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 had become as much superior [in rank] to the angels as the name He inherited [i.e., "Son." See next verse] was superior to theirs [i.e., the name "angels" means "messengers"].

You have loved what is right and hated what is wrong, therefore God, your God [i.e., the Father], has placed you above your companions when He anointed you [i.e., specially chose you] with the oil of joy [i.e., your selection as king was a joyous occasion]."

For if the discourse spoken by angels was confirmed, and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment as its due,

how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;

And God was a witness with them, by signs and wonders, and by more than natural powers, and by his distribution of the Holy Spirit at his pleasure.

For it was not for angels that he destined the control of that world to be, that we are speaking of.

You have put everything under his feet!" In thus making everything subject to man, God left nothing that was not subjected to him. But we do not as yet see everything made subject to him,

But we see him who was made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, crowned with glory and honour, because he let himself be put to death so that by the grace of God he might undergo death for all men.

Because it was right for him, for whom and through whom all things have being, in guiding his sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation complete through pain.

Since then the children were made subject to a state of mortality, so he himself likewise was subject to the same condition: that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

For of course it was not angels but the descendants of Abraham that he came to help.

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 suffered, and was tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

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

And it was right for this man to have more honour than Moses, even as the builder of a house has more honour than the house.

Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken,

but Christ's faithfulness was that of a son set over the house of God. And we are that house, if we keep up our courage and our triumphant hope to the very end.

Therefore I was displeased with this generation, and said, 'They always err in their heart, but they did not know my ways;'

It was said, To-day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation;

Who made him angry when his voice came to them? was it not all those who came out of Egypt with Moses?

With whom was he displeased forty years? Was not it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

And to whom did he make an oath that they might not come into his rest? was it not to those who went against his orders?

So you see that it was through unbelief that they were not able to enter in.

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 those of us who have belief come into his rest; even as he has said, As I said in my oath when I was angry, They may not come into my rest: though the works were done from the time of the making of the world.

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,

again he defines a certain day, To-day, saying in David, after so long a time, as it was said before, To-day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

[This mention of a rest was not a reference to their entering into Canaan.] For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak about another day [of opportunity] after that.

For we have not a high priest, which cannot have compassion on our infirmities: but was in all points tempted, as we are: but yet without sin.

Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, "You are my Son. Today I have become your father."

In the days of his flesh, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

Although he was a Son, he learned obedience by the things which he suffered.

and when he was fully qualified, he became a source of unending salvation for all who obey him,

and he was designated by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

and of teaching about immersions [Note: The use of the plural word here suggests teaching on the distinctions between Jewish washings and John's and Christian immersion, whether in water or the Holy Spirit. See Acts 19:1-7], and about placing hands on people [Note: This act was practiced in the appointment of church leaders, in healing sick people and to impart supernatural gifts], and about people being raised from the dead and about never ending judgment.

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 land that has drunk the showers that now and again fall upon it, and produced vegetation useful for those for whom it was tilled, receives a blessing from God;

but imitate the example of those who by faith and patience have obtain'd the inheritance that was promis'd to them.

For when God made his oath to Abraham, because there was no greater oath, he made it by himself,

And so, when he had been waiting calmly for a long time, God's word to him was put into effect.

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 was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us;

It was this Melchizedek, King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him;

and it was to him that Abraham apportioned a tithe of all the spoil. He was first, as his name signifies, King of righteousness, and then King of Salem, that is, King of Peace;

without father, without mother, without genealogy; his days have no beginning, and his life no end; but like the son of God, he was a perpetual priest.

Now consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the best spoils.

But this man, who was not of their family, took the tenth from Abraham, and gave a blessing to him to whom God had given his undertaking.

Now at the present time, men over whom death has power take the tenth; but then it was taken by one of whom it is witnessed that he is living.

for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him.

Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

For with the changing of the priesthood, it was necessary for a change to be made in the law also.

For he of whom all this was said was related to a tribe no member of which ever officiated at the altar.

For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe of which Moses said nothing concerning the priesthood.

And it is still far more evident, because another priest is raised up, after the likeness of Melchidek, Who was made not after the law of a carnal commandment,

who was not made such by the law of a carnal commandment, but by the power of a life indissoluble.

So an earlier regulation is abrogated because it was poor and ineffective

For the law led to no perfection, but was an introduction to a better hope, by which we draw nigh unto God.

Inasmuch as he was not made priest without the taking of an oath

(For those were made priests without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by him who says of him, The Lord gave his oath, which he will not take back, that you are a priest for ever);

And for that cause was Jesus an establisher of a better testament.

The [former successive line of] priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were each prevented by death from continuing [perpetually in office];

For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

one who has no need, like the high priests, to offer up daily sacrifices, first for his own sins, then for those of the people. For his sacrifice was made once for all, when he offered up himself.

For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, perfected for evermore.

Now a summation about the things being spoken is, we have such a high priest who was seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

As a servant of the holy things and of the true Tent, which was put up by God, not by man.

For every chief priest is constituted to offer gifts and sacrifices, whence it was necessary that this man also should have something to offer.

Now were he on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there are here those who present the gifts according to the Law??5 those priests who serve a mere outline and shadow of the heavenly reality, just as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to build the Tabernacle. "See", he says, "that you make everything on the pattern showed you on the mountain."

who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses was warned by God when he was about to make the tabernacle, for he said, "See, you shall make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain."

Now hath he obtained a more excellent office, inasmuch as he is the mediator of a better testament, which was made for better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for the second. [But it was not].

For, because He was dissatisfied with His people, He said: "'See; the time is coming,' says the Lord, 'When I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah,

Even the first agreement provided regulations for worship, and a sanctuary that was fully equipped.

For a tabernacle was prepared. In the first part were the lampstand, the table, and the show bread; which is called the Holy Place.

After the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies,

having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which was a golden pot holding the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant;

and above the chest were the winged creatures of the Divine Presence overshadowing the lid on which the blood was sprinkled??f which I cannot now speak in detail.

Such, then, was the arrangement of the Tabernacle. Into the outer part priests are constantly going, in the discharge of their sacred duties;

The Holy Spirit is indicating this, that the way into the Holy Place was not yet revealed while the first tabernacle was still standing;

And all this looked toward the present time and was symbolic of the fact that the mere offering of material gifts and sacrifices cannot inwardly qualify the worshiper to approach God,

But when the Messiah came as a high priest of the good things that have come, he went through the greater and more perfect tent that was not made by human hands and that is not a part of this creation.

Nor was it with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, that he entered, once and for all, into the Sanctuary, and obtained our eternal deliverance.

For if the blood of oxen, and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer, when it was sprinkled, purified the unclean, as touching the purifying of the flesh:

and for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that, the transgressions that were unexpiated by the first testament, being expiated by his death, they who are called might receive the eternal inheritance, which was promised.

Wherefore also that first testament was not consecrated without blood.

for when every command was spoken according to the law, by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the book and all the people,

And the blood was put on the Tent and all the holy vessels in the same way.

Indeed according to the law almost everything was purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

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 it was not into a Sanctuary made by hands, a mere type of the reality, that Christ entered, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the very presence of God on our behalf.

Nor did he enter to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest entered into the sanctuary, year after year, with blood that was not his own;

since it was necessary that it should suffer often from the foundation of the world, but now once at the consummation of the world he has been manifested to destroy sins by the sacrifice of himself.

even so Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many, and unto them that look for him, shall he appear again, without sin, unto their salvation.

For the law being only an allusion to a future dispensation that was more excellent, and not an exact imitation of such a state, cannot by the anniversary sacrifices, which are offered, entirely purify those that present themselves.

But in them there was a remembrance of sins, year by year;

That is why the Christ, when he was coming into the world, said, "You have not wished sacrifice or offering, but you have provided a body for me.

Whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wast not pleased with;