Hebrews 5-7

1Every high priest is appointed from among men to represent them in matters relating to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

2He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and misguided, since he himself is subject to weakness.

3That is why he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

4No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.

5So also Christ did not take upon Himself the glory of becoming a high priest, but He was called by the One who said to Him: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.”

6And in another passage God says: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

7During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.

8Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.

9And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him

10and was designated by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain, because you are dull of hearing.

12Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food!

13For everyone who lives on milk is still an infant, inexperienced in the message of righteousness.

14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil.

1Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith in God,

2instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

3And this we will do, if God permits.

4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,

5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age—

6and then have fallen away—to be restored to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to open shame.

7For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives the blessing of God.

8But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless, and its curse is imminent. In the end it will be burned.

9Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are convinced of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation.

10For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to do so.

11We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.

12Then you will not be sluggish, but will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

13When God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself,

14saying, “I will surely bless you and multiply your descendants.”

15And so Abraham, after waiting patiently, obtained the promise.

16Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and their oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument.

17So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.

18Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.

19We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

20where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

1This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

2and Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. First, his name means “king of righteousness.” Then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”

3Without father or mother or genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God, he remains a priest for all time.

4Consider how great Melchizedek was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder.

5Now the law commands the sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—though they too are descended from Abraham.

6But Melchizedek, who did not trace his descent from Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

7And indisputably, the lesser is blessed by the greater.

8In the case of the Levites, mortal men collect the tenth; but in the case of Melchizedek, it is affirmed that he lives on.

9And so to speak, Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham.

10For when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the loin of his ancestor.

11Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on this basis the people received the law), why was there still need for another priest to appear—one in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron?

12For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed as well.

13He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.

14For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, a tribe as to which Moses said nothing about priests.

15And this point is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears,

16one who has become a priest not by a law of succession, but by the power of an indestructible life.

17For it is testified: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”

18So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless

19(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

20And none of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath,

21but Jesus became a priest with an oath by the One who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’”

22Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

23Now there have been many other priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office.

24But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood.

25Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.

26Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

27Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people; He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself.

28For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.