² “This is a requirement of the law that the Lord has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer^(A) without defect or blemish^(B) and that has never been under a yoke.^{(C) 3} Give it to Eleazar^(D) the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp^(E) and slaughtered in his presence. ⁴ Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle^(F) it seven times toward the front of the tent of meeting. ⁵ While he watches, the heifer is to be burned—its hide, flesh, blood and intestines.^{(G) 6} The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop^(H) and scarlet wool^(I) and throw them onto the burning heifer.

¹³ The blood of goats and bulls^(A) and the ashes of a heifer^(B) sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.

¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit^(A) offered himself^(B) unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences^(C) from acts that lead to death,^[a](D) so that we may serve the living God!^(E)