Heb 9 | ESV | STEP | Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness .

‏ Hebrews 9

The Earthly Holy Place

1 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and ^aan earthly place of holiness. 2 For ^ba tent ^{▼▼Or tabernacle; also verses 11, 21} was prepared, the first section, in which were ^dthe lampstand and ^ethe table and ^fthe bread of the Presence. ^{▼▼Greek the presentation of the loaves} It is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind ^hthe second curtain was a second section ^{▼▼Greek tent; also verses 6, 8} called the Most Holy Place, 4 having the golden ^jaltar of incense and ^kthe ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was ^la golden urn holding the manna, and ^mAaron’s staff that budded, and ⁿthe tablets of the covenant. 5 Above it were ^othe cherubim of glory overshadowing ^pthe mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6 These preparations having thus been made, ^qthe priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 but into the second only ^rthe high priest goes, and he but ^sonce a year, and not without taking blood, ^twhich he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that ^uthe way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age). ^{▼▼Or which is symbolic for the age then present} According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered ^wthat cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with ^xfood and drink and ^yvarious washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

Redemption Through the Blood of Christ

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest ^zof the good things that have come, ^{▼▼Some manuscripts good things to come} then through ^abthe greater and more perfect tent ( ^acnot made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he ^adentered ^aeonce for all into the holy places, not by means of ^afthe blood of goats and calves but ^agby means of his own blood, ^ahthus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if ^aithe blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with ^ajthe ashes of a heifer, sanctify ^{▼▼Or For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies} for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will ^althe blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit ^amoffered himself without blemish to God, ^anpurify our ^{▼▼Some manuscripts your} conscience ^apfrom dead works ^aqto serve the living God.

15 Therefore he is ^arthe mediator of a new covenant, so that ^asthose who are called may ^atreceive the promised eternal inheritance, ^ausince a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. ^{▼▼The Greek word means both covenant and will; also verses 16, 17} 16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For ^awa will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated ^axwithout blood. 19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took ^aythe blood of calves and goats, ^azwith water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, ^ba“This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both ^bbthe tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and ^bcwithout the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

23 Thus it was necessary for ^bdthe copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places ^bemade with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God ^bfon our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as ^bgthe high priest enters ^bhthe holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, ^bihe has appeared ^bjonce for all ^bkat the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as ^blit is appointed for man to die once, and ^bmafter that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once ^bnto bear the sins of ^bomany, will appear ^bpa second time, ^bqnot to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly ^brwaiting for him.