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13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes[a] can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed,(A) 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit[b] offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 9:13 A heifer’s ashes: ashes from a red heifer that had been burned were mixed with water and used for the cleansing of those who had become ritually defiled by touching a corpse; see Nm 19:9, 14–21.
  2. 9:14 Through the eternal spirit: this expression does not refer either to the holy Spirit or to the divine nature of Jesus but to the life of the risen Christ, “a life that cannot be destroyed” (Hb 7:16).

13 The blood of goats and bulls(A) and the ashes of a heifer(B) sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit(C) offered himself(D) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences(E) from acts that lead to death,[a](F) so that we may serve the living God!(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 9:14 Or from useless rituals

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

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