I had rather apply to your benevolent temper, and desire you would regard the years of Paul, who am now also a prisoner for Jesus Christ,

I beseech thee for my child Onesimus, whom I begot in my bonds.

A man formerly unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to thee and to me, whom I sent back.

Whom I have sent back to you, him who is my very heart:

Whom I wanted to keep back for myself, so that in thy behalf he might serve me in the bonds of the good-news.

not as a slave, but in another quality, as a dear brother whom I particularly value, but much more should you, both as he is your servant, and as he is a christian.

Epaphras, who is my fellow-captive in Christ Jesus,

along with [John] Mark [Note: This shows that Mark was now back in the good graces of Paul. See Acts 15:36-40], Aristarchus, Demas [Note: This man later deserted Paul. See II Tim. 4:10] and Luke, who are [also] my fellow-workers. [Note: These men, unlike Epaphras who was imprisoned with Paul, were free to minister for Christ there in Rome].

God, who formerly spoke in many portions and in many ways to the fathers by the prophets, spoke to us in these last days by a Son,

but in these latter days He has spoken to us through a Son, whom He had appointed lawful owner of everything, and through whom He had made the worlds.

Who, being the radiance of his glory, and the exact image of his essence, and upholding all things by the word of his power, having made purification of our sins through himself, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in the

For to whom of the angels said He at any time, "You are My Son; I this day have begotten you?" And again, "I will be to him a Father; and He shall be to me a Son?"

And indeed toward the heavenly agents he says, He who makes his agents spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

You have been a lover of righteousness and a hater of evil; and so God, your God, has put the oil of joy on your head more than on the heads of those who are with you.

But of which of the angels has he said at any time, Take your seat at my right hand till I put all those who are against you under your feet?

Are not the angels all attending spirits sent forth to serve for the sake of those who are going to be unceasing possessors of salvation?

how can we escape, if we pay no attention at all to a salvation that is so great? This is so because it was first proclaimed by the Lord Himself, and then it was proved to us to be valid by the very men who heard Him themselves,

[and besides this evidence] God also testifying with them [confirming the message of salvation], both by signs and wonders and by various miracles [carried out by Jesus and the apostles] and by [granting to believers the] gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

and this is attested by a certain writer, who says, "what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him?

but we do see Jesus, who was made inferior to the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by God's favor He might experience death for every human being.

For it was appropriate for Him, who is the Final Goal and the First Cause of the universe, in bringing many children to glory, to make the Leader in their salvation perfect through the process of sufferings.

For both He who is purifying them and those who are being purified all spring from one Father; so He is not ashamed to call them brothers,

And again, I will be a man who has trusted in him. And again, Behold, I and the children that God has given me.

Since then the children mentioned share our mortal nature, He too took on Himself a full share of the same, in order that He by His death might put a stop to the power of him who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

and set at liberty those who all their lifetime had been subject to slavery because of their dread of death.

For assuredly it is not angels, nay, it is the offspring of Abraham, whom he is ever taking by the hand.

For inasmuch as he himself has suffered, being tempted, he is also able instantly to succor those who are tempted, he is also able instantly to succor those who are tempted.

Therefore, my Christian brothers, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the Messenger and High Priest whom we profess to follow,

to see how faithful He was to God who appointed Him, just as Moses was in all the house of God.

For just as the man who builds a house has greater glory than the house, by just so much is Jesus judged to be worthy of greater glory than Moses.

For every house is built by some man, but he who built all things is God.

Now Moses was a faithful servant among all of [those belonging to] God's household [i.e., the Israelites], as [one who gave] testimony about the things which [were to be] spoken [by him],

but Christ is faithful as a Son over His [Father’s] house. And we are His house if we hold fast our confidence and sense of triumph in our hope [in Christ].

whom our fathers tempted in proving me, and saw my works forty years.

For some who heard rebelled, but not all those who came out of Egypt by Moses.

But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?

And to whom did he swear were not going to enter into his rest, if not to those who were disobedient?

For we also are having good-news preached, just as also those men, but the word of hearing did not benefit those men, not having been mixed together with faith in those who heard.

For those who believe enter into that rest, just as he said, So I swore in my wrath, They will not enter into my rest, although the works occurred from the foundation of the world.

Since therefore it remains for some to enter into it, and those who formerly had good-news did not enter because of disobedience,

For a man who has entered into his rest, he has also rested from his works, as God did from his own.

Because of this, let us have a strong desire to come into that rest, and let no one go after the example of those who went against God's orders.

And there is no creature concealed from his presence, but all things are naked and vulnerable to his eyes, before whom is the word to us.

Having therefore a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us take hold of the affirmation.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but who was tempted in all things in the same way, without sin.

For every high priest who is taken from men is appointed to officiate on behalf of men in matters relating to God, that is, to offer gifts and sin-offerings.

Who can be gentle to those who are ignorant and led astray, since he himself is also encompassed with weakness.

And no man who is not given authority by God, as Aaron was, takes this honour for himself.

So also Christ did not glorify himself to become a high priest, but it was he who said to him, Thou are my Son, today I have 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].

Who, in the days of his flesh, having offered up both prayers and supplications with strong shouting and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and who was heard because of his reverence,

And having been fully perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey him,

About whom, much subject matter from us is also difficult to explain, since ye have become sluggish in hearing.

For also men who ought to be teachers because of the time, ye have need again for some man to teach you the rudiments of the beginning of the oracles of God, and have become men who have need of milk, and not of solid food.

For everyone who uses milk alone is inexperienced in the message of right-doing; he is only an infant.

But solid food belongs to full-grown men who on account of constant use have their faculties trained to distinguish good and evil.

And we will do so [i.e., go on to more advanced teaching] if God allows us to. For it is impossible to get people who have [completely] fallen away [from God] to repent again, because they [continue to] crucify for themselves God's Son all over again, and hold Him up to contempt.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and who tasted of the heavenly gift, and who became partakers of Holy Spirit,

and who tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age,

and who fell away, to restore again to repentance, crucifying to themselves the Son of God, and disgracing him publicly.

For the soil that has drunk the rain often coming upon it, and bringing forth vegetation useful for those by whom also it is cultivated, partakes of a blessing from God.

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the labor of love that ye showed toward his name, having served the sanctified, and who are serving.

so that ye may not become lazy, but imitators of those who, through faith and longsuffering, inherit the promises.

For God who promised to Abraham, since he had none greater to swear by, swore by himself,

For men indeed swear by one who is greater, and the oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

So that when it was God's desire to make it specially clear to those who by his word were to have the heritage, that his purpose was fixed, he made it more certain with an oath;

so that by these two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to prove false, we who have taken refuge with Him may have encouragement strong enough to make us seize upon the hope that lies ahead of us.

Where a forerunner in our behalf hath entered, even Jesus, who, according to the rank of Melchizedek, hath become, a high-priest unto times age-abiding.

For this man Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was coming back from the defeat of the kings, and put his blessing on him,

To whom also Abraham divided a tenth of all. Being actually translated, first, king of righteousness, and then also, king of Salem, which is king of peace,

And notice how great this man was, to whom also the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth out of the best spoils.

Now indeed those of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have commandment to collect tithes from the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, although having come out of the loins of Abraham.

But the man who did not descend from them has received tithes from Abraham, and has blessed the man having the promises.

Yet it is beyond all dispute that the lesser person is always blessed by the greater one.

And here indeed, men who die receive tithes, but there, he who is testified about that he lives.

And, so to speak, Levi also, the man who receives tithes, has paid tithes through Abraham,

Now if it was possible for things to be made complete through the priests of the house of Levi (for the law was given to the people in connection with them), what need was there for another priest who was of the order of Melchizedek and not of the order of Aaron?

For he of whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, from which no man has attended to the altar.

And this is even more clear if a second priest has come up who is like Melchizedek,

who has become, not according to a law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an indestructible life.

And inasmuch as it is not without an oath. For actually those who become priests are so without an oath,

but he with an oath, because of him who says to him, The Lord swore and will not change his mind, Thou are a priest into the age according to the order of Melchizedek.

And of course those who have become priests are more, because of being prevented to continue by death,

Whereupon he is able also to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, being always alive in order to intercede on their behalf.

It was right for us to have such a high priest, one who is holy and without evil, doing no wrong, having no part with sinners, and made higher than the heavens:

Who has no need to offer up sacrifices each day, as those high priests, first for his own sins, then for those of the people, for this he did, once, when he offered up himself.

For the law appoints men high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath after the law, a Son who has been fully perfected into the age.

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,

and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tent set up by the Lord and not by any human.

For certainly if he were on earth, he would not even be a priest, there being the priests who offer the gifts according to the law,

who serve for an example and shadow of the heavenly things. Just as Moses who was divinely warned while going to complete the tabernacle, for he says, See thou make all things according to the pattern that was shown thee on the mou

which is a simile in regard to the present time, in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which are not able, in regard to conscience, to make perfect him who is serving,

For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling those who were defiled, sanctifies for the purification of the flesh,

how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

And because of this he is mediator of a new covenant, so that a death having occurred for the redemption of the transgressions against the first covenant, those who are called might take the promise of the eternal inheritance.

For where a covenant is, a necessity is to present the death of the man who made the covenant.

For a covenant is effective with the dead, since it is never enforced while the man who made the covenant lives.

Nor was it necessary for Him to offer Himself [to God] often, like the head priest does, who enters the Holy of Holies year after year with blood that belongs to others [i.e., the blood of animal sacrifices].

so Christ was offered once for all to take away the sins of many, but again He will appear, without having anything to do with sin, to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him to bring them final salvation.

For the law having a shadow of the good things that are coming, not the same substance of the events, with the same sacrifices that are offered continually each year, they are never able to fully perfect those who are approaching.