Heb 10:1-18 | NETfull | STEP | For the law possesses a shadow of the good things to come but not the reality itself, and is therefore completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, to perfect those who come to worship.

Hebrews 10:1-18

1 For the law possesses a shadow of the good things to come but not the reality itself, and is therefore completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, to perfect those who come to worship. ^{▼▼ Grk “those who approach.”} 2 For otherwise would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers would have been purified once for all and so have ^{▼▼ Grk “the worshipers, having been purified once for all, would have.”} no further consciousness of sin? 3 But in those sacrifices ^{▼▼ Grk “in them”; the referent (those sacrifices) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} there is a reminder of sins year after year. 4 For the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. ^{▼▼ Grk “for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”} 5 So when he came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me.
6 “ Whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you took no delight in.
7 “Then I said, ‘ Here I am: ^{▼▼ Grk “behold,” but this construction often means “here is/there is” (cf. BDAG 468 s.v. ἰδού 2).} I have come – it is written of me in the scroll of the book – to do your will, O God.’” ^{▼▼ A quotation from Ps 40:6–8 (LXX). The phrase a body you prepared for me (in v. 5) is apparently an interpretive expansion of the HT reading “ears you have dug out for me.”}
8 When he says above, “ Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin-offerings you did not desire nor did you take delight in them” ^{▼▼ Various phrases from the quotation of Ps 40:6 in Heb 10:5–6 are repeated in Heb 10:8.} (which are offered according to the law), 9 then he says, “ Here I am: I have come to do your will .” ^{▼▼ The majority of mss, especially the later ones (א² 0278^vid 1739 Maj. lat), have ὁ θεός (ho theos, “God”) at this point, while most of the earliest and best witnesses lack such an explicit addressee (so Ƥ⁴⁶ א* A C D K P Ψ 33 1175 1881 2464 al). The longer reading is a palpable corruption, apparently motivated in part by the wording of Ps 40:8 (39:9 LXX) and by the word order of this same verse as quoted in Heb 10:7.} He does away with ^{▼▼ Or “abolishes.”} the first to establish the second. 10 By his will ^{▼▼ Grk “by which will.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.} we have been made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands day after day ^{▼▼ Or “daily,” “every day.”} serving and offering the same sacrifices again and again – sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest ^{▼▼ Grk “this one.” This pronoun refers to Jesus, but “this priest” was used in the translation to make the contrast between the Jewish priests in v. 11 and Jesus as a priest clearer in English.} had offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, he sat down at the right hand ^{▼▼ An allusion to Ps 110:1.} of God, 13 where he is now waiting ^{▼▼ Grk “from then on waiting.”} until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet. ^{▼▼ An allusion to Ps 110:1.} 14 For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy. 15 And the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us, for after saying, ^{▼▼ Grk “after having said,” emphasizing the present impact of this utterance.} 16 “This is the covenant that I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord. I will put ^{▼▼ Grk “putting…I will inscribe.”} my laws on their hearts and I will inscribe them on their minds ,” ^{▼▼ A quotation from Jer 31:33.} 17 then he says, ^{▼▼ Grk “and.”} “ Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no longer .” ^{▼▼ A quotation from Jer 31:34.} 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.