been enough time for you to be teachers—yet you still need someone to teach you the first lessons of God's message. Instead of eating solid food, you still have to drink milk. 

13  Anyone who has to drink milk is still a child, without any experience in the matter of right and wrong.

14  Solid food, on the other hand, is for adults, who through practice are able to distinguish between good and evil.

Christ Is Our High Priest (Hebrews 5:1-10) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1   Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. 

2   And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. 

3   That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs.

4   And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. 

5   That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him, “You are my Son.  Today I have become your Father.”

6   And in another passage God said to him, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

7   While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 

8   Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. 

9   In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. 

10  And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1   Every high priest is chosen from his fellow-men and appointed to serve God on their behalf, to offer sacrifices and offerings for sins. 

2   Since he himself is weak in many ways, he is able to be gentle with those who are ignorant and make mistakes. 

3   And because he is himself weak, he must offer sacrifices not only for the sins of the people but also for his own sins. 

4   No one chooses for himself the honor of being a high priest. It is only by God's call that a man is made a high priest—just as Aaron was.

5   In the same way, Christ did not take upon himself the honor of being a high priest. Instead, God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”

6   He also said in another place,  “You will be a priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.” 

7   In his life on earth Jesus made his prayers and requests with loud cries and tears to God, who could save him from death. Because he was humble and devoted, God heard him. 

8   But even though he was God's Son, he learned through his sufferings to be obedient. 

9   When he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him, 

10  and God declared him to be high priest, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.

Jesus The Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
14  So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.
15  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.
16  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION
14  Let us, then, hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we have a great High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God—Jesus, the Son of God. 
15  Our High Priest is not one who cannot feel sympathy for our weaknesses. On the contrary, we have a High Priest who was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin. 
16  Let us have confidence, then, and approach God's throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it.

The Word Of God Is Alive (Hebrews 4:1-13) New Living and Good News Translations

NEW LIVING TRANSLATION

1    God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. 

2    For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. 

3    For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath:

They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.

4    We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.” 

5    But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.”

6    So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. 

7    So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted:  “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.”

8    Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. 

9    So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. 

10  For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. 

11  So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

12  For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 

13  Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

GOOD NEWS TRANSLATION

1    Now, God has offered us the promise that we may receive that rest he spoke about. Let us take care, then, that none of you will be found to have failed to receive that promised rest. 

2    For we have heard the Good News, just as they did. They heard the message, but it did them no good, because when they heard it, they did not accept it with faith. 

3    We who believe, then, do receive that rest which God promised. It is just as he said, “I was angry and made a solemn promise:  ‘They will never enter the land where I would have given them rest!’”  He said this even though his work had been finished from the time he created the world.

4    For somewhere in the Scriptures this is said about the seventh day: “God rested on the seventh day from all his work.” 

5    This same matter is spoken of again: “They will never enter that land where I would have given them rest.” 

6    Those who first heard the Good News did not receive that rest, because they did not believe. There are, then, others who are allowed to receive it. 

7    This is shown by the fact that God sets another day, which is called “Today.” Many years later he spoke of it through David in the scripture already quoted:  “If you hear God's voice today, do not be stubborn.”

8    If Joshua had given the people the rest that God had promised, God would not have spoken later about another day. 

9    As it is, however, there still remains for God's people a rest like God's resting on the seventh day. 

10  For those who receive that rest which God promised will rest from their own work, just as God rested from his. 

11  Let us, then, do our best to receive that rest, so that no one of us will fail as they did because of their lack of faith.

12  The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of the heart. 

13  There is nothing that can be hid from God; everything in all creation is exposed and lies open before his eyes. And it is to him that we must all give an account of ourselves.