Study Desk

For every high priest ^(C1)taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in ^(C2)things pertaining to God, in order to ^(C3)offer both gifts and sacrifices ^(C4)for sins;

^(F1)(C1)he can deal gently with the ^(C2)ignorant and ^(C3)misguided, since he himself also is ^(F2)(C4)clothed in weakness;

and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices ^(C1)for sins for himself, ^(C2)as well as for the people.

And ^(C1)no one takes the honor for himself, but receives it when he is called by God, just ^(C2)as Aaron also was.

So too Christ ^(C1)did not glorify Himself in becoming a ^(C2)high priest, but it was He who ^(C3)said to Him, "^(C4)YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE FATHERED YOU";

just as He also says in another passage, "^(C1)YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO ^(C2)THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

In the days of ^(F1)His humanity, ^(F2)(C1)He offered up both prayers and pleas with ^(C2)loud crying and tears to the One ^(C3)able to save Him ^(F3)from death, and He ^(F4)was heard because of His ^(C4)devout behavior.

Although He was ^(C1)a Son, He learned ^(C2)obedience from the things which He suffered.

And having been ^(C1)perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him,

being designated by God as ^(C1)High Priest according to ^(C2)the order of Melchizedek.

Concerning ^(F1)him we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become ^(F2)poor listeners.

For though ^(F1)by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you ^(C1)the ^(F2)(C2)elementary principles of the ^(C3)actual words of God, and you have come to need ^(C4)milk and not solid food.

For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an ^(C1)infant.

But solid food is for ^(C1)the mature, who because of practice have their senses ^(C2)trained to ^(C3)distinguish between good and evil.

Therefore ^(C1)leaving ^(C2)the ^(F1)elementary teaching about the ^(F2)Christ, let us press on to ^(F3)(C3)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from ^(C4)dead works and of faith toward God,

of ^(C1)instruction about ^(F1)washings and ^(C2)laying on of hands, and about the ^(C3)resurrection of the dead and ^(C3)eternal judgment.

And this we will do, ^(C1)if God permits.

For it is ^(C1)impossible, in the case of those who have once been ^(C1)enlightened and have tasted of ^(C2)the heavenly gift and have been made ^(C3)partakers of the Holy Spirit,

and ^(C1)have tasted the good ^(C2)word of God and the powers of ^(C3)the age to come,

and then have ^(F1)fallen away, to ^(C1)restore them again to repentance, ^(F2)(C2)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

For ground that drinks the rain which often ^(F1)falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those ^(C1)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God;

but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and ^(F1)(C1)close to being cursed, and ^(F2)it ends up being burned.

But, ^(C1)beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that ^(F1)accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way.

For ^(C1)God is not unjust so as to forget ^(C2)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having ^(C3)served and by still serving the ^(F1)saints.

And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence ^(F1)so as to realize the ^(C1)full assurance of ^(C2)hope until the end,

so that you will not be sluggish, but ^(C1)imitators of those who through ^(C2)faith and endurance ^(C3)inherit the promises.

For ^(C1)when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear an oath by no one greater, He ^(C2)swore by Himself,

saying, "^(C1)INDEED I WILL GREATLY BLESS YOU AND I WILL GREATLY MULTIPLY YOU."

And so, ^(C1)having patiently waited, he obtained the promise.

^(C1)For people swear an oath by ^(F1)one greater than themselves, and with them ^(C2)an oath serving as confirmation is an end of every dispute.

^(F1)In the same way God, desiring even more to demonstrate to ^(C1)the heirs of the promise ^(F2)(C2)the fact that His purpose is unchangeable, ^(F3)confirmed it with an oath,

so that by two unchangeable things in which ^(C1)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to hold firmly to ^(C2)the hope set before us.

^(F1)This ^(C1)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and reliable and one which ^(C2)enters ^(F2)within the veil,

^(C1)where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a ^(C2)high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

For this ^(C1)Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the ^(C2)Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.

Without father, without mother, ^(C1)without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like ^(C2)the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the ^(C1)patriarch, ^(C2)gave a tenth of the choicest spoils.

And those indeed of ^(C1)the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have a commandment ^(F1)in the Law to collect ^(F2)a tenth from the people, that is, from their countrymen, although they ^(F3)are descended from Abraham.

But the one ^(C1)whose genealogy is not traced from them ^(C2)collected ^(F1)a tenth from Abraham and ^(F2)(C2)blessed the one who ^(C3)had the promises.

But without any dispute the lesser person is blessed by the greater.

In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, ^(C1)of whom it is witnessed that he lives on.

And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, has paid tithes,

for he was still in the loins of his ^(F1)forefather when Melchizedek met him.

^(C1)So if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it ^(C2)the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise ^(C3)according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?

For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

For ^(C1)the one about whom ^(C2)these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.

For it is evident that our Lord ^(F1)was ^(C1)descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses said nothing concerning priests.

And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,

who has become a priest not on the basis of a law of ^(F1)(C1)physical requirement, but according to the power of ^(C2)an indestructible life.

For it is attested of Him, "^(C1)YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

For, on the one hand, there is the nullification of a former commandment ^(C1)because of its weakness and uselessness

(for ^(C1)the Law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, there is the introduction of a better ^(C2)hope, through which we ^(C3)come near to God.

And to the extent that it was not without an oath

(for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, "^(C1)THE LORD HAS SWORN AND ^(C2)WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST ^(C3)FOREVER'");

by the same extent Jesus also has become the ^(F1)(C1)guarantee of ^(C2)a better covenant.

^(F1)The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing;

^(F1)Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues ^(C1)forever, holds His priesthood permanently.

Therefore He is also able to ^(C1)save ^(F1)forever those who ^(C2)come to God through Him, since He always lives to ^(C3)make intercession for them.

For it was fitting for us to have such a ^(C1)high priest, ^(C2)holy, ^(C3)innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and ^(C4)exalted above the heavens;

who has no daily need, like those high priests, to ^(C1)offer up sacrifices, ^(C2)first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because He did this ^(C3)once for all time when He ^(C4)offered up Himself.

For the Law appoints men as high priests ^(C1)who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints ^(C2)a Son, who has been ^(C3)made perfect forever.