Letters to the Churches

Otherwise, Christ would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,

so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.

For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

If it could, would not the offerings have ceased? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt the guilt of their sins.

Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,

because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me.

In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.

Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do Your will, O God.’”

In the passage above He says, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (although they are offered according to the law).

Then He adds, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second.

And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.

Since that time, He waits for His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet,

because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says:

“This is the covenant I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their hearts and inscribe them on their minds.”

Then He adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”

And where these have been forgiven, an offering for sin is no longer needed.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,

by the new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body,

and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.