Holman Christian Standard Bible (354 page)

Hebrews

The Greatness of Melchizedek

7
For this Melchizedek —

remains a priest forever.

4
 Now consider how great this man was — even Abraham the patriarch 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  — that is, from their brothers — though they have also descended from Abraham. 
6
 But one without this lineage collected tenths from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 
7
 Without a doubt, the inferior is blessed by the superior.
8
 In the one case, men who will die receive tenths, but in the other case, Scripture testifies that he lives. 
9
 And in a sense Levi himself, who receives tenths, has paid tenths through Abraham,
10
 for he was still within his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

A Superior Priesthood

11
 If then, perfection came through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law ), what further need was there for another priest to appear, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron? 
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, 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 command concerning physical 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 
19
 (for the law perfected nothing), but a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. 

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
 So Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant. 

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 always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.

26
 For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 
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 when He offered Himself. 
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, who has been perfected forever.

Hebrews

A Heavenly Priesthood

8
Now the main point of what is being said is this: We have this kind of high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, 
2
 a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that was set up by the Lord and not man. 
3
 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; therefore it was necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.
4
 Now if He were on earth, He wouldn't be a priest, since there are those offering the gifts prescribed by the law.
5
 These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said,
Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain.
6
 But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree He is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been legally enacted on better promises. 

A Superior Covenant

7
 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one.
8
 But finding fault with His people, He says: 

13
 By saying,
a new
covenant
, He has declared that the first is old. And what is old and aging is about to disappear. 

Hebrews

Old Covenant Ministry

9
Now the first covenant also had regulations for ministry and an earthly sanctuary.
2
 For a tabernacle was set up, and in the first room, which is called the holy place, were the lampstand, the table, and the presentation loaves. 
3
 Behind the second curtain, the tabernacle was called the most holy place. 
4
 It contained the gold altar of incense and the ark of the covenant, covered with gold on all sides, in which there was a gold jar containing the manna, Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. 
5
 The
•cherubim
of glory were above it overshadowing the
•mercy
seat. It is not possible to speak about these things in detail right now. 

6
 With these things set up this way, the priests enter the first room repeatedly, performing their ministry. 
7
 But the high priest alone enters the second room, and he does that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. 
8
 The Holy Spirit was making it clear that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle was still standing. 
9
 This is a symbol for the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper's conscience. 
10
 They are physical regulations and only deal with food, drink, and various washings imposed until the time of restoration. 

New Covenant Ministry

11
 But the
•Messiah
has appeared, high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation ),
12
 He entered the most holy place once for all, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, having obtained eternal
•redemption
. 
13
 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 
14
 how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God? 

15
 Therefore, He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 
16
 Where a will exists, the death of the one who made it must be established.
17
 For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in force while the one who made it is living.
18
 That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood.
19
 For when every command had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people, 
20
 saying,
This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded for you.
21
 In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood. 
22
 According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 

23
 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. 
24
 For the Messiah did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that He might now appear in the presence of God for us. 
25
 He did not do this to offer Himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. 
26
 Otherwise, He would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now He has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 
27
 And just as it is appointed for people to die once — and after this, judgment  —
28
 so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. 

Hebrews

The Perfect Sacrifice

10
Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the actual form of those realities, it can never perfect the worshipers by the same sacrifices they continually offer year after year.
2
 Otherwise, wouldn't they have stopped being offered, since the worshipers, once purified, would no longer have any consciousness of sins?
3
 But in the sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.
4
 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5
 Therefore, as He was coming into the world, He said:

8
 After He says above,
You did not want or delight in sacrifices and offerings, whole burnt offerings and sin offerings
(which are offered according to the law ),
9
 He then says,
See, I have come to do Your will.
 He takes away the first to establish the second.
10
 By this will of God, we have been
•sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all. 

11
 Every priest stands day after day ministering and offering the same sacrifices time after time, which can never take away sins. 
12
 But this man, after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. 
13
 He is now waiting until His enemies are made His footstool. 
14
 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified.
15
 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. For after He says: