Hebrews 10 - Easy To Read Version

¹ The law {\cf2\super [119]} gave us only an unclear picture of the good things coming in the future. The law is not a perfect picture of the real things. The law tells people to offer the same sacrifices {\cf2\super [120]} every year. The people who come to worship God continue to offer those sacrifices. But the law can never make those people perfect.

² If the law could make people perfect, then those sacrifices would have already stopped. Those people would already be clean \{from their sins\}. And they would not still feel guilty for their sins. \{But the law cannot do that.\}

³ Those people’s sacrifices make them remember their sins every year,

⁴ because it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

⁵ So when Christ came into the world he said:

⁶ You are not pleased with the sacrifices {\cf2\super [122]} of animals killed and burned.\par And you are not pleased with sacrifices to take away sins.\par

⁷ Then I said, ‘Here I am, God.\par It is written about me in the book\par of the law.\par I have come to do the things you want.’”\par \i (Psalm 40:6-8)\i0 \par

⁸ \{In this Scripture {\cf2\super [123]} \} he (Christ) first said, “You don’t want sacrifices {\cf2\super [124]} and offerings. You are not pleased with animals killed and burned or with sacrifices to take away sin.” (These are all sacrifices that the law {\cf2\super [125]} commands.)

⁹ Then he (Christ) said, “Here I am, God. I have come to do the things you want.” So God ends that first system of sacrifices and starts his new way.

¹⁰ Jesus Christ did the things God wanted him to do. And because of that, we are made holy through the sacrifice {\cf2\super [126]} of Christ’s body. Christ made that sacrifice one time—enough for all time.

¹¹ Every day the priests stand and do their religious service. Again and again the priests offer the same sacrifices. {\cf2\super [127]} But those sacrifices can never take away sins.

¹² But Christ offered only one sacrifice for sins, and that sacrifice is enough for all time. Then Christ sat down at the right side of God.

¹³ And now Christ waits there for his enemies to be put under his power. {\cf2\super [128]}

¹⁴ With one sacrifice Christ made his people perfect forever. Those people are the ones who are being made holy. {\cf2\super [129]}

¹⁵ The Holy Spirit {\cf2\super [130]} also tells us about this. First he says:

¹⁶ “This is the agreement {\cf2\super [131]} I will make with my people in the future, says the Lord.\par I will put my laws in their hearts.\par I will write my laws in their minds.”\par \i (Jeremiah 31:33)\i0 \par

¹⁷ Then he says:

¹⁸ And after all these things are forgiven, there is no more need for a sacrifice {\cf2\super [132]} \{to pay\} for sins.

¹⁹ And so, brothers and sisters, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place. {\cf2\super [133]} We can do this without fear because of the blood (death) of Jesus.

²⁰ We can enter through a new way that Jesus opened for us. It is a living way. This new way leads through the curtain {\cf2\super [134]} —Christ’s body.

²¹ And we have a great priest who rules the house (people) of God.

²² We have been cleansed and made free from feelings of guilt. And our bodies have been washed with pure water. So come near to God with a sincere (true) heart, feeling sure because of our faith.

²³ We should hold strongly to the hope that we have. And we should never fail to tell people about our hope. We can trust God to do what he promised.

²⁴ We should think about each other and see how we can help each other to show love and do good things.

²⁵ We should not quit meeting together. That’s what some people are doing. But we should \{meet together and\} encourage each other. You should do this more and more as you see the Day {\cf2\super [135]} coming.

²⁶ If we decide to continue sinning after we have learned the truth, then there is no other sacrifice {\cf2\super [136]} that will take away sins.

²⁷ If we continue sinning, all we have is fear in waiting for the judgment and the angry fire that will destroy all people who live against God.

²⁸ Any person who refused to obey the law of Moses was found guilty from the proof given by two or three witnesses. That person was not forgiven. He was killed.

²⁹ So what do you think should be done to a person who shows his hate for the Son of God? Surely that person should have a much worse punishment. Yes, that person should have a worse punishment for not showing respect for the blood (Jesus’ death) that began the new agreement. {\cf2\super [137]} That blood once made that person holy. And that person should have a worse punishment for showing his hate against the Spirit {\cf2\super [138]} of God’s grace (kindness).

³⁰ We know that God said, “I will punish people \{for the wrong things they do\}; I will repay them.” {\cf2\super [139]} And God also said, “The Lord will judge his people.” {\cf2\super [140]}

³¹ It is a terrible thing \{for a sinful person\} to fall into the hands of the living God.

³² Remember those days when you first learned the truth. You had a hard struggle with many sufferings, but you continued strong.

³³ Sometimes people said hateful things to you and persecuted {\cf2\super [141]} you before many people. And sometimes you helped other people who were being treated that same way.

³⁴ Yes, you helped those people in prison and shared in their suffering. And you were still happy when all the things you owned were taken away from you. You continued to be happy, because you knew that you had something much better—something that would continue forever.

³⁵ So don’t lose the courage that you had in the past. Your courage will be rewarded richly.

³⁶ You must be patient. After you have done what God wants, then you will get the things that he promised you.

³⁷ In a very short time,

³⁸ The person who is right with me (God)\par will have life because of his faith.\par But if that person turns back \{in fear\},\par I will not be pleased with him.” {\cf2\super [142]} \par \i (Habakkuk 2:3-4)\i0 \par

³⁹ But we are not those people who turn back and are lost. No. We are the people who have faith and are saved.