Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles

29 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to ^(A)the surviving elders of the exiles, and to ^(B)the priests, ^(C)the prophets, and ^(D)all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ² This was after ^(E)King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. ³ The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of ^(F)Shaphan and Gemariah the son of ^(G)Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: ⁴ “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ^5 (H)Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. ⁶ Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. ⁷ But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and ^(I)pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. ⁸ For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ^(J)Do not let your prophets and ^(K)your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,^{[a] 9} for ^(L)it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; ^(M)I did not send them, declares the Lord.

¹⁰ “For thus says the Lord: ^(N)When seventy years are completed for Babylon, ^(O)I will visit you, ^(P)and I will fulfill to you my promise ^(Q)and bring you back to this place. ^11 (R)For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare^[b] and not for evil, ^(S)to give you a future and a hope. ^12 (T)Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, ^(U)and I will hear you. ^13 (V)You will seek me and find me, when you seek me ^(W)with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you, declares the Lord, ^(X)and I will restore your fortunes and ^(Y)gather you from all the nations and all the places ^(Z)where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

¹⁵ “Because you have said, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,’ ¹⁶ thus says the Lord concerning ^(AA)the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your kinsmen who did not go out with you into exile: ¹⁷ ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, behold, I am sending on them ^(AB)sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like ^(AC)vile figs that are so rotten they cannot be eaten. ¹⁸ I will pursue them with ^(AD)sword, famine, and pestilence, ^(AE)and will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, ^(AF)to be a curse, a terror, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations ^(AG)where I have driven them, ¹⁹ because they did not pay attention to my words, declares the Lord, ^(AH)that I persistently sent to you by my servants the prophets, but you would not listen, declares the Lord.’ ²⁰ Hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles ^(AI)whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon: ²¹ ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, ^(AJ)who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall strike them down before your eyes. ^22 (AK)Because of them ^(AL)this curse shall be used by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon: “The Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, ^(AM)whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,” ²³ because they have done an outrageous thing in Israel, ^(AN)they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and ^(AO)they have spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them. ^(AP)I am the one who knows, ^(AQ)and I am witness, declares the Lord.’”

Shemaiah's False Prophecy

²⁴ To ^(AR)Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say: ²⁵ “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have sent letters in your name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to ^(AS)Zephaniah the son of ^(AT)Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, ²⁶ ‘The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to have ^(AU)charge in the house of the Lord ^(AV)over every madman who prophesies, to put him in ^(AW)the stocks and neck irons. ²⁷ Now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah ^(AX)of Anathoth who is prophesying to you? ²⁸ For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, “Your exile will be long; ^(AY)build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat their produce.”’”

^29 (AZ)Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. ^30 (BA)Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ³¹ “Send to all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord concerning ^(BB)Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because ^(BC)Shemaiah had prophesied to you ^(BD)when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie, ³² therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will punish ^(BE)Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants. He shall not have anyone living among this people, ^(BF)and he shall not see the good that I will do to my people, declares the Lord, ^(BG)for he has spoken rebellion against the Lord.’”

Your Throne, O God, Is Forever

To the choirmaster: according to Lilies. A Maskil^[a] of ^(A)the Sons of Korah; a love song.

The Priestly Order of Melchizedek

7 For this ^(A)Melchizedek, king of ^(B)Salem, priest of ^(C)the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. ³ He is without father or mother ^(D)or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

⁴ See how great this man was to whom Abraham ^(E)the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! ⁵ And ^(F)those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers,^[a] though these also are descended from Abraham. ⁶ But this man ^(G)who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed ^(H)him who had the promises. ⁷ It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. ⁸ In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one ^(I)of whom it is testified that ^(J)he lives. ⁹ One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, ¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

Jesus Compared to Melchizedek

^11 (K)Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? ¹² For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. ¹³ For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. ¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord was descended ^(L)from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

¹⁵ This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, ¹⁶ who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is witnessed of him,

¹⁸ For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside ^(N)because of its weakness and uselessness ¹⁹ (for ^(O)the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, ^(P)a better hope is introduced, through which ^(Q)we draw near to God.

²⁰ And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, ²¹ but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him:

²² This makes Jesus the guarantor of ^(S)a better covenant.

²³ The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, ²⁴ but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues ^(T)forever. ²⁵ Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost^{[b] (U)}those who draw near to God ^(V)through him, since he always lives ^(W)to make intercession for them.

²⁶ For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, ^(X)holy, innocent, unstained, ^(Y)separated from sinners, and ^(Z)exalted above the heavens. ²⁷ He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, ^(AA)first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this ^(AB)once for all when he offered up himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints men ^(AC)in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made ^(AD)perfect forever.

Jesus, High Priest of a Better Covenant

8 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, ^(AE)one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, ² a minister in the holy places, in ^(AF)the true tent^[c] that the Lord ^(AG)set up, not man. ³ For ^(AH)every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus ^(AI)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 ^(AJ)a copy and ^(AK)shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, ^(AL)“See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” ⁶ But as it is, Christ^[d] has obtained a ministry that is ^(AM)as much more excellent than the old as ^(AN)the covenant ^(AO)he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. ^7 (AP)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:^[e]

¹³ In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And ^(AV)what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The Earthly Holy Place

9 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and ^(AW)an earthly place of holiness. ² For ^(AX)a tent^[f] was prepared, the first section, in which were ^(AY)the lampstand and ^(AZ)the table and ^(BA)the bread of the Presence.^[g] It is called the Holy Place. ³ Behind ^(BB)the second curtain was a second section^[h] called the Most Holy Place, ⁴ having the golden ^(BC)altar of incense and ^(BD)the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was ^(BE)a golden urn holding the manna, and ^(BF)Aaron's staff that budded, and ^(BG)the tablets of the covenant. ⁵ Above it were ^(BH)the cherubim of glory overshadowing ^(BI)the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

⁶ These preparations having thus been made, ^(BJ)the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, ⁷ but into the second only ^(BK)the high priest goes, and he but ^(BL)once a year, and not without taking blood, ^(BM)which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. ⁸ By this the Holy Spirit indicates that ^(BN)the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing ⁹ (which is symbolic for the present age).^[i] According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered ^(BO)that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, ¹⁰ but deal only with ^(BP)food and drink and ^(BQ)various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.

Redemption Through the Blood of Christ

¹¹ But when Christ appeared as a high priest ^(BR)of the good things that have come,^[j] then through ^(BS)the greater and more perfect tent (^(BT)not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) ¹² he ^(BU)entered ^(BV)once for all into the holy places, not by means of ^(BW)the blood of goats and calves but ^(BX)by means of his own blood, ^(BY)thus securing an eternal redemption. ¹³ For if ^(BZ)the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with ^(CA)the ashes of a heifer, sanctify^[k] for the purification of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will ^(CB)the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit ^(CC)offered himself without blemish to God, ^(CD)purify our^[l] conscience ^(CE)from dead works ^(CF)to serve the living God.

¹⁵ Therefore he is ^(CG)the mediator of a new covenant, so that ^(CH)those who are called may ^(CI)receive the promised eternal inheritance, ^(CJ)since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.^{[m] 16} For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. ¹⁷ For ^(CK)a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. ¹⁸ Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated ^(CL)without blood. ¹⁹ For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took ^(CM)the blood of calves and goats, ^(CN)with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, ²⁰ saying, ^(CO)“This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” ²¹ And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both ^(CP)the tent and all the vessels used in worship. ²² Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and ^(CQ)without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

²³ Thus it was necessary for ^(CR)the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ has entered, not into holy places ^(CS)made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God ^(CT)on our behalf. ²⁵ Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as ^(CU)the high priest enters ^(CV)the holy places every year with blood not his own, ²⁶ for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, ^(CW)he has appeared ^(CX)once for all ^(CY)at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ And just as ^(CZ)it is appointed for man to die once, and ^(DA)after that comes judgment, ²⁸ so Christ, having been offered once ^(DB)to bear the sins of ^(DC)many, will appear ^(DD)a second time, ^(DE)not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly ^(DF)waiting for him.