Christ’s Sacrifice Is Once and for All Time
1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming. It is not the real things themselves. The same sacrifices have to be offered over and over again. They must be offered year after year. That’s why the law can never make perfect those who come near to worship. 2If the law could, wouldn’t the sacrifices have stopped being offered? The worshipers would have been made “clean” once and for all time. They would not have felt guilty for their sins anymore. 3But those offerings remind people of their sins every year. 4It isn’t possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5So when Christ came into the world, he said,
“You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings.
Instead, you prepared a body for me.
6You weren’t pleased
with burnt offerings and sin offerings.
7Then I said, ‘Here I am. It is written about me in the book.
I have come to do what you want, my God.’ ” (Psalm 40:6–8)
8First Christ said, “You didn’t want sacrifices and offerings. You didn’t want burnt offerings and sin offerings. You weren’t pleased with them.” He said this even though they were offered in keeping with the law. 9Then he said, “Here I am. I have come to do what you want.” He did away with the shadow of the good things that were coming. He did it to put in place the good things themselves. 10We have been made holy by what God wanted. We have been made holy because Jesus Christ offered his body once and for all time.
11Day after day every priest stands and does his special duties. He offers the same sacrifices again and again. But they can never take away sins. 12Jesus our priest offered one sacrifice for sins for all time. Then he sat down at the right hand of God. 13And since that time, he waits for his enemies to be put under his control. 14By that one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
15The Holy Spirit also speaks to us about this. First he says,
16“This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts.
I will write my laws on their minds.” (Jeremiah 31:33)
17Then he adds,
“I will not remember their sins anymore.
I will not remember the evil things they have done.” (Jeremiah 31:34)
18Where these sins have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer necessary.
An Appeal and Warning to Remain Faithful
19Brothers and sisters, we are not afraid to enter the Most Holy Room. We enter boldly because of the blood of Jesus. 20His way is new because he lives. It has been opened for us through the curtain. I’m talking about his body. 21We also have a great priest over the house of God. 22So let us come near to God with a sincere heart. Let us come near boldly because of our faith. Our hearts have been sprinkled. Our minds have been cleansed from a sense of guilt. Our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23Let us hold firmly to the hope we claim to have. The God who promised is faithful. 24Let us consider how we can stir up one another to love. Let us help one another to do good works. 25And let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this. Instead, let us encourage one another with words of hope. Let us do this even more as you see Christ’s return approaching.
26What if we keep sinning on purpose? What if we do it even after we know the truth? Then there is no offering for our sins. 27All we can do is to wait in fear for God to judge. His blazing fire will burn up his enemies. 28Suppose someone did not obey the law of Moses. And suppose two or three witnesses made charges against them. That person would die without mercy. 29People who deserve even more punishment include those who have hated the Son of God. They include people who have said no to him. They include people who have treated as unholy the blood of the covenant that makes them holy. They also include people who have disrespected the Holy Spirit who brings God’s grace. Don’t you think people like this should be punished more than anyone else? 30We know the God who said, “I am the God who judges people. I will pay them back.” (Deuteronomy 32:35) Scripture also says, “The Lord will judge his people.” (Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalm 135:14) 31It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32Remember those earlier days after you received the light. You remained strong in a great battle that was full of suffering. 33Sometimes people spoke badly about you in front of others. Sometimes you were treated badly. At other times you stood side by side with people being treated like this. 34You suffered along with people in prison. When your property was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew that God had given you better and more lasting things. 35So don’t throw away your bold faith. It will bring you rich rewards.
36You need to be faithful. Then you will do what God wants. You will receive what he has promised.
37“In just a little while,
he who is coming will come.
He will not wait any longer.”
38And,
“The one who is right with God will live by faith.
And I am not pleased with
the one who pulls back.” (Habakkuk 2:3,4)
39But we don’t belong to the people who pull back and are destroyed. We belong to the people who believe and are saved.
Dhabihu Ya Kristo Ni Mara Moja Tu
110:1 Kol 2:17; Ebr 8:5; 9:23; 9:11; 9:9; 9:14Sheria ni kivuli tu cha mambo mema yajayo, wala si uhalisi wa mambo yenyewe. Kwa sababu hii, haiwezekani kamwe kwa njia ya dhabihu zitolewazo mwaka hadi mwaka kuwakamilisha wale wanaokaribia ili kuabudu. 210:2 Ebr 9:9Kama dhabihu hizo zingeweza kuwakamilisha, hazingeendelea kutolewa tena. Kwa kuwa hao waabuduo wangekuwa wametakaswa mara moja tu, wala wasingejiona tena kuwa na dhambi. 310:3 Law 16:21; 16:34; Ebr 9:7Lakini zile dhabihu zilikuwa ukumbusho wa dhambi kila mwaka, 410:4 Mik 6:6, 7; Ebr 9:13; 9:11kwa sababu haiwezekani damu ya mafahali na mbuzi kuondoa dhambi.
510:5 Ebr 1:6; 2:14; 1Pet 2:24; Za 40:6; 50:8; Isa 1:11; Yer 6:20; Amo 5:21, 22Kwa hiyo, Kristo alipokuja duniani, alisema:
“Dhabihu na sadaka hukuzitaka,
bali mwili uliniandalia;
6sadaka za kuteketezwa na za dhambi
hukupendezwa nazo.
710:7 Ezr 6:2; Yer 36:2; Za 40:6-8; Mt 26:39Ndipo niliposema, ‘Mimi hapa, nimekuja,
imeandikwa kunihusu katika kitabu:
Nimekuja kuyafanya mapenzi yako, Ee Mungu.’ ”
810:8 Ebr 10:5, 6; Mk 12:33Kwanza alisema, “Dhabihu na sadaka, sadaka za kuteketezwa na za dhambi hukuzitaka, wala hukupendezwa nazo” (ingawa sheria iliagiza zitolewe). 910:9 Ebr 10:7Kisha akasema “Mimi hapa, nimekuja kuyafanya mapenzi yako.” Aondoa lile Agano la kwanza ili kuimarisha la pili. 1010:10 Ebr 10:14; Efe 5:26; Ebr 2:14; 7:27; 1Pet 2:24Katika mapenzi hayo sisi tumetakaswa na kufanywa watakatifu kwa njia ya sadaka ya mwili wa Yesu Kristo alioutoa mara moja tu.
1110:11 Ebr 5:1; 10:1, 4; Hes 28:3; Ebr 7:27Kila kuhani husimama siku kwa siku akifanya huduma yake ya ibada, na kutoa tena na tena dhabihu zile zile ambazo haziwezi kamwe kuondoa dhambi. 1210:12 Ebr 5:1; Mk 16:19; Ebr 1:3; Kol 3:1Lakini huyu kuhani akiisha kutoa dhabihu moja kwa ajili ya dhambi kwa wakati wote, aliketi mkono wa kuume wa Mungu. 1310:13 Yos 10:24; Ebr 1:13; Za 110:1; Mdo 2:35; 1Kor 15:25Tangu wakati huo anangoja mpaka adui zake wawekwe chini ya miguu yake, 1410:14 Ebr 10:1; Efe 5:26kwa sababu kwa dhabihu moja amewafanya kuwa wakamilifu milele wale wote wanaotakaswa.
1510:15 Ebr 3:7Pia Roho Mtakatifu anatushuhudia kuhusu jambo hili. Kwanza anasema:
1610:16 Yer 31:33; Ebr 8:10“Hili ndilo Agano nitakalofanya nao
baada ya siku hizo, asema Bwana.
Nitaziweka sheria zangu mioyoni mwao,
na kuziandika katika nia zao.”
1710:17 Yer 31:34; Ebr 8:12Kisha aongeza kusema:
“Dhambi zao na kutokutii kwao
sitakumbuka tena.”
18Basi haya yakiisha kusamehewa, hakuna tena dhabihu yoyote inayotolewa kwa ajili ya dhambi.
Wito Wa Kuvumilia
1910:19 Efe 3:12; Law 16:2; Efe 2:18; Ebr 9:8, 12, 25Kwa hiyo, ndugu zangu, kwa kuwa tunao ujasiri wa kupaingia Patakatifu pa Patakatifu kwa damu ya Yesu, 2010:20 Ebr 9:8; 6:19; 9:3kwa njia mpya iliyo hai tuliyofunguliwa kwa ajili yetu kupitia kwenye lile pazia, yaani, mwili wake, 2110:21 Ebr 2:17; 3:6basi kwa kuwa tunaye Kuhani Mkuu juu ya nyumba ya Mungu, 2210:22 Ebr 10:1; 7:19; 3:12; Yak 1:6; 1Yn 3:21; Eze 36:25; 2Kor 7:1; 1Pet 1:2; Mdo 22:16sisi na tumkaribie Mungu kwa moyo mnyofu kwa imani timilifu, mioyo yetu ikiwa imenyunyizwa damu ya Kristo na kuwa safi kutokana na dhamiri mbaya nayo miili yetu ikiwa imeoshwa kwa maji safi. 2310:23 Ebr 3:6; 3; 1; 1Kor 1:9Tushike kwa uthabiti lile tumaini la ukiri wetu bila kuyumbayumba, kwa maana yeye aliyeahidi ni mwaminifu. 2410:24 Tit 2:14Tuangaliane na kuhimizana sisi kwa sisi katika upendo na katika kutenda mema. 2510:25 Mdo 2:42; Ebr 3:13; 1Kor 3:13Wala tusiache kukutana pamoja, kama wengine walivyo na desturi, bali tuhimizane sisi kwa sisi kadiri tuonavyo Siku ile inakaribia.
2610:26 Kut 21:14; Hes 15:30; Ebr 5:2; 6:4-8; 2Pet 2:20; 1Tim 2:4Kama tukiendelea kutenda dhambi kwa makusudi baada ya kupokea ufahamu wa ile kweli, haibaki tena dhabihu kwa ajili ya dhambi. 2710:27 Isa 26:11; 2The 1:7; Ebr 9:27; 12:29Lakini kinachobaki ni kungoja kwa hofu hukumu ya moto uwakao, utakaowaangamiza adui za Mungu. 2810:28 Kum 17:6, 7; Mt 18:16; Ebr 2:2; Yn 8:17Yeyote aliyeikataa sheria ya Mose alikufa pasipo huruma kwa ushahidi wa watu wawili au watatu. 2910:29 Ebr 2:3; 12:25; 1Kor 11:29; Mt 12:32; Efe 4:30; Mt 4:3; Ufu 1:5; Ebr 6:6; Mt 26:28Je, mnadhani ni adhabu kali kiasi gani anayostahili kupewa mtu aliyemkanyaga Mwana wa Mungu chini ya nyayo zake, yeye aliyeifanya damu ya Agano iliyomtakasa kuwa kitu najisi na kumtendea maovu Roho wa neema? 3010:30 Kum 32:35; Rum 12:19; Kum 32:36; Za 135:14Kwa kuwa tunamjua yeye aliyesema, “Ni juu yangu kulipiza kisasi; nitalipiza.” Tena asema, “Bwana atawahukumu watu wake.” 3110:31 2Kor 5:11; Isa 19:16; Mt 16:16Ni jambo la kutisha kuanguka mikononi mwa Mungu aliye hai.
3210:32 Ebr 6:4; Flp 1:9, 30; Gal 3:4; 2Yn 8; Kol 2:1Kumbukeni siku zile za kwanza, ambazo mkiisha kutiwa nuru mlistahimili mashindano makali ya maumivu. 33Wakati mwingine mlitukanwa na kuteswa hadharani; wakati mwingine mlikuwa radhi kuungana na wale waliofanyiwa hivyo. 3410:34 Ebr 13:3; 11:16; 1Pet 1:4, 5Mliwahurumia wale waliokuwa kifungoni, mkikubali kwa furaha kunyangʼanywa mali zenu kwa maana mlijua kwamba mnayo mali iliyo bora zaidi idumuyo.
3510:35 Efe 3:12; Mt 5:12; 10:32Kwa hiyo msiutupe ujasiri wenu, kwa maana una thawabu kubwa mno. 3610:36 Rum 5:3; Ebr 5:11; 12:1; Yak 1:3, 4, 12; 2Pet 1:6; Ebr 6:15; 9:15Inawapasa kuvumilia ili mkiisha kufanya mapenzi ya Mungu mpate kile alichoahidi. 3710:37 Mt 11:3; Ufu 22:20; Lk 18:8; 2Pet 3:9; Hab 2:3, 4Kwa kuwa bado kitambo kidogo tu,
“Yeye ajaye atakuja wala hatakawia.
3810:38 Rum 1:17; Gal 3:11; Hab 2:3, 4Lakini mwenye haki wangu
ataishi kwa imani.
Naye kama akisitasita,
sina furaha naye.”
3910:39 2Pet 2:20, 21; Mdo 16:30, 31; 1The 5:9; 2The 2:14Lakini sisi hatumo miongoni mwa hao wanaositasita na kuangamia, bali tuko miongoni mwa hao wenye imani na hivyo tunaokolewa.
