Hebrews 9 – NIV & CCBT

New International Version

Hebrews 9:1-28

Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle

1Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

6When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning. 9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. 10They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.

The Blood of Christ

11But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here,9:11 Some early manuscripts are to come he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining9:12 Or blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death,9:14 Or from useless rituals so that we may serve the living God!

15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.

16In the case of a will,9:16 Same Greek word as covenant; also in verse 17 it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it, 17because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”9:20 Exodus 24:8 21In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. 22In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. 25Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)

希伯來書 9:1-28

舊約敬拜的禮儀

1舊約有敬拜的禮儀和地上的聖幕。 2建成後的聖幕共分兩間,外面的一間稱為聖所,擺設了燈臺、桌子和聖餅。 3在第二道幔子後面的那一間叫至聖所, 4裡面有純金的香壇和包金的約櫃。約櫃裡珍藏著盛嗎哪的金罐、亞倫那根發過芽的手杖和兩塊刻著十誡的石版, 5上面有榮耀的基路伯天使,高展翅膀蓋著約櫃上面的施恩座。關於這些事,現在不能一一細說。

6這些東西都齊備了,祭司們便經常進入聖所,舉行敬拜。 7可是,只有大祭司有資格每年一次獨自進入至聖所,而且每次都要端著血進去,為自己和以色列人的過犯獻上。 8聖靈藉此指明,只要頭一個聖幕還在,進入至聖所的路就還沒有開啟。 9這件事是一個象徵,告訴現今的世代:所獻的禮物和祭物都不能使敬拜的人良心純全, 10因為這些不過是關於飲食和各樣潔淨禮儀的外在規條,等新秩序的時代一到,便不再有效了。

美好新約

11現在基督已經來到,作了美好新約的大祭司,祂進入了那更偉大、更全備、非人手建造、不屬於這個世界的聖幕。 12祂只進入至聖所一次便完成了永遠的救贖,用的不是山羊和牛犢的血,而是自己的血。 13如果把山羊血、公牛血和母牛犢的灰灑在污穢的人9·13 污穢的人」指在猶太人的宗教禮儀上被視為不潔淨的人。身上,就可以使他們聖潔,身體得到潔淨, 14更何況基督藉著永恆的靈把自己毫無瑕疵地獻給上帝呢?祂的血豈不更能洗淨我們的良心,使我們脫離導致滅亡的行為,以便事奉永活的上帝嗎?

15因此,祂是新約的中保,藉著死亡救贖了觸犯舊約的人,好叫那些蒙召的人得到所應許的永恆基業。

16凡是遺囑9·16 遺囑」希臘文和「約」是同一個字。,必須等到立遺囑的人死了以後才能生效。 17如果立遺囑的人依然健在,遺囑就不能生效。 18正因如此,連立舊約也需要用血才能生效。 19摩西依照律法向猶太人頒佈所有誡命之後,便用紅色的羊毛和牛膝草蘸了牛犢和山羊的血以及水,灑在律法書和百姓身上, 20說:「這是上帝用來與你們立約的血。」 21他又照樣把血灑在聖幕和所有用來獻祭的器具上。 22根據律法,幾乎所有的器具都要用血來潔淨,因為若不流血,罪就得不到赦免。

23既然仿照天上的樣式所造的器具需要用祭牲的血來潔淨,天上的原物當然要用更美的祭物來潔淨。 24因為基督並非進入了人手所造的聖所,那只是真聖所的縮影,祂是進入了天堂,替我們來到上帝面前。 25祂在天上不必一次又一次地把自己獻上,好像那些大祭司年年都帶著牛羊的血進入至聖所。 26否則,自創世以來,祂不知道要受難多少次了。但如今在這世代的末期,祂只一次獻上自己,便除去了人的罪。 27按著定命,人人都有一死,死後還有審判。 28同樣,基督為了承擔世人的罪,也曾一次獻上自己。祂還要再來,不是來除罪,而是來拯救那些熱切等候祂的人。