For this reason we ought the more earnestly to attend to what we have heard, least by any means we should be found deficient.

For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received it's just recompence;

how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which began to be declared by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard Him;

God also testifying together with them by signs, and wonders, and divers miracles, and gifts of the holy Spirit, according to his own will.

For in putting all things under Him, He left nothing which was not to be in subjection to Him: though we do not yet see all things subjected to Him.

But we see Jesus, who was made for a little while lower than the angels, in order to suffer death, that by the grace of God He might taste death for every man, crowned with glory and honor.

For it became Him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect by sufferings:

Seeing then the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself in like manner partook of them; that by death He might destroy him that had the empire of death, that is, the devil:

Whence it behoved Him to be made in all things like unto his brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high-priest in the things concerning God, to make atonement for the sins of the people:

For every house is built by some one: and He who built all things is God.

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

Take heed, my brethren, least there be in any of you a wicked heart of unbelief in departing from the living God:

but exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day; that none of you may be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin:

He appoints a certain day, called To-day, saying by David so long after, (as it is recorded) "To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts."

And no one taketh this honor to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself to be made an high-priest; but He that said unto Him, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee."

but though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered: and being thus perfected,

having been declared by God an high-priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Concerning whom we have much to say and difficult to be explained, since ye are become dull of hearing.

For whereas ye ought for the time to be teachers of others, ye have need again of some one to teach you the first rudiments of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk and not of solid food.

but firm food is for persons come to age, who by habit have their senses exercised to a discernment both of good and evil.

and the powers of the gospel-age, and yet fall away, should be renewed again to repentance: since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and make an open example of Him.

For as the earth, which imbibeth the rain that is frequently coming upon it, and produceth herbs fit for those by whom it is cultivated, receiveth a blessing from God:

For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewn to his name, by having ministred to the saints, and yet ministring.

that ye would not be sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience are inheriting the promises.

For when God made the promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself, saying,

For men swear by a greater Being, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all controversy.

that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to fail, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us;

and blessed him, to whom also Abraham divided the tenth of all his spoils; being in the first place, by interpretation of his name, king of righteousness, and moreover king of Salem, which is king of peace;

Now without all contradiction the inferior is blessed by the superior:

Now if perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law) what farther need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchisedec, and not after the order of Aaron?

for the law made nothing perfect, but the introducing of a better hope did, by which we draw near to God.

(for they indeed are become priests without the solemnity of an oath; but He with an oath, by Him who said unto Him, "The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:")

by so much is Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.

And they were many priests, because they were by death hindered from continuing in their office;

wherefore also He is able to save to the uttermost, those that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.

For the law appointeth men high-priests, who have infirmity; but the oath, recorded since the law, appointeth the Son to be priest for ever, being fully perfected for it.

For if He were on earth, He could not be a priest, seeing there are priests already that offer gifts according to the law:

who worship under the representation and shadow of heavenly things; as Moses was ordered by God, when he was about to finish the tabernacle. For see, saith He, that thou make all according to the model shewn thee in the mount.

not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their mind, and I will inscribe them on their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.

Now by saying, a new covenant, He hath antiquated the first: and what is antiquated, and groweth old, is near it's exit.

The Holy Ghost shewing by this, that the way into the Holy of holies was not yet manifested, the first tabernacle being yet standing.

nor by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

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,

It was therefore necessary that the representations of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with more excellent sacrifices than these.

(for then He must indeed have suffered often since the foundation of the world) but now once at the conclusion of the ages He hath been made manifest for the abolishing of sin by the sacrifice of himself.

For the law having but a faint shadow of good things to come, and not the full image of the things, can never, even by the great annual sacrifices which they offer statedly, make the comers thereunto perfect.

For then they would have ceased to be offered, because the sacrificers, being once purified, would no longer retain any consciousness of sins.

Having said before, "Thou didst not desire, nor hadst pleasure in, sacrifice and offering, and whole burnt-offerings, and sacrifices for sin," (which are offered by the law) then He adds,

By which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

waiting for the future, till his enemies be put under his feet.

For by one offering He hath perfected for ever those that are sanctified.

Having therefore, brethren, free admission into the holy places by the blood of Jesus,

of how much greater punishment, think ye, shall he be counted worthy, who hath trampled under foot the Son of God, and accounted the blood of the covenant, by which he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and abused the Spirit of grace?

partly, being made a public spectacle by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, as ye became associates of those who were so treated:

and the just shall live by faith, but if any draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

for by it the ancients obtained an honorable testimony.

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, for the things which are seen were not made of things which appear.

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God bearing witness to his gifts: and by it, though dead, he yet speaketh.

By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God:

By faith Noah being warned by God of things which were not yet seen, moved with pious fear, prepared an ark for the safety of his family; whereby he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

By faith Abraham when called to go out to a place which he was afterwards to receive for an inheritance obeyed: and went out, though he knew not whither he was going.

By faith he sojourned in the land promised him, as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise.

By faith also Sarah received strength to conceive seed, and brought forth a son when she was past age, because she accounted Him faithful who had promised.

But they desire a better, that is, an heavenly one; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city.

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he who had received the promises, offered up his only son;

of whom it was told him, that in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things future.

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and worshipped leaning on the top of his staff.

By faith Joseph when he died, mentioned the departure of the children of Israel and gave a charge concerning his bones.

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a fine child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he continued firm as seeing Him who is invisible.

By faith he observed the passover and sprinkling of the blood, that he, who destroyed the first-born of the Egyptians, might not touch them.

By faith they passed through the Red-sea, as by dry land, which the Egyptians attempting to do were drowned.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encompassed seven days.

By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with the unbelievers, having received the spies with peace.

who by faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain by the sword: they went about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted,

And these all, though they obtained an honorable testimony by faith, yet received not the promise;

God having provided something better concerning us, that without us they might not be made perfect.

Have ye forgotten the exhortation, which speaketh to you as to sons, saying, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor saint when rebuked by Him?

But if ye be without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.

Now if we had fathers of our flesh, who corrected us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much more be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?

For they indeed corrected us for a while, as seemed good to them; but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

Now no chastening seems for the present to be matter of joy but of grief: and yet afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those that are exercised thereby.

And make strait paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be turned out of the way, but rather be healed.

looking to it, least there be any one falling short of the grace of God, least any root of bitterness springing up should be troublesome, and by it many be defiled:

least there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one repast gave away his birthright.

and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which they that heard, intreated that the word might not any more be thus delivered to them:

(for they could not bear the strict command, if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or shot through with a dart;

Now this expression "yet once more" signifieth the removing of the things that are shaken, as of things which had been appointed only for a season, that those which cannot be shaken may remain.

Wherefore since we receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and holy fear:

Be not forgetful of hospitality; for thereby some have entertained angels, not knowing it.

Let your conversation be free from covetousness, and be contented with what ye have: for He hath said, I will not leave thee; I will never, never forsake thee.

be not then carried about by various and strange doctrines; for it is good that the heart be established by grace, and not in meats, in which those that have been most exact, have not profited by them.

As the bodies of those animals, whose blood being offered for sin is brought into the holy place by the high-priest, are not eaten, but are burnt without the camp.

Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people by his own blood, suffered without the gate.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.