God, who formerly spoke in many portions and in many ways to the fathers by the prophets, spoke to us in these last days by a Son,

but in these latter days He has spoken to us through a Son, whom He had appointed lawful owner of everything, and through whom He had made the worlds.

these shall perish, and Thou dost remain, and all, as a garment, shall become old,

Are not all these ministering spirits, having been sent forth unto ministration for the sake of those who are about to inherit salvation?

You made him a little bit lower than the angels [i.e., a little less exalted]. [Note: Although these Psalms passages referred to mankind, they are here applied to Jesus. See verse 9]. You crowned him with splendor and honor {{some ancient manuscripts add "and placed him as ruler over what you made"}}.

Therefore, since [these His] children share in flesh and blood [the physical nature of mankind], He Himself in a similar manner also shared in the same [physical nature, but without sin], so that through [experiencing] death He might make powerless (ineffective, impotent) him who had the power of death—that is, the devil—

And he might liberate these, as many as throughout all their lifetime were deserving of bondage, with a specter of death.

wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, Always do they go astray in heart, and these have not known My ways;

For we who have believed enter into rest, just as he has said, "As I swore in my anger, '{They will never enter} into my rest.'" And yet these works have been accomplished from the foundation of the world.

for, in a passage referring to the seventh day, you will find these words-- 'God rested upon the seventh day after all his work.'

For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken about another day after these things.

of teaching about washings (ritual purifications), the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. [These are all important matters in which you should have been proficient long ago.]

For it is impossible - as to these who have been, once for all, illuminated, who have tasted also of the heavenly free-gift, and have been made, partners, in a Holy Spirit,

so that by these two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to prove false, we who have taken refuge with Him may have encouragement strong enough to make us seize upon the hope that lies ahead of us.

Now those of the sons of Levi who are appointed to the priesthood, are authorized by the Law to take tithes of the people, that is, of their brothers, and that too, although these are descended from Abraham.

Without question [then], the lesser [of these two persons] is blessed by the greater one.

For he of whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, from which no man has attended to the altar.

And by as much as [this was] not without an oath (for these on the one hand {have become priests} without an oath,

for these men hold office without any oath having been taken, but He holds it attested by an oath from Him who said to Him, "The Lord has sworn and will not recall His words, Thou art a Priest for ever" --

who has no day by day need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices, first of all for his own [personal] sins and then for those of the people, because He [met all the requirements and] did this once for all when He offered up Himself [as a willing sacrifice].

They serve as a pattern and foreshadowing of [what has its true existence and reality in] the heavenly things (sanctuary). For when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was warned by God, saying, “See that you make it all [exactly] according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.”

"For this is the covenant which I will covenant with the house of Israel, After these days," says the Lord; "I will put my laws into their minds, And upon their hearts will I write them; And I will be their God, And they shall be my people;

while above it, overshadowing the mercy-seat, were the cherubim of glory. But I must not speak about these in detail.

Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services;

For they [the gifts, sacrifices, and ceremonies] deal only with [clean and unclean] food and drink and various ritual washings, [mere] external regulations for the body imposed [to help the worshipers] until the time of reformation [that is, the time of the new order when Christ will establish the reality of what these things foreshadow—a better covenant].

saying, “This is the blood of the covenant [that seals and ratifies the agreement] which God ordained and commanded [me to deliver to] you.”

It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices which are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near.

For if it were otherwise, would not these sacrifices have stopped being offered? For the worshipers, having once [for all time] been cleansed, would no longer have a consciousness of sin.

On the other hand, through these sacrifices there is given a real reminder of their sins,

When he said above, "You did not desire, nor did you take pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law),

This is the covenant which I will covenant unto them after these days, saith the Lord, - Giving my laws upon their hearts, upon their understandings also, will I inscribe them,

Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

but a certain terrible expectation of judgment, and a burning indignation, ready to devour these enemies.

And therefore from one man, and these things having become deadened, were begotten as the stars of the heaven for multitude, and as the sand of the seashore, countless.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

For, they who such things as these are saying, make it clear that, of a paternal home they are in quest;

And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise,

because God had us in mind and had something better for us, so that they [these men and women of authentic faith] would not be made perfect [that is, completed in Him] apart from us.

It is for your training that you undergo these things; God is acting to you as a father does to his sons; for what son does not have punishment from his father?

And the sight [of all these things] was so terrifying that Moses said [See Deut. 9:19], "I tremble with fear."

But you [Christians] have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. [Note: These terms describe people who have entered a spiritual relationship with God as part of the church]. [You have come] to a praise gathering of innumerable angels [Note: Christians are here pictured as assembled in worship of God, along with angels],

Now the words, "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken --- that is, the created universe --- so that those things which cannot be shaken will remain. [Note: These "things" have been variously interpreted to be eternal truth, the heavenly kingdom, the new heavens and earth, etc.].

For of the beasts whose blood is brought into the holy things for sin by the high priest, the bodies of these are burned outside the camp.

And stop neglecting to do good and to be generous, for God is highly pleased with just such sacrifices as these.

Be obedient to those leading you, and be subject, for these do watch for your souls, as about to give account, that with joy they may do this, and not sighing, for this is unprofitable to you.

But I urge you, brothers [and sisters], listen to these words of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.