For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.

“Therefore I was angry with this generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they did not know My ways’;

and again in this passage, “They shall not enter My rest.”

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

And this we will do, if God permits.

But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way.

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil,

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils.

In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on.

And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,

who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.

“For 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 I will write them on their hearts.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.

For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place.

The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing,

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;

For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.”

And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

“This is the covenant that I will make with them
After those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws upon their heart,
And on their mind I will write them,”
He then says,

This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

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

And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.

But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.