Now Moses was faithful in all the house of God, yet only as a servant to bear witness to the message that should be spoken,

and so is obliged to offer sin-offerings, not only for the people but for himself as well.

For everyone who uses milk alone is inexperienced in the message of right-doing; he is only an infant.

So then let us once for all quit the elementary teaching about Christ and continue progressing toward maturity; let us stop relaying a foundation of repentance from works that mean only death, and of faith in God,

but He, on the other hand, because He Himself lives on forever, enjoys the only priesthood that has no successors in office.

but into the second or inner part nobody but the high priest may go, and he only once a year, and never without blood which he offers for himself and for the sins committed in ignorance by the people.

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 a will is valid only after a man is dead, since it has no force whatever while the one who made it is alive.

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.

but only a terrifying prospect of judgment and that fiery indignation which is going to devour God's enemies.

Anyone who breaks the law of Moses pays the death penalty without any show of pity, on the evidence of two or three witnesses only.

These people all died victoriously as a result of their faith, although they did not receive the blessings promised; that is, because they really saw them in the far-off future and welcomed them, and so professed to be only foreigners and strangers here on earth.

By faith Abraham, when he was put to the test, offered Isaac as a sacrifice; that is, he who had received the promise was starting to offer as a sacrifice his only son,

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

For they disciplined us only a short time, as it seemed proper to them, but He does it for our good, in order that we may share His holy character.

but now His promise is, "Once more I will make not only the earth but heaven itself tremble." Now that expression, "Once more," signifies the final removal of the things that can be shaken, to let remain the things that cannot be shaken.

I beg you, brothers, to listen patiently to this message, for I have written you only a short letter.