Letters to the Churches

for then he would have had to suffer death many times — from the founding of the universe on. But as it is, he has appeared once at the end of the ages in order to do away with sin through the sacrifice of himself.

Just as human beings have to die once, but after this comes judgment,

so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to deliver those who are eagerly waiting for him.

For the Torah has in it a shadow of the good things to come, but not the actual manifestation of the originals. Therefore, it can never, by means of the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, bring to the goal those who approach the Holy Place to offer them.

Otherwise, wouldn’t the offering of those sacrifices have ceased? For if the people performing the service had been cleansed once and for all, they would no longer have sins on their conscience.

No, it is quite the contrary — in these sacrifices is a reminder of sins, year after year.

For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

This is why, on coming into the world, he says, “It has not been your will to have an animal sacrifice and a meal offering; rather, you have prepared for me a body.

No, you have not been pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings.

Then I said, ‘Look! In the scroll of the book it is written about me. I have come to do your will.’”

In saying first, “You neither willed nor were pleased with animal sacrifices, meal offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings,” things which are offered in accordance with the Torah;

and then, “Look, I have come to do your will”; he takes away the first system in order to set up the second.

It is in connection with this will that we have been separated for God and made holy, once and for all, through the offering of Yeshua the Messiah’s body.

Now every cohen stands every day doing his service, offering over and over the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

But this one, after he had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, sat down at the right hand of God,

from then on to wait until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet.

For by a single offering he has brought to the goal for all time those who are being set apart for God and made holy.

And the Ruach HaKodesh too bears witness to us; for after saying,

“ ‘This is the covenant which I will make with them after those days,’ says Adonai: ‘I will put my Torah on their hearts, and write it on their minds . . . ,’ ”

he then adds, “ ‘And their sins and their wickednesses I will remember no more.’ ”

Now where there is forgiveness for these, an offering for sins is no longer needed.

So, brothers, we have confidence to use the way into the Holiest Place opened by the blood of Yeshua.

He inaugurated it for us as a new and living way through the parokhet, by means of his flesh.

We also have a great cohen over God’s household.

Therefore, let us approach the Holiest Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from trusting — with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.