So He became higher in rank than the angels, just as the name He inherited is superior to theirs.

You have loved righteousness
and hated lawlessness;
this is why God, Your God,
has anointed You
with the oil of joy
rather than Your companions.

We must, therefore, pay even more attention to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away.

For He has not subjected to angels the world to come that we are talking about.

But one has somewhere testified:

What is man that You remember him,
or the son of man that You care for him?

You made him lower than the angels
for a short time;
You crowned him with glory and honor

But we do see Jesus—made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace He might taste death for everyone—crowned with glory and honor because of His suffering in death.

For in bringing many sons to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God—all things exist for Him and through Him—should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

For the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers,

Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the Devil—

For it is clear that He does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring.

Therefore, He had to be like His brothers in every way, so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house.

Watch out, brothers, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God.

But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.

For we have become companions of the Messiah if we hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start.

And who did He swear to that they would not enter His rest, if not those who disobeyed?

So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

Therefore, while the promise to enter His rest remains, let us fear that none of you should miss it.

Again, in that passage He says, They will never enter My rest.

Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.

Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.

For ground that has drunk the rain that has often fallen on it and that produces vegetation useful to those it is cultivated for receives a blessing from God.

so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.

For men swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute.

so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.

We have this hope as an anchor for our lives, safe and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.

The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people—that is, from their brothers—though they have also descended from Abraham.

In the one case, men who will die receive tenths, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives.

Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah, and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said, Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain.

But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree He is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been legally enacted on better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one.

not like the covenant
that I made with their ancestors
on the day I took them by their hands
to lead them out of the land of Egypt.
I disregarded them, says the Lord,
because they did not continue in My covenant.

But this is the covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws into their minds
and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be My people.

By saying, a new covenant, He has declared that the first is old. And what is old and aging is about to disappear.

It contained the gold altar of incense and the ark of the covenant, covered with gold on all sides, in which there was a gold jar containing the manna, Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant.

But the high priest alone enters the second room, and he does that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.

The Holy Spirit was making it clear that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle was still standing.

This is a symbol for the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper’s conscience.

But the Messiah has appeared, high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation),

Therefore, He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood.

saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded for you.

Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these.

For the Messiah did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that He might now appear in the presence of God for us.

This is the covenant I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws on their hearts
and write them on their minds,

by a new and living way He has opened for us through the curtain (that is, His flesh),

Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions, and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way.

For you sympathized with the prisoners and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, knowing that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession.

For you need endurance, so that after you have done God’s will, you may receive what was promised.

By faith we understand that the universe was created by God’s command, so that what is seen has been made from things that are not visible.

By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was approved as a righteous man, because God approved his gifts, and even though he is dead, he still speaks through his faith.

By faith Enoch was taken away so he did not experience death, and he was not to be found because God took him away. For prior to his removal he was approved, since he had pleased God.

Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him.

By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

By faith even Sarah herself, when she was unable to have children, received power to conceive offspring, even though she was past the age, since she considered that the One who had promised was faithful.

These all died in faith without having received the promises, but they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.

Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return.

By faith, after Moses was born, he was hidden by his parents for three months, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they didn’t fear the king’s edict.

and chose to suffer with the people of God rather than to enjoy the short-lived pleasure of sin.

For he considered the reproach because of the Messiah to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, since his attention was on the reward.

By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites.

Women received their dead—they were raised to life again. Some men were tortured, not accepting release, so that they might gain a better resurrection,

since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us.

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,

keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you won’t grow weary and lose heart.

And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:

My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly
or faint when you are reproved by Him,

For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but He does it for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness.

and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead.

Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many.

And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for one meal.

For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance, though he sought it with tears.

to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of words. (Those who heard it begged that not another word be spoken to them,

The appearance was so terrifying that Moses said, I am terrified and trembling.)

to Jesus (mediator of a new covenant), and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel.

Make sure that you do not reject the One who speaks. For if they did not escape when they rejected Him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven.

His voice shook the earth at that time, but now He has promised, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven.

This expression, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what is not shaken might remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us hold on to grace. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, so that He might sanctify the people by His own blood.

Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Pray for us; for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, wanting to conduct ourselves honorably in everything.

And I especially urge you to pray that I may be restored to you very soon.

equip you with all that is good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. Glory belongs to Him forever and ever. Amen.

Be aware that our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon enough, he will be with me when I see you.