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Hebrews 13:11
ESV For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.
NIV The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp.
NASB For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the Holy Place by the high priest as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp.
CSB For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the most holy place by the high priest as a sin offering are burned outside the camp.
NLT Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp.
KJV For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.

What does Hebrews 13:11 mean?

Exodus 29:14 specifies that the bodies—the flesh—of animals brought as a sin offering to consecrate Aaron as high priest were to be burned outside of the camp of Israel. This ceremony was intended to showcase man's need for blood atonement and a need for sacrifice on his behalf (Hebrews 9:22). The book of Hebrews has made a point of saying that the physical rituals of the old covenant are meant as teaching tools (Hebrews 9:11–12; Galatians 3:24). These are meant to symbolize the perfect work of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:23–24).

In this passage, the writer uses the same idea to compare Jesus' physical death with the process used in Exodus to consecrate the priesthood. Jesus' execution was performed outside the city walls of Jerusalem (John 19:17–20), a parallel to how the bodies of animals sacrificed for sin were to be burnt outside the borders of the nation's camp (Hebrews 13:12).

Prior verses reminded the readers that Jesus willingly endured shame and persecution for the sake of God's will, and the good God intended from those experiences (Hebrews 12:2). The same was true of many other heroes of the faith (Hebrews 11:35–40). As this passage continues, the writer will extend this same point using the analogy of things taken "outside" to be destroyed. Jesus was willing to be "cast out" as part of God's will, and so should Christians be willing to be shunned, persecuted, or cast out for their faith (Hebrews 13:13).
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