For to what angel did God ever say, "You are my Son, today I have become your Father"?

And: "You, Lord, in the beginning founded the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands.

And you will fold them up just like a robe, and they will be changed like the changing of one's coat, but you are the same, and your years will never cease."

Are not the angels all attending spirits sent forth to serve for the sake of those who are going to be unceasing possessors of salvation?

For it was not to angels that He gave authority over that world to be, of which we are speaking.

For both He who is purifying them and those who are being purified all spring from one Father; so He is not ashamed to call them brothers,

For inasmuch as He has suffered Himself by being tempted, He is able to give immediate help to any that are tempted.

but Christ as a Son set over the house of God was faithful; and we are that house, if we keep up our courage and the joy that hope inspires to the very end.

So I was indignant with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have never come to know my ways.'

For we who have believed are being admitted to that rest, just as He has said: "As in my anger I took oath, they shall not be admitted to my rest," although God's works had been completed at the creation of the world.

Since then it still remains that some are being admitted to it and that those who first had the good news told to them were not admitted because of disobedience,

For we do not have a High Priest who is incapable of sympathizing with us in our weaknesses, but we have One who was tempted in every respect as we are, and yet without committing any sin.

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,"

as also in another passage He says: "You are a priest forever, belonging to the rank of Melchizedek."

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.

But in your case, my dearly loved friends, even though we speak in such a tone, we are sure of better things, yea, things that point to salvation.

For God is not so unjust as to forget the work you have done and the love you have shown His name in the service you have rendered for your fellow-Christians, and still are doing.

so that you may not grow careless, but may follow the example of those who through their faith and patient endurance are now possessors of the blessings promised.

And those of the descendants of Levi who accept the priesthood are authorized by the law to collect a tenth from the people; that is, from their own brothers, though they have sprung from Abraham.

For the Scripture bears witness: "You are a priest forever, with the rank of Melchizedek."

for the Levitical priests were appointed without His taking an oath, but He with His oath, when He said to Him: "The Lord took oath and will not change, You are a priest forever" --

However, if He were still on earth, He would not be a priest at all, because there are those who officiate in accordance with the law in offering the gifts;

for it is merely a symbol of the present time in connection with which gifts and sacrifices are repeatedly offered though they cannot make the conscience of the worshiper perfect,

since they deal only with food and drink and various washings, that is, with mere material regulations which are in force only until the time of setting things straight.

For if the blood of bulls and goats and a heifer's ashes sprinkling those who are ceremonially unclean purifies them with physical cleansing,

so Christ was offered once for all to take away the sins of many, but again He will appear, without having anything to do with sin, to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him to bring them final salvation.

For since the law cast only a shadow of the blessings to come and did not possess the reality itself of those blessings, the priests with the same sacrifices that are perpetually offered year after year cannot make perfect those who come to worship.

Although at first He said, "You never wished or took delight in sacrifices and offerings, burnt-offerings and sin-offerings" -- all of which are repeatedly offered in accordance with the law --

It is by this will of God that we are consecrated through the offering of Jesus' body once for all.

Every other priest stands officiating day after day and over and over again offering the same sacrifices, although they are unable to take away our sins.

For by that one sacrifice He has made perfect for all time those who are consecrated to Him.

For when these are forgiven, there is no more need of an offering for sin.

But we are not of a disposition to draw back so as to perish, but we have faith that leads to the saving of the soul.

For people who make such a profession as this show that they are in search of a country of their own.

Therefore, as we have so vast a crowd of spectators in the grandstands, let us throw off every impediment and the sin that easily entangles our feet, and run with endurance the race for which we are entered,

and you have forgotten the encouragement which is addressed to you as sons: "My son, refrain from thinking lightly of the discipline the Lord inflicts, and giving up when you are corrected by Him.

Now if you are without any discipline, in which all true sons share, you are only illegitimate children and not true sons.

Now for the time being no discipline seems to be pleasant; it is painful; later on, however, to those who are trained by it, it yields the fruit of peace which grows from upright character.

Continue to remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and those who are being ill-treated, since you, too, are liable to similar physical punishment.

Marriage must be held in honor by all, and the marriage relations kept sacred. Persons who are sexually vicious and immoral God will punish.

For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is taken into the sanctuary by the priest as a sin-offering, are burned outside the camp.

for we have no permanent city here, but we are searching for that city which is to be ours.

Continue to obey and to be submissive to your leaders, for they are ever watching in defense of your souls, as men who will have to give account of their trust. Treat them in this way, so that they may work with joy and not with grief.