Now the first covenant, in fact, had regulations for worship and its earthly sanctuary. For a tent was prepared, the outer one, which contained the lampstand, the table, and the presentation of the loaves; this is called the holy place. And after the second curtain there was a tent called the holy of holies. It contained the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered entirely with gold. In this ark were the golden urn containing the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. And above the ark were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Now is not the time to speak of these things in detail. So with these things prepared like this, the priests enter continually into the outer tent as they perform their duties. But only the high priest enters once a year into the inner tent, and not without blood that he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit is making clear that the way into the holy place had not yet appeared as long as the old tabernacle was standing. This was a symbol for the time then present, when gifts and sacrifices were offered that could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper. They served only for matters of food and drink and various washings; they are external regulations imposed until the new order came. But now Christ has come as the high priest of the good things to come. He passed through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation, and he entered once for all into the most holy place not by the blood of goats and calves but by his own blood, and so he himself secured eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow sprinkled on those who are defiled consecrated them and provided ritual purity, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our consciences from dead works to worship the living God. And so he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance he has promised, since he died to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant. For where there is a will, the death of the one who made it must be proven. For a will takes effect only at death, since it carries no force while the one who made it is alive. So even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. For when Moses had spoken every command to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats with water and scarlet wool and hyssop and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded you to keep.” And both the tabernacle and all the utensils of worship he likewise sprinkled with blood. Indeed according to the law almost everything was purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. So it was necessary for the sketches of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves required better sacrifices than these. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands– the representation of the true sanctuary– but into heaven itself, and he appears now in God’s presence for us. And he did not enter to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the sanctuary year after year with blood that is not his own, for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the consummation of the ages to put away sin by his sacrifice. And just as people are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment, so also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation.
原来前约有礼拜的条例，和属世界的圣幕。因 为有预备的帐幕，头一层叫作圣所。里面有灯台，桌子，和 陈设饼。第二幔子后，又有一 层帐幕，叫作至圣所。有金香炉，（炉或作坛）有包金的约柜，柜里有盛 吗哪的金罐，和 亚伦发过芽的杖，并两 块约版。柜上面有荣耀基路伯的影罩着施恩座。（施恩原文作蔽罪） 这几件我现在不能一一 细说。这些物件既如此 预备齐了，众祭司就常 进头一层帐幕，行拜神的礼。至于第二 层帐幕，惟有大祭司一年一次独自 进去，没有不 带着血，为自己和百姓的 过错献上。圣灵用此指明， 头一层帐幕仍存的时候，进入至圣所的路 还未显明。那头一层帐幕作现今的一个表 样，所献的礼物和祭物，就着良心 说，都不能叫礼拜的人得以完全。 这些事连那饮食和诸般洗濯的规矩，都不过是属肉体的条例，命定到振 兴的时候为止。但现在基督已经来到，作了将来美事的大祭司， 经过那更大更全 备的帐幕，不是人手所造也不是属乎 这世界的。并且不用山羊和牛 犊的血，乃用自己的血，只一次 进入圣所，成了永 远赎罪的事。若山羊和公牛的血，并母牛 犊的灰洒在不 洁的人身上，尚且叫人成圣，身体 洁净。何况基督借着永 远的灵，将自己无瑕无疵献 给神，他的血岂不更能洗净你们的心。（原文作良心）除去你 们的死行，使你 们事奉那永生神吗？ 为此他作了新约的中保。既然受死 赎了人在前约之时所犯的罪过，便叫蒙召之人得着所 应许永远的产业。凡有遗命，必须等到留遗命的人死了。（ 遗命原文与约字同） 因为人死了，遗命才有效力，若留 遗命的尚在，那遗命还有用处吗？所以前约也不是不用血立的。因 为摩西当日照着律法，将各 样诫命传给众百姓，就拿朱红色绒和牛膝草，把牛 犊山羊的血和水，洒在 书上，又洒在众百姓身上， 说，这血就是神与你 们立约的凭据。他又照样把血洒在帐幕，和各样器皿上。按着律法，凡物差不多都是用血 洁净的，若不流血，罪就不得赦免了。 照着天上样式作的物件，必 须用这些祭物去洁净。但那天上的本物，自然当用更美的祭物去 洁净。 因为基督并不是进了人手所造的圣所，（ 这不过是真圣所的影像）乃是 进了天堂，如今 为我们显在神面前。也不是多次将自己献上，像那大祭司每年 带着牛羊的血进入圣所（牛羊的血原文作不是自己的血）。 如果这样，他从创世以来，就必多次受苦了。但如今在 这末世显现一次，把自己献 为祭，好除掉罪。按着定命，人人都有一死，死后且有审判。象这样，基督既然一次被献，担当了多人的罪，将来要向那等候他的人第二次 显现，并与罪无关，乃是为拯救他们。