Hebrews 8
New Matthew Bible
The office of Christ is more worthy than the office of the priests under the old law, which was imperfect, and was therefore abrogated.
8 Of the things which we have spoken, this is the pith: that we have such a high priest as sits on the right hand of the seat of majesty in heaven, 2 and is a minister of holy things, and of the very tabernacle that God pitched, and not man.
3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices, and therefore it is necessary that this man also have something to offer. 4 For he would not be a priest if he were on the earth, where are the priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 Such priests serve in the figure and shadow of heavenly things, in accordance with the oracle of God given to Moses when he was about to make the tabernacle: Take heed (said he) that you fashion all things according to the pattern shown to you in the mount.
6 Now he has obtained a more excellent office, inasmuch as he is the mediator of a better testament, which was made for better promises. 7 For if that first testament had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for the second.
8 For in rebuking the people, he says: Behold, the days will come (says the Lord) when I will make a new testament with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 9 not like the testament that I made with their fathers at the time when I took them by the hands to lead them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my testament, and I regarded them not, says the Lord.
10 For this is the testament that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach everyone his neighbour and everyone his brother, saying, Know the Lord! For they shall all know me, from the least to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful over their unrighteousness, and over their sins and their iniquities.
13 In that he says a new testament, he has abrogated the old. Now that which is abolished and grown old, is ready to vanish away.
Hebrews 8
English Standard Version
Jesus, High Priest of a Better Covenant
8 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, (A)one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in (B)the true tent[a] that the Lord (C)set up, not man. 3 For (D)every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus (E)it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve (F)a copy and (G)shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, (H)“See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ[b] has obtained a ministry that is (I)as much more excellent than the old as (J)the covenant (K)he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 (L)For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
8 For he finds fault with them when he says:[c]
(M)“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
10 (N)For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and (O)write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall (P)all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
(Q)and I will remember their sins no more.”
13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And (R)what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 8:2 Or tabernacle; also verse 5
- Hebrews 8:6 Greek he
- Hebrews 8:8 Some manuscripts For finding fault with it he says to them
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
