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.
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