Category: Hebrews

[1:1] Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,

[1:2] but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

[1:3] He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

[1:4] having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

[1:5] For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”?

[1:6] And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”

[1:7] Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.”

[1:8] But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.

[1:9] You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”

[1:10] And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands;

[1:11] they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment,

[1:12] like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

[1:13] And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”?

[1:14] Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?

[2:1] Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.

[2:2] For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution,

[2:3] how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,

[2:4] while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

[2:5] For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.

[2:6] It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him?

[2:7] You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor,

[2:8] putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.

[2:9] But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

[2:10] For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

[2:11] For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers,

[2:12] saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”

[2:13] And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.”

[2:14] Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

[2:15] and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

[2:16] For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham.

[2:17] Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

[2:18] For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

[3:1] Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,

[3:2] who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house.

[3:3] For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.

[3:4] (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.)

[3:5] Now Moses was faithful in all God’s house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later,

[3:6] but Christ is faithful over God’s house as a son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.

[6:13] For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,

[6:14] saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.”

[6:15] And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise.

[6:16] For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation.

[6:17] So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,

[6:18] so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

[6:19] We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,

[6:20] where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

[7:1] For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

[7:2] and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.

[7:3] He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

[7:4] See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils!

[7:5] And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these also are descended from Abraham.

[7:6] But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

[7:7] It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior.

[7:8] In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives.

[7:9] One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,

[7:10] for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

[7:11] Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron?

[7:12] For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well.

[7:13] For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar.

[7:14] For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

[7:15] This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,

[7:16] who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.

[7:17] For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”

[7:18] For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness

[7:19] (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.

[7:20] And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath,

[7:21] but this one was made 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.’”

[7:22] This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.

[7:23] The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office,

[7:24] but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.

[7:25] Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

[7:26] For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

[7:27] He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

[7:28] For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.