Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.

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

So Christ also did not himself assume the glory to become high-priest, but he [gave it] who spake to him, "Thou art my Son; I have this day begotten thee."

And He says in another place [Psa. 110:4], "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." [Note: This is the first mention of this mysterious Old Testament priest who, throughout this book, is represented as a type of Christ].

this was Jesus, who while he was in a mortal body, having offered up prayers and supplications, with strong cries, and with tears, to him that was able to save him from that death, was heard so as to be delivered from his fear;

And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

I have much to say to you about this, but it is difficult to make it clear to you, because you have become so slow of apprehension.

And though by this time it would be right for you to be teachers, you still have need of someone to give you teaching about the first simple rules of God's revelation; you have become like babies who have need of milk, and not of solid food.

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,

and of faith in God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and laying on of hands, and of the resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgement: (tho' we will do this also, if God permit:)

And this we will do if God permits.

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

But we want each of you to exhibit this same earnestness to the very end with regard to your confidence in your hope,

And this way, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;

so that by two unchangeable things [His promise and His oath] in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled [to Him] for refuge would have strong encouragement and indwelling strength to hold tightly to 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;

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

There is no record of his father, or mother, or lineage, nor again of any beginning of his days, or end of his life. In this he resembles the Son of God, and stands before us as a priest whose priesthood is continuous.

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 had no Levitical genealogy actually took tithes of Abraham, and blessed him to whom the promises belong.

And in this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case it is testified that he lives.

Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood for on this basis the people received the Law what further need would there be to speak of appointing another kind of priest according to the order of Melchizedek, not one according to the order of Aaron?

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

This is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest,

for the law made no man perfect, but this was effected by introducing a better hope, which brings us nearer to the divine presence.

And as this is not 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);

In this way, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.

but this person, because he abideth for ever, hath a priesthood that passeth not over to another.

For a high priest such as this indeed is fitting for us, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and having become exalted [above] the heavens,

who does not need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself.

For the Law appoints to the high priesthood men full of imperfection; but this utterance about the making of the oath, which came long after the Law, appoints a son, fully qualified to be high priest forever.

Now in the things which we are saying, the main point is this. We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

He is a minister in the sanctuary, [serving about holy things] in the true tabernacle, which was set up by the Lord and not by man [Note: This sanctuary/tabernacle represents either heaven or the church].

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

They serve in a sanctuary that is a copy, a shadow of the heavenly one. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tent: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain."

"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 mind, I will also write them on their heart. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

And there will be no need for every man to be teaching his brother, or his neighbour, saying, This is the knowledge of the Lord: for they will all have knowledge of me, great and small.

Now even a first covenant had ordinances of divine service, and its sanctuary, a sanctuary of this world.

For the first Tent was made ready, having in it the vessels for the lights and the table and the ordering of the bread; and this is named the holy place.

It contained the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered entirely with gold. In this ark were the golden urn containing the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

above this were the cherubims of the Glory, overshadowing the mercy seat ??matters which it is impossible for me to discuss at present in detail.

With these arrangements completed in this way, the priests in conducting their official services regularly go into the outer part of the tent of worship;

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

This is a parable, for the present time, according to which gifts and sacrifices are offered that are not able, as far as conscience is concerned, to perfect the worshiper;

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

not made with hands, that is, not of this building, And not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

For this reason he is the mediator of a New Covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, that those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.

saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you."

For this cause it was necessary to make the copies of the things in heaven clean with these offerings; but the things themselves are made clean with better offerings than these.

He did not do this to offer Himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another.

Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment,

For if this had been possible, would there not have been an end of those offerings, because the worshippers would have been made completely clean and would have been no longer conscious of sins?

It is for this reason that the Christ, on coming into the world, declared. Sacrifice and offerings thou dost not desire, But a body didst thou prepare for me;

Then I said, "See, I have come to do your will, O God' In the volume of the scroll this is written about me."

In this passage he says, "You never wanted or took delight in sacrifices, offerings, burnt offerings, and sin offerings," which are offered according to the Law.

And it is by this will that we have been sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

but this one, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Now the Holy Ghost also beareth this testimony to us: for after declaring before,

"This is the covenant that I will make with them: 'After those days,' says the Lord, 'I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;'" then he says,

by this new and living way which He initiated and opened for us through the veil [as in the Holy of Holies], that is, through His flesh,

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, according to the custom of some, but exhorting, and by so much the more as this, by as much as ye behold, the day, drawing near.

partly while publicly exposed to revilings and tribulations, partly as being in communion with those who were treated in this manner.

For by this, the elders obtained testimony.

By faith Abel offered unto God a sacrifice of more excellence than Cain, by which he received a testimony that he was a righteous man, God bearing witness upon his gifts: and by this, though dead, he still 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 [with confidence in God and His word] Noah, being warned by God about events not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his family. By this [act of obedience] he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness which comes by faith.

For he was looking forward to [living in] a city with [lasting] foundations, designed and built by God. [Note: This undoubtedly refers to heaven].

Through faith even Sarah herself received strength to become a mother--although she was past the time of life for this--because she judged Him faithful who had given the promise.

Abraham was as good as dead, yet from this one man came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

For people who make such a profession as this show that they are in search of a country of their own.

But in reality they were aspiring for a better country, I mean, a heavenly one. This is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Judging that God was able to give life even to the dead; and because of this he did get him back as if from death.

By [having] faith, he established the Passover Festival [Note: This festival was first celebrated in Egypt by the fleeing Israelites, then observed annually in commemoration of that event], and had [lambs'] blood sprinkled [on the door jambs] to prevent the one who destroyed the firstborn children from touching them. [See Ex. 12:23].

By faith the people crossed over the Red Sea as on dry land; and when the Egyptians tried to do this they were swallowed up.

For this reason, as we are circled by so great a cloud of witnesses, putting off every weight, and the sin into which we come so readily, let us keep on running in the way which is marked out for us,

It is for your discipline that you have to endure all this. God is dealing with you as his Children. For where is there a child whom his father does not discipline?

Besides this, we have had fathers of our flesh to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?

For this cause let the hands which are hanging down be lifted up, and let the feeble knees be made strong,

Actively seek to live in peace with all people. And be dedicated to God, because no one will see God without this.

looking diligently over lest any one be failing of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up may give trouble, and through this many may be defiled;

This phrase, "Yet once more," signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.

Let us, therefore, be thankful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and in this way continue to serve God acceptably in reverence and fear;

Take care to keep open house: because in this way some have had angels as their guests, without being conscious of it.

Remember your leaders who told you God's message. [Note: This probably refers to former preachers who had since died]. Consider the outcome of the way they lived and imitate their faith.

For this reason Jesus was put to death outside the walls, so that he might make the people holy by his blood.

So, we should go out to Him, outside of the camp [Note: This probably signifies separating from the whole system of Judaism, as well as full commitment to Christ], bearing the abuse that He suffered.

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.

Pray for us: for we have confidence that we maintain a good conscience, in all things desirous to conduct ourselves with propriety.??19 But I entreat you the rather to do this, that I may the more speedily be restored to you.

I strongly urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you sooner.

I beg you brothers, to listen patiently to this appeal, for I have written you but briefly.

[This letter is from] James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, [who sends] greetings to the twelve tribes which are scattered throughout the world. [Note: This refers to Christians, probably of Jewish descent].

Consider the various tryals that surround you, my brethren, as matter of great joy; knowing this,

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

But let this power have its full effect, so that you may be made complete, needing nothing.

Make no mistake about this, my beloved brothers:

This you know, my beloved brothers. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

For this reason, putting away all dirty behaviour and the overweight of evil, take into your souls without pride the word which, being planted there, is able to give you salvation.