1 For every high priest who is taken from men is appointed to officiate on behalf of men in matters relating to God, that is, to offer gifts and sin-offerings.
2 Such a one is capable of dealing tenderly with the ignorant and erring ones, since he himself is subject to weakness,
3 and so is obliged to offer sin-offerings, not only for the people but for himself as well.
4 And no one takes this honor upon himself but is called to it by God, as Aaron was.
5 So Christ too did not take upon Himself the glory of being appointed High Priest, but it was God who said: "You are my Son; I have today become your Father,"
6 as also in another passage He says: "You are a priest forever, belonging to the rank of Melchizedek."
7 For during His human life He offered up prayers and entreaties, crying aloud with tears to Him who was always able to save Him out of death, and because of His beautiful spirit of worship His prayer was heard.
8 Although He was a Son, He learned from what He suffered how to obey,
9 and because He was perfectly qualified for it He became the author of endless salvation for all who obey Him,
10 since He had received from God the title of a High Priest with the rank of Melchizedek.
11 I have much to say to you about Him, but it is difficult to make it clear to you, since you have become so dull in your spiritual senses.
12 For although you ought to be teachers of others because you have been Christians so long, you actually need someone to teach you over and over again the very elements of the truths that God has given us, and you have gotten into such a state that you are in constant need of milk instead of solid food.
13 For everyone who uses milk alone is inexperienced in the message of right-doing; he is only an infant.
14 But solid food belongs to full-grown men who on account of constant use have their faculties trained to distinguish good and evil.