19. First, Moses told all the people every command in the law. Next he took the blood of calves and mixed it with water. Then he used red wool and a branch of the hyssop plant to sprinkle the blood and water on the book of the law and on all the people.
20. He said, “This is the blood which begins the agreement that God commanded you to obey.”
21. In the same way, Moses sprinkled the blood on the Holy Tent and over all the things used in worship.
22. The law says that almost everything must be made clean by blood. And sins cannot be forgiven without blood to show death.
23. So the copies of the real things in heaven had to be made clean by animal sacrifices. But the real things in heaven need much better sacrifices.
24. For Christ did not go into the Most Holy Place made by men. It is only a copy of the real one. He went into heaven itself. He is there now before God to help us.
25. The high priest enters the Most Holy Place once every year. He takes with him blood that is not his own blood. But Christ did not go into heaven to offer himself many times.
26. Then he would have had to suffer many times since the world was made. But Christ came only once and for all time. He came at just the right time to take away all sin by sacrificing himself.
27. Everyone must die once. After a person dies, he is judged.
28. So Christ was offered as a sacrifice one time to take away the sins of many people. And he will come a second time, but not to offer himself for sin. He will come again to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.