16. When there is a will, it must be proven that the man who wrote that will is dead.
17. A will means nothing while the man is alive. It can be used only after he dies.
18. This is why even the first agreement could not begin without blood to show death.
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.