Verses 24 and 25 make two parallel negative statements which contrast the sacrifice of Christ with Old Testament sacrifices. A corresponding positive statement occurs in verse 26 with Instead.
Caution must be employed in rendering For, since the initial clause of this verse is not a specific reason for the immediately preceding clause in verse 23. In fact, in some languages it may be better to omit a conjunction expressing cause, since to suggest an immediate relationship my be too explicit.
On Holy Place here and Most Holy Place in verse 25, see comments on 8.2. The context (especially every year in verse 25) suggests that the writer is comparing the earthly sanctuary, or possibly its inner part, with the immediate presence of God in heaven.
As in other contexts it may be necessary to render Holy Place as “Holy Room,” and man-made may be expressed as “made by people.”
The Greek word for copy is literally “antitype,” the converse of pattern or “type” in 8.5. As in 8.2 and 9.11, the writer insists that the real sanctuary is not man-made. Copy is a different Greek word from copies in verse 23, but the meaning is the same.
The nonrestrictive clause which was a copy of the real one may have to be expressed as a separate sentence or as a parenthetical expression; for example, “it was just like the real one” or “it was similar to the real one.”
Went into refers to a single event, but its consequences are now (compare 2.8 and 8.6) and on our behalf (as in 6.20; compare 7.25).
Now appears on our behalf is similar in meaning to lives forever to plead with God for them in 7.25. (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch actually uses the same verb.) In English, “plead” and “appear” are both used to describe an advocate’s efforts for his client in a court of law. This is not so in the Greek. Translations in other languages use different but equivalent expressions for appears on our behalf: for example, Bijbel in Gewone Taal says “has now appeared before God to take care of our cause,” and Bible en français courant uses “he presents himself now for us before God.”
In some languages a literal rendering of appears would be misleading, because it might suggest coming onto the scene. A more satisfactory rendering of where he now appears on our behalf in the presence of God may be expressed as “where he now is in God’s presence for our sakes” or “… in order to help us.”
The presence of God is literally “the face of God” (as in Exo 33.20, 23). For a Jewish Christian, this would be a strong expression of Christ’s nearness to God.
Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Letter of the Hebrews. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .