Hebrews 9:13

"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; how much more shall the Blood of Christ, who through the Holy Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God." For (he says) if "the blood of bulls" is able to purify the flesh, much rather shall the Blood of Christ wipe away the defilement of the soul. For that thou mayest not suppose when thou hearest the word "sanctifieth," that it is some great thing, he marks out and shows the difference between each of these purifyings, and how the one of them is high and the other low. And says it is so with good reason, since that is "the blood of bulls," and this "the Blood of Christ." Nor was he content with the name, but he sets forth also the manner of the offering. "Who" (he says) "through the Holy Spirit offered Himself without spot to God," that is, the victim was without blemish, pure from sins. For this is the meaning of "through the Holy Spirit," not through fire, nor through any other things. "Shall purge your conscience" (he says) "from dead works." And well said he "from dead works"; if any man touched a dead body, he was polluted; and here, if any man touch a "dead work," he is defiled through his conscience. "To serve" (he says) "the Living and true God." Here he declares that it is not possible while one has "dead works to serve the Living and true God," for they are both dead and false; and with good reason he says this.

Then, since it seemed doubtful that a single sacrifice and the blood of one could provide eternal redemption, he prepares it and shows that it is plausible and not unattainable with the belief held by the Jews. For if you, he says, believe that you are cleansed by being sprinkled with the blood of a calf, and again with water poured on its ashes; (for the ashes were observed for the purification of those who had been defiled, that is, those who were contaminated;) how then does the blood of Christ not cleanse the souls? "sanctifies for the purification of the flesh." It sanctifies not spiritually, but for the cleansing of the flesh. See it speaking precisely. "who through the eternal Spirit." No high priest offered Christ, but He offered Himself; and not through fire, as the calves in the Old Testament, but through the Holy Spirit, so as to perpetuate both grace and redemption. "without blemish to God." And the ancient priesthood that was presented sought to be without blemish. There was a place of the body of Christ, the unblemished and absolutely pure. "For he did no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth," says Isaiah. (1 Peter 2:22; Isa. 53:9) "purify your conscience." For the blood of bulls and the ashes of a heifer, it said, for the purity of the flesh; but concerning the blood of Christ, it says, your conscience. See the difference in purification. What is your conscience? That is to say, it also purifies our soul, so that we may no longer be aware of any sin against ourselves from this time. "from dead works." Of the wicked, those who defile the soul. For one who touches a dead body, among the Jews, is defiled, but among us, the strange [ἄτοπα] works defile. "To serve the living God." This indicates that one cannot serve God unless they are pure from dead works. Thus, those who serve with them do not serve, but are condemned.