¹⁹ When Moses had proclaimed^(A) every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves,^(B) together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people.^{(C) 20} He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.”^{[a](D) 21} In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. ²² In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood,^(E) and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.^(F)

²³ It was necessary, then, for the copies^(G) of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one;^(H) he entered heaven itself,^(I) now to appear for us in God’s presence.^{(J) 25} Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place^(K) every year with blood that is not his own.^{(L) 26} Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.^(M) But he has appeared^(N) once for all^(O) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.^{(P) 27} Just as people are destined to die once,^(Q) and after that to face judgment,^{(R) 28} so Christ was sacrificed once^(S) to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time,^(T) not to bear sin,^(U) but to bring salvation^(V) to those who are waiting for him.^(W)