Historical
I. Introduction[a]
Chapter 1
1 In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; 2 in these last days, he spoke to us through a son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe,(A)
3 who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,(B)
4 as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.(C)
II. The Son Higher Than the Angels
Messianic Enthronement.[b] 5 For to which of the angels did God ever say:
“You are my son; this day I have begotten you”?(D)
Or again:
“I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me”?
6 And again, when he leads[c] the first-born into the world, he says:
“Let all the angels of God worship him.”(E)
7 Of the angels he says:
“He makes his angels winds
and his ministers a fiery flame”;(F)
8 but of the Son:
“Your throne, O God,[d] stands forever and ever;
and a righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom.(G)
9 You loved justice and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, anointed you
with the oil of gladness above your companions”;
10 and:
“At the beginning, O Lord, you established the earth,(H)
and the heavens are the works of your hands.
11 They will perish, but you remain;
and they will all grow old like a garment.
12 You will roll them up like a cloak,
and like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”
13 But to which of the angels has he ever said:
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies your footstool”?(I)
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent to serve, for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?(J)
Chapter 2
Exhortation to Faithfulness.[e] 1 Therefore, we must attend all the more to what we have heard, so that we may not be carried away. 2 For if the word announced through angels proved firm, and every transgression and disobedience received its just recompense,(K) 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? Announced originally through the Lord, it was confirmed for us by those who had heard.(L) 4 God added his testimony by signs, wonders, various acts of power, and distribution of the gifts of the holy Spirit according to his will.(M)
Exaltation Through Abasement.[f] 5 For it was not to angels that he subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 Instead, someone has testified somewhere:
“What is man that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man that you care for him?(N)
7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you crowned him with glory and honor,
8 subjecting all things under his feet.”
In “subjecting” all things [to him], he left nothing not “subject to him.” Yet at present we do not see “all things subject to him,”(O) 9 but we do see Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” because he suffered death, he who “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.(P)
10 For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.(Q) 11 He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers,” 12 saying:
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers,
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you”;(R)
13 and again:
“I will put my trust in him”;
and again:
“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”(S)
14 Now since the children share in blood and flesh, he likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,(T) 15 and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. 16 Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; 17 therefore, he had to become like his brothers in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people.(U) 18 Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.
III. Jesus, Faithful and Compassionate High Priest
Chapter 3
Jesus, Superior to Moses.[g] 1 Therefore, holy “brothers,” sharing in a heavenly calling, reflect on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was “faithful in [all] his house.”(V) 3 But he is worthy of more “glory” than Moses, as the founder of a house has more “honor” than the house itself.(W) 4 Every house is founded by someone, but the founder of all is God. 5 Moses was “faithful in all his house” as a “servant” to testify to what would be spoken, 6 [h](X)but Christ was faithful as a son placed over his house. We are his house, if [only] we hold fast to our confidence and pride in our hope.
Israel’s Infidelity a Warning. 7 [i]Therefore, as the holy Spirit says:
“Oh, that today you would hear his voice,(Y)
8 ‘Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion
in the day of testing in the desert,
9 where your ancestors tested and tried me
and saw my works(Z) 10 for forty years.
Because of this I was provoked with that generation
and I said, “They have always been of erring heart,
and they do not know my ways.”
11 As I swore in my wrath,
“They shall not enter into my rest.”’”
12 Take care, brothers, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. 13 Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. 14 We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end,(AA) 15 for it is said:
“Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
‘Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion.’”(AB)
16 (AC)Who were those who rebelled when they heard? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt under Moses? 17 With whom was he “provoked for forty years”? Was it not those who had sinned, whose corpses fell in the desert?(AD) 18 And to whom did he “swear that they should not enter into his rest,” if not to those who were disobedient?(AE) 19 And we see that they could not enter for lack of faith.
Chapter 4
The Sabbath Rest. 1 Therefore, let us be on our guard while the promise of entering into his rest remains, that none of you seem to have failed. 2 For in fact we have received the good news just as they did. But the word that they heard did not profit them, for they were not united in faith with those who listened. 3 For we who believed enter into [that] rest, just as he has said:(AF)
“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter into my rest,’”
and yet his works were accomplished at the foundation of the world. 4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner, “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works”;(AG) 5 and again, in the previously mentioned place, “They shall not enter into my rest.”(AH) 6 Therefore, since it remains that some will enter into it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, 7 he once more set a day, “today,” when long afterwards he spoke through David, as already quoted:(AI)
“Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
‘Harden not your hearts.’”
8 Now if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterwards of another day.(AJ) 9 Therefore, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God. 10 And whoever enters into God’s rest, rests from his own works as God did from his. 11 Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience.
12 Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.(AK) 13 No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.(AL)
Jesus, Compassionate High Priest. 14 [j]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.(AM) 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.(AN) 16 So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.(AO)
Chapter 5
1 [k]Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.[l] 2 He is able to deal patiently[m] with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness 3 and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people.(AP) 4 No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.(AQ) 5 In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to him:
“You are my son;
this day I have begotten you”;(AR)
6 just as he says in another place:[n]
“You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.”(AS)
7 In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death,[o] and he was heard because of his reverence.(AT) 8 Son though he was,[p] he learned obedience from what he suffered;(AU) 9 and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,(AV) 10 declared by God high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.(AW)
IV. Jesus’ Eternal Priesthood and Eternal Sacrifice
Exhortation to Spiritual Renewal. 11 [q]About this we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, for you have become sluggish in hearing. 12 Although you should be teachers by this time, you need to have someone teach you again the basic elements of the utterances of God. You need milk, [and] not solid food.(AX) 13 Everyone who lives on milk lacks experience of the word of righteousness, for he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties are trained by practice to discern good and evil.
Chapter 6
1 Therefore, let us leave behind the basic teaching about Christ and advance to maturity, without laying the foundation all over again: repentance from dead works and faith in God,(AY) 2 instruction about baptisms[r] and laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.(AZ) 3 And we shall do this, if only God permits. 4 For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened and tasted the heavenly gift[s] and shared in the holy Spirit(BA) 5 and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,[t] 6 and then have fallen away, to bring them to repentance again, since they are recrucifying the Son of God for themselves[u] and holding him up to contempt.(BB) 7 Ground that has absorbed the rain falling upon it repeatedly and brings forth crops useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God.(BC) 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is rejected; it will soon be cursed and finally burned.(BD)
9 But we are sure in your regard, beloved, of better things related to salvation, even though we speak in this way. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones. 11 We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of hope until the end,(BE) 12 so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and patience,(BF) are inheriting the promises.[v]
God’s Promise Immutable. 13 [w](BG)When God made the promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, “he swore by himself,” 14 and said, “I will indeed bless you and multiply” you.(BH) 15 And so, after patient waiting,(BI) he obtained the promise.[x] 16 Human beings swear by someone greater than themselves; for them an oath serves as a guarantee and puts an end to all argument. 17 So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise an even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose, he intervened with an oath,(BJ) 18 so that by two immutable things,[y] in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us.(BK) 19 This we have as an anchor of the soul,(BL) sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil,[z] 20 where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner, becoming high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.(BM)
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.