But of the time when he is to bring his firstborn Son back to the world he says, "And let all God's angels bow before him."

how can we escape if we pay no attention to such a salvation as this? It was first proclaimed by the Lord himself, and it was guaranteed to us by those who heard him,

For someone has somewhere solemnly declared, "What is man? for you think of him; Or any man? for you care for him.

You made him for a little while inferior to angels; Yet you have crowned him with glory and honor, And you have put him in charge of the works of your hands!

You have put everything under his feet!" In thus making everything subject to man, God left nothing that was not subjected to him. But we do not as yet see everything made subject to him,

has been to the God who appointed him, just as Moses was, in all the house of God.

So while we can still speak of Today, if you hear him speak, do not harden your hearts, as they provoked him by doing.

For who was it that heard him speak and yet provoked him? Was it not all those who had escaped from Egypt under Moses' leadership?

And who was it to whom God made oath that they should not be admitted to his Rest, if it was not to those who had disobeyed him?

No being created can escape God's sight, but everything is bare and helpless before the eyes of him with whom we have to reckon.

So let us come with courage to God's throne of grace to receive his forgiveness and find him responsive when we need his help.

So even Christ did not claim for himself the dignity of the high priesthood, but he was appointed to it by him who said to him, "You are my Son! I have today become your Father!"

For Jesus in his life on earth offered prayers and entreaties, crying aloud with tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and because of his piety his prayer was heard.

and when he was fully qualified, he became a source of unending salvation for all who obey him,

since God pronounced him a high priest of the priesthood of Melchizedek.

and yet have fallen back, for they crucify the Son of God on their own account, and hold him up to contempt.

For when God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to make oath by, he did so by himself,

And so after waiting patiently, he received what God had promised him.

so that by these two unalterable things, which make it impossible for God to break his promise, we who have taken refuge with him may be greatly encouraged to seize upon the hope that is offered to us.

For this man Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was on his way back from defeating the kings, and gave him his blessing,

Now see how great this man must have been to have the patriarch Abraham give him a tenth of the spoil.

In one way of putting it, Levi himself, the collector of the tithes, through Abraham paid him tithes,

for God took no oath in appointing the old priests, but he made oath to his appointment, when he said to him, "The Lord has sworn it and he will not change; You are a priest forever!"

Therefore, he is able to save forever all who come to God through him, because he lives and intercedes for them forever.

But, as it is, the priestly service to which Christ has been appointed is as much better than the old as the agreement established by him and the promises on which it is based are superior to the former ones.

taking with him no blood of goats and calves, but his own, and secured our permanent deliverance.

Nor does he go in to offer himself over and over again, like the high priest who enters the sanctuary year after year, taking with him blood that is not his own,

so the Christ too, after being offered in sacrifice once for all to carry away the sins of many, will appear again but without any burden of sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him to come and save them.

and since in him we have a great priest set over the house of God,

And he whom I accept as righteous will find life through his faith. But if a man draws back, my heart can take no pleasure in him."

Faith caused Enoch to be taken up from the earth without experiencing death; he could not be found, because God had taken him up. For before he was taken up there is evidence that he pleased God,

but without faith it is impossible to please him; for whoever would approach God must have faith in his existence and in his willingness to reward those who try to find him.

Faith enabled Abraham to obey when God summoned him to leave his home for a region which he was to have for his own, and to leave home without knowing where he was going.

Faith led him to make a temporary home as a stranger in the land he had been promised, and to live there in his tents, with Isaac and Jacob, who shared the promise with him.

For he believed that God was able to raise men even from the dead, and from the dead he did indeed, to speak figuratively, receive him back.

Faith led Moses' parents to hide him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child and they would not respect the edict of the king.

Faith made him leave Egypt, unafraid of the king's anger, for he persevered as though he saw him who is unseen.

Faith made him institute the Passover and splash the blood upon the door-posts, to keep the angel that destroyed the firstborn from touching them.

fixing our eyes upon Jesus, our leader and example in faith, who in place of the happiness that belonged to him, submitted to a cross, caring nothing for its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Take care not to refuse to listen to him who is speaking. For if they could not escape because they would not listen to him who warned them here on earth, how much less can we, who reject him who is from heaven!

Let us, therefore, be thankful that the kingdom given to us cannot be shaken, and so please God by worshiping him with reverence and awe;

Let us, therefore, go out to him, outside the camp, sharing the contempt that he endured,

fit you by every blessing to do his will, and through Jesus Christ carry out in us what will please him. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.