Letters to the Churches

since it had behoved him many times to suffer from the foundation of the world, but now once, at the full end of the ages, for putting away of sin through his sacrifice, he hath been manifested;

and as it is laid up to men once to die, and after this--judgment,

so also the Christ, once having been offered to bear the sins of many, a second time, apart from a sin-offering, shall appear, to those waiting for him--to salvation!

For the law having a shadow of the coming good things--not the very image of the matters, every year, by the same sacrifices that they offer continually, is never able to make perfect those coming near,

since, would they not have ceased to be offered, because of those serving having no more conscience of sins, having once been purified?

but in those sacrifices is a remembrance of sins every year,

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

Wherefore, coming into the world, he saith, `Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not will, and a body Thou didst prepare for me,

in burnt-offerings, and concerning sin-offerings, Thou didst not delight,

then I said, Lo, I come, (in a volume of the book it hath been written concerning me,) to do, O God, Thy will;'

saying above--`Sacrifice, and offering, and burnt-offerings, and concerning sin-offering Thou didst not will, nor delight in,' --which according to the law are offered--

then he said, `Lo, I come to do, O God, Thy will;' he doth take away the first that the second he may establish;

in the which will we are having been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once,

and every priest, indeed, hath stood daily serving, and the same sacrifices many times offering, that are never able to take away sins.

And He, for sin one sacrifice having offered--to the end, did sit down on the right hand of God, --

as to the rest, expecting till He may place his enemies as his footstool,

for by one offering he hath perfected to the end those sanctified;

and testify to us also doth the Holy Spirit, for after that He hath said before,

`This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, giving My laws on their hearts, and upon their minds I will write them,'

and `their sins and their lawlessness I will remember no more;'

and where forgiveness of these is , there is no more offering for sin.

Having, therefore, brethren, boldness for the entrance into the holy places, in the blood of Jesus,

which way he did initiate for us--new and living, through the vail, that is, his flesh--

and a high priest over the house of God,

may we draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having the hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having the body bathed with pure water;