Hebrews 8:5-13

5But the way that those Levite priests work is only like a picture of the true things in heaven. It is like a shadow of what would happen in heaven. Long ago, when Moses was ready to make the tabernacle, God warned him about it. God said to Moses, ‘Be careful to make everything just like the plan which I showed you on the mountain.’

6But now God has given Jesus a much better way to serve him as a priest. The new agreement that God makes with his people is possible because of Jesus. Because of Jesus' work on our behalf, the new agreement is better than the old one. It is much better because it started with better promises.

7If there had been nothing wrong with that first agreement, then nobody would have needed a second agreement.

8But God did find something wrong with it. As a result, he said this to his people: ‘Listen to this! The Lord says: A time will come when I make a new agreement with my people. That is, with Israel's people and with Judah's people.

9It will not be like the old agreement that I made with their ancestors. At that time, I brought my people safely out of Egypt. I led them like a father who takes his child's hand. But they did not continue to obey my agreement with them. So I turned away from them. That is what the Lord says.

10But now the Lord says this: After the time of that old agreement I will make a new agreement with Israel's people. It will be like this: I will put my laws into their thoughts. I will write my laws deep inside them. I will be their God and they will be my people.

11As a result, nobody will have to teach their friends or their family about me. They will never need to say, “You should know the Lord.” This is because everyone will already know me. The most important people will know me, as well as the least important people.

12I will be kind to them. I will forgive them for the wicked things that they have done. I will not continue to think about their sins. That is what the Lord says.’

13We see that God was speaking about a new agreement. That shows that he has caused the first agreement to become old. And anything that is becoming old like that will soon finish.