Now if the crowning blessing was attainable by means of the Levitical priesthood--for as resting on this foundation the people received the Law, to which they are still subject-- what further need was there for a Priest of a different kind to be raised up belonging to the order of Melchizedek instead of being said to belong to the order of Aaron?

For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

which is not made after the law of the carnal commandment: but after the power of the endless life.

So the law which went before is put on one side, because it was feeble and without profit.

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

Then again, the appointment of this new priest was ratified by an oath, which is not so with the Levitical priests,

(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);

so much the more also is the Covenant of which Jesus has become the guarantor, a better covenant.

but He, because He continues for ever, has a priesthood which does not pass to any successor.

Such a high priest it becometh us to have, which is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than heaven.

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].

For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

For every high priest is constituted for the offering both of gifts and sacrifices; whence it is needful that this one also should have something which he may offer.

which office he could not discharge here upon earth, where priests are already establish'd, who offer gifts according to the law:

who serve that which is a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warned of God when he is about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount.

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

nor for that reproach, which was made to our fathers, where 'tis said, "behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new alliance with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda:

not according to the covenant which I made to their fathers in the day of my taking their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in my covenant, and I did not regard them, saith the Lord.

For this is the agreement which I will make with the people of Israel after those days: I will put my laws into their minds, writing them in their hearts: and I will be their God, and they will be my people:

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

And the lesson which the Holy Spirit teaches is this--that the way into the true Holy place is not yet open so long as the outer tent still remains in existence.

Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

But Christ appeared as a High Priest of the blessings that are soon to come by means of the greater and more perfect Tent of worship, a tent which has not been built with hands--that is to say does not belong to this material creation--

He went once for all into the Holy Place [the Holy of Holies of heaven, into the presence of God], and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, having obtained and secured eternal redemption [that is, the salvation of all who personally believe in Him as Savior].

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Holy Spirit [or, His eternal Spirit] offered Himself without [moral] blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from deeds which lead to [spiritual] death to serve the living God?

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

For which cause also, neither that first testament was ordained without blood.

Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

and indeed according to the law almost every thing is purified with blood, without the effusion of which, there is no remission of sins.

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

And he did not have to make an offering of himself again and again, as the high priest goes into the holy place every year with blood which is not his;

as then it is appointed that men should die but once, after which the judgment ensues;

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

Wherefore, coming into the world, He saith, "Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not wish, but a body didst Thou prepare for Me;

"Sacrifice and offering you did not wish, but a body you have prepared for me; in burnt-offerings and sin-offerings you never took delight.

Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

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

And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

But, this priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, which should serve for all time, 'took his seat at the right hand of God,'

This is the covenant which I will establish towards them after those days, saith the Lord: Giving my laws into their hearts, I will write them also in their understandings;

Having therefore, brethren, entire liberty of entrance into the holies by the blood of Jesus??20 a way, which he hath consecrated for us, newly opened, and giving life, through the vail, that is, his flesh;

By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

And seeing also that we have a high priest which is ruler over the house of God,

Let us stedfastly maintain the hope which we have avow'd, since he is faithful that has promised:

For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate],

But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

of how much sorer punishment shall he be counted worthy who the Son of God did trample on, and the blood of the covenant did count a common thing, in which he was sanctified, and to the Spirit of the grace did despite?

But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

partly while all men wondered and gazed at you for the shame and tribulation that was done unto you, and partly while ye became companions of them which so passed their time.

For you not only showed sympathy with those who were imprisoned, but you even submitted with joy when your property was taken from you, being well aware that you have in your own selves a more valuable possession and one which will remain.

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.

We are not which withdraw ourselves unto damnation, but pertain to faith, to the winning of the soul.

Now faith is a well-grounded assurance of that for which we hope, and a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see.

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

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land, as in a strange land, living in tents [as nomads] with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise.

For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Through faith Sarah also received strength to be with child, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful which had promised.

Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.

By faith Abraham offered up Isaac, when he was tempted, and he offered him being his only begotten son, which had received the promises:

of which first-born it was said: In Isaac shall your posterity be called:

having reasoned that God [was] able even to raise [him] from the dead, from which he received him back also as a symbol.

because he deemed the reproaches which he might meet with in the service of the Christ to be greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt; for he fixed his gaze on the coming reward.

By faith he forsook Egypt, and feared not the fierceness of the king. For he endured, even as he had seen him which is invisible.

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

by faith they made the tour of Jericho for seven days, in consequence of which the walls fell down.

which through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained the promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

which the world was not worthy of: They wandered in wilderness, in mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

simply fixing our gaze upon Jesus, our Prince Leader in the faith, who will also award us the prize. He, for the sake of the joy which lay before Him, patiently endured the cross, looking with contempt upon its shame, and afterwards seated Himself-- where He still sits--at the right hand of the throne of God.

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

For whom the Lord loves he corrects, and he chastises every son which he receives.

If ye endure correction, God treats you as sons; for who is the son which the father corrects not?

But if ye are without chastening, of which all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

For, they, indeed, for a few days, according to that which seemed good to them, were administering discipline; but, he, unto that which is profitable, with view to our partaking of his holiness:

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

See to it that no one falls short of God’s grace; that no root of resentment springs up and causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

lest there be a fornicator, or an ungodly person like Esau, who, in return for a single meal, parted with the birthright which belonged to him.

You have not come to a mountain which may be touched, and is burning with fire, and to a black cloud, and a dark smoke, and a violent wind,

And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

And, so fearful was that which was showing itself, Moses, said - I am terrified, and do tremble l

But you have come to the mountain of Zion, to the place of the living God, to the Jerusalem which is in heaven, and to an army of angels which may not be numbered,

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,