Hebrews 3-7

Christian Standard Bible

Our Apostle and High Priest

3 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.^{(A) 2} He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was in all God’s household. ³ For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house. ⁴ Now every house is built by someone, but the one who built everything is God.^{(B) 5} Moses was faithful as a servant^(C) in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future. ⁶ But Christ was faithful as a Son over his household. And we are that household if we hold on to our confidence and the hope in which we boast.^[a](D)

Warning against Unbelief

⁷ Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:

¹² Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away^(F) from the living God. ¹³ But encourage each other daily,^(G) while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened^(H) by sin’s deception.^{(I) 14} For we have become participants in Christ if we hold firmly until the end the reality^[c] that we had at the start.^{(J) 15} As it is said:

¹⁶ For who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all who came out of Egypt under Moses?^{(L) 17} With whom was God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?^{(M) 18} And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed? ¹⁹ So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

The Promised Rest

4 Therefore, since the promise to enter his rest remains, let us beware^[e] that none of you be found to have fallen short.^{[f] 2} For we also have received the good news just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith.^{[g](N) 3} For we who have believed enter the rest, in keeping with what^[h] he has said,

even though his works have been finished since the foundation of the world. ⁴ For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way: And on the seventh day God rested from all his works.^{[j](P) 5} Again, in that passage he says, They will never enter my rest.^{[k] 6} Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience,^{(Q) 7} he again specifies a certain day—today. He specified this speaking through David after such a long time:

⁸ For if Joshua^(S) had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. ⁹ Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. ¹⁰ For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his.^{(T) 11} Let us, then, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

¹² For the word of God is living and effective^(U) and sharper than any double-edged sword,^(V) penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.^{(W) 13} No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom^(X) we must give an account.

Our Great High Priest

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession.^{(Y) 15} For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are,^(Z) yet without sin.^{(AA) 16} Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

Christ, a High Priest

5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed in matters pertaining to God for the people, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he is also clothed with weakness.^{(AB) 3} Because of this, he must make an offering for his own sins as well as for the people.^{(AC) 4} No one takes this honor on himself; instead, a person is called by God, just as Aaron was.^{(AD) 5} In the same way, Christ did not exalt himself to become a high priest, but God who said to him,

⁶ also says in another place,

⁷ During his earthly life,^[p] he offered prayers and appeals^(AG) with loud cries and tears^(AH) to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. ⁸ Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered.^{(AI) 9} After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, ¹⁰ and he was declared by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

The Problem of Immaturity

¹¹ We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand. ¹² Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food.^{(AJ) 13} Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.^(AK)

Warning against Falling Away

6 Therefore, let us leave the elementary teaching about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God,^{(AL) 2} teaching about ritual washings,^[q] laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.^{(AM) 3} And we will do this if God permits.

⁴ For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit,^{(AN) 5} who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, ⁶ and who have fallen away. This is because,^[r] to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt.^{(AO) 7} For the ground that drinks the rain that often falls on it and that produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. ⁸ But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and at the end will be burned.^(AP)

⁹ Even though we are speaking this way, dearly loved friends, in your case we are confident of things that are better and that pertain to salvation. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love^[s] you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them.^{(AQ) 11} Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, ¹² so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.^(AR)

Inheriting the Promise

¹³ For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself: ¹⁴ I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply you.^{[t](AS) 15} And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise. ¹⁶ For people swear by something greater than themselves, and for them a confirming oath ends every dispute. ¹⁷ Because God wanted to show his unchangeable purpose even more clearly to the heirs of the promise, he guaranteed it with an oath,^{(AT) 18} so that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us.^{(AU) 19} We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.^{(AV) 20} Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner,^(AW) because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.^(AX)

The Greatness of Melchizedek

7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, met Abraham and blessed him as he returned from defeating the kings, ² and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means king of righteousness, then also, king of Salem, meaning king of peace. ³ Without father, mother, or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God,^(AY) he remains a priest forever.

⁴ Now consider how great this man was: even Abraham the patriarch^(AZ) gave a tenth of the plunder to him. ⁵ The sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have a command according to the law to collect a tenth from the people^(BA)—that is, from their brothers and sisters—though they have also descended from Abraham. ⁶ But one without this^[u] lineage collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.^{(BB) 7} Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior. ⁸ In the one case, men who will die receive a tenth, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives.^{(BC) 9} And in a sense Levi himself, who receives a tenth, has paid a tenth through Abraham, ¹⁰ for he was still within his ancestor^[v] when Melchizedek met him.

A Superior Priesthood

¹¹ Now if perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the law^(BD)), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be according to the order of Melchizedek and not according to the order of Aaron?^{(BE) 12} For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must be a change of law as well. ¹³ For the one these things are spoken about belonged to a different tribe. No one from it has served at the altar. ¹⁴ Now it is evident that our Lord came from Judah,^(BF) and Moses said nothing about that tribe concerning priests.

¹⁵ And this becomes clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears, ¹⁶ who did not become a priest based on a legal regulation about physical^[w] descent but based on the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it has been testified:

¹⁸ So the previous command is annulled because it was weak and unprofitable^{(BH) 19} (for the law perfected^(BI) nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.^(BJ)

²⁰ None of this happened without an oath. For others became priests without an oath, ²¹ but he became a priest with an oath made by the one who said to him:

²² Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.^(BL)

²³ Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. ²⁴ But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently. ²⁵ Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede^(BM) for them.

²⁶ For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.^{(BN) 27} He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself.^{(BO) 28} For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son,^(BP) who has been perfected^(BQ) forever.