9Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary.G3767G3303G4413G2192G2532G1345G2999G5037G2886G392A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place.G1063G2680G4633G2680G4413G1722G3739G5037G3087G2532G5132G2532G4286G740G3748G3004G393Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place,G1161G3326G1208G2665G4633G3588G3004G39G394which 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.G2192G5552G2369G2532G2787G1242G4028G3840G5553G1722G3739G5552G4713G2192G3131G2532G2G4464G985G2532G4109G12425Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.G1161G5231G846G5502G1391G2683G2435G4012G3739G3756G2076G3568G3004G2596G33136When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry.G1161G5130G2680G3779G2680G2409G1524G1275G1519G3303G4413G4633G2005G29997But 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.G1161G1519G1208G749G3441G530G1763G3756G5565G129G3739G4374G5228G1438G2532G51G29928The 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.G40G4151G5124G1213G3598G39G5319G3380G5319G4413G4633G2192G2089G47149This 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.G3748G3850G1519G2540G1764G2596G3739G4374G5037G1435G2532G2378G1410G3361G5048G3000G5048G2596G489310They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.G3440G1909G1033G2532G4188G2532G1313G909G2532G4561G1345G1945G3360G2540G135711But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, 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.G1161G5547G3854G749G18G3195G1223G3187G2532G5046G4633G3756G5499G5123G3756G5026G293712He 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 obtaining eternal redemption.G3761G1223G129G5131G2532G3448G1161G1223G2398G129G1525G2178G1519G39G2147G166G308513The 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.G1063G1487G129G5022G2532G5131G2532G4700G1151G4472G2840G37G4314G2514G456114How 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, so that we may serve the living God!G4214G3123G2511G129G5547G3739G1223G166G4151G4374G1438G299G2316G2511G5216G4893G575G3498G2041G1519G3000G2198G231615For 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.G2532G5124G1223G2076G3316G2537G1242G3704G1096G2288G1519G629G3847G1909G4413G1242G2564G2983G1860G166G281716In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who made it,G1063G3699G1242G318G5342G2288G130317because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never takes effect while the one who made it is living.G1063G1242G949G1909G3498G1893G2480G3379G2480G3379G3753G1303G219818This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.G3606G3761G4413G1457G5565G12919When 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.G1063G5259G3475G2980G3956G1785G3956G2992G2596G3551G2983G129G3448G2532G5131G3326G5204G2532G2847G2053G2532G5301G4472G5037G975G846G2532G3956G299220He said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep."G3004G5124G129G1242G3739G2316G1781G4314G520921In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies.G1161G3668G4472G129G2532G4633G2532G3956G4632G300922In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.G2532G4975G3956G2511G2596G3551G2511G1722G129G2532G5565G130G1096G3756G85923It 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.G3767G318G5262G3303G1722G3772G2511G5125G1161G2032G846G2909G2378G3844G502524For 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.G1063G5547G1525G3756G1525G1519G39G5499G499G228G235G1519G3772G846G3568G1718G4383G2316G5228G225725Nor 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.G3761G2443G4374G1438G4178G5618G749G1525G1519G39G2596G1763G1722G129G24526Otherwise 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.G1893G1163G846G4178G3958G575G2602G2889G1161G3568G530G1909G4930G165G5319G1519G115G266G1223G2378G84627Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,G2532G2596G3745G606G444G530G599G1161G3326G5124G292028so 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.G3779G5547G530G4374G1519G399G266G4183G553G846G3700G1537G1208G5565G266G1519G4991