The Earthly Holy Place

¹Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and man earthly place of holiness. ²For na tent1 was prepared, the first section, in which were othe lampstand and pthe table and qthe bread of the Presence.2 It is called the Holy Place. ³Behind rthe second curtain was a second section3 called the Most Holy Place, ⁴having the golden saltar of incense and tthe ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was ua golden urn holding the manna, and vAaron's staff that budded, and wthe tablets of the covenant. ⁵Above it were xthe cherubim of glory overshadowing ythe mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

⁶These preparations having thus been made, zthe priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, ⁷but into the second only athe high priest goes, and he but aonce a year, and not without taking blood, bwhich he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. ⁸By this the Holy Spirit indicates that cthe 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).4 According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered dthat cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, ¹⁰but deal only with efood and drink and fvarious washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

Redemption Through the Blood of Christ

¹¹But when Christ appeared as a high priest gof the good things that have come,5 then through hthe greater and more perfect tent (inot made with hands, that is, not of this creation) ¹²he jentered konce for all into the holy places, not by means of lthe blood of goats and calves but mby means of his own blood, nthus securing an eternal redemption. ¹³For if othe blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with pthe ashes of a heifer, sanctify6 for the purification of the flesh, ¹⁴how much more will qthe blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit roffered himself without blemish to God, spurify our7 conscience tfrom dead works uto serve the living God.

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