It was little by little and in different ways that God spoke in old times to our forefathers through the prophets,

but in these days at the end he has spoken to us by a Son ??a Son whom he appointed heir of the universe, as it was by him that he created the world.

He is as much superior to the angels as the name that he has inherited surpasses theirs.

But God said [this] about the angels [Psa. 104:4 LXX], "He [i.e., God] makes His angels to be [like] winds and His servants [like] flames of fire." [Note: The idea is probably that angels obediently serve God's purpose similar to the way wind and lightening do].

You have loved right and hated wrong! That is why God, your God, has anointed you with exhilarating oil beyond all your comrades."

It is also of His Son that God says, "Thou, O Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands.

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?

Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, so that we will not drift away.

For if the word uttered through angels stood firm, so that every transgression and act of disobedience met with its just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard;

It is not to angels that God subjected the age to be, of which we are speaking.

But one has somewhere testified, saying, "What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him?

Thou hast made him only a little lower that the angels; With glory and honor hast thou crowned him; And hast set him to govern the works of thy hands;

You have put all things in subjection under his feet." For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not see all things subjected to him, yet.

But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.

For it was appropriate that he who is the great First Cause of the universe should, in guiding his many children to his glorious salvation, make their leader in it fully qualified through what he suffered.

For both he that sanctifies, and they who are sanctified, are all of one. For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

and again "I will put my trust in God"; and again, "Here I am with the children that God has given me."

Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

And that he might deliver them which, through fear of death, all their life time were in danger of bondage.

For he verily took not on him the angelic nature, but assumed that of the seed of Abraham.

Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house.

For he hath been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by so much as he that built the house hath more honor than the house.

For every house is builded by some one; but he that built all things is God.

And Moses indeed was faithful in all that house of his as a servant, to bear testimony of the things which should be after spoken;

but Christ as a Son in his own house; and we are that house, if we retain the cheerful courage and pride of our hope firm unto the end.

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks!

harden not your hearts, as in that bitter provocation, at the day of the temptation in the wilderness;

where your forefathers so sorely tried My patience and saw all that I did during forty years.

Wherefore I was provoked against that generation, and said, They are always deluded in heart, and they have not known my ways:

so I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest.

Take heed, brethren, that there be not in any one of you a wicked heart of infidelity, [evident] in departure from the living God:

but exhort one another daily, whilst to-day remains, that no one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

For we are true partners with Christ if we really keep the conviction that we had at first unshaken to the very end.

in that it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation;

For who, when they heard, did provoke? nay, did not all they that came out of Egypt by Moses?

And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

To whom did he swear that they would not enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient?

We see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

Let us then, though we still have God's word that we may come into his rest, go in fear that some of you may be unable to do so.

For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard.

For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest;" although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

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

Seeing therefore it remains that some should enter therein, and they to whom the good news was before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience,

So God again ordains a certain day, "Today," speaking through David after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, "O, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts."

For, if, unto them, Joshua had given rest, it had not in that case, concerning another day, been speaking, after, these things.

So that there is still a Sabbath-keeping for the people of God.

For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath rested from his works, as God did from his own.

Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.

For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.

There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Seeing, then, that we have a great high priest which is entered into heaven - I mean Jesus the son of God - let us hold our profession.

For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.

For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

who can bear gently with the ignorant and erring, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity;

For that reason he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for those of the people.

And no man taketh honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

So Christ also glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that spake unto him, Thou art my Son, This day have I begotten thee:

Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,

although being a Son, he learned obedience from the things that he suffered.

and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation;

Concerning him I have much to say, and much that is hard to make clear to you, because you have grown dull of hearing.

For though ye ought for the time to be teachers of others, ye have again need that some one teach you the leading principles of the oracles of God; and are become as those who need milk, and not solid food.

For every one that partaketh of milk is without experience of the word of righteousness; for he is a babe.

But solid food is for adults, that is, for those who by constant practise have their faculties trained to discriminate between good and evil.

For this reason let us go on from the first things about Christ to full growth; not building again that on which it is based, that is, the turning of the heart from dead works, and faith in God,

for it is impossible that those,

For it is not possible that they which were once lighted, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were become partakers of the holy ghost,

and have known by experience the truth of the divine promises, and the miracles of the age that was to come; it is impossible,

For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it, and brings forth a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God;

but that ground, which beareth thorns and briars, is reproved, and is nigh unto cursing: whose end is to be burned.

But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this.

For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.

We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,

that you won't be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherited the promises.

Saying, Be certain that I will give you my blessing, and make your numbers very great.

And so after that he had tarried a long time, he enjoyed the promises.

Men verily swear by him that is greater than themselves; And an oath to confirm the thing, is among them an end of all strife.

Therefore, God in his desire to make it perfectly clear to those to whom he made his promise, that his purpose was unalterable, bound himself with an oath,

that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil;

whither the forerunner is for us entered in, I mean Jesus that is made a high priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.

For Melchizedek, the king of Salem, a priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham on his return from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him ??2 who had a tenth part of everything assigned him by Abraham ??this Melchizedek is primarily a king of righteousness (that is the meaning of his name); then, besides that, king of Salem (which means, king of peace).

to whom also Abraham gave a tenth share of all the spoil: being, as the interpretation of his name imports, first, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, that is, King of peace:

Now see how great this man must have been that even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of his spoils.

They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the Law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham,

but he whose genealogy is not counted from them hath taken tithes of Abraham, and hath blessed him that hath the promises.

Now it is beyond all controversy that the inferior is always blessed by the superior.

Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives.

We can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes,

If therefore there was perfection by the Levitical priesthood (for under that the people had the law given to them), what farther need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

It is evident that, when the priest hood is changed, there is of necessity a change also of the law.

For the person we are talking about belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.

For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, about which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

and it is yet more abundantly evident, that there should arise another priest after the likeness of Melchisedec,

for he is appointed not for possessing any legal physical qualifications, but by virtue of a life that cannot end.

for that is the meaning of the declaration-- 'Thou art for all time a priest of the order of Melchizedek.'