The Superior Priesthood of Jesus Christ

1. Oh that you would tear the heavens, that you would come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence. 2. As when fire kindles the brushwood, and the fire causes the water to boil; Make your name known to your adversaries, that the nations may tremble at your presence! 3. When you did awesome things which we didn’t look for, you came down, and the mountains quaked at your presence. 4. For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides you, who works for him who waits for him. 5. You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned. We have been in sin for a long time. Shall we be saved? 6. For we have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 7. There is no one who calls on your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us, and have consumed us by means of our iniquities. 8. But now, Yahweh, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you our potter. We all are the work of your hand. 9. Don’t be furious, Yahweh, and don’t remember iniquity forever. Look and see, we beg you, we are all your people. 10. Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation. 11. Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised you, is burned with fire; and all our pleasant places are laid waste. 12. Will you hold yourself back for these things, Yahweh? Will you keep silent, and punish us very severely? 1. “I am inquired of by those who didn’t ask. I am found by those who didn’t seek me. I said, ‘See me, see me,’ to a nation that was not called by my name. 2. I have spread out my hands all day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, after their own thoughts; 3. a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens, and burning incense on bricks; 4. who sit among the graves, and spend nights in secret places; who eat pig’s meat, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; 5. who say, ‘Stay by yourself, don’t come near to me, for I am holier than you.’ These are smoke in my nose, a fire that burns all day. 6. “Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but will repay, yes, I will repay into their bosom, 7. your own iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together”, says Yahweh, “who have burned incense on the mountains, and blasphemed me on the hills. Therefore I will first measure their work into their bosom.” 8. Yahweh says, “As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one says, ‘Don’t destroy it, for a blessing is in it:’ so will I do for my servants’ sake, that I may not destroy them all. 9. I will bring offspring out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains. My chosen will inherit it, and my servants will dwell there. 10. Sharon will be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down in, for my people who have sought me. 11. “But you who forsake Yahweh, who forget my holy mountain, who prepare a table for Fortune, and who fill up mixed wine to Destiny; 12. I will destine you to the sword, and you will all bow down to the slaughter; because when I called, you didn’t answer. When I spoke, you didn’t listen; but you did that which was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I didn’t delight.” 13. Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, “Behold, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry; behold, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Behold, my servants will rejoice, but you will be disappointed; 14. Behold, my servants will sing for joy of heart, but you will cry for sorrow of heart, and will wail for anguish of spirit. 15. You will leave your name for a curse to my chosen; and the Lord Yahweh will kill you. He will call his servants by another name, 16. so that he who blesses himself in the earth will bless himself in the God of truth; and he who swears in the earth will swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from my eyes. 17. “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem to be a delight, and her people a joy. 19. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; and the voice of weeping and the voice of crying will be heard in her no more. 20. “No more will there be an infant who only lives a few days, nor an old man who has not filled his days; for the child will die one hundred years old, and the sinner being one hundred years old will be accursed. 21. They will build houses, and inhabit them. They will plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. 22. They will not build, and another inhabit. They will not plant, and another eat: for the days of my people will be like the days of a tree, and my chosen will long enjoy the work of their hands. 23. They will not labor in vain, nor give birth for calamity; for they are the offspring of Yahweh’s blessed, and their descendants with them. 24. It will happen that, before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25. The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. Dust will be the serpent’s food. They will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain,” says Yahweh. 1. Yahweh says, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build to me? Where will I rest? 2. For my hand has made all these things, and so all these things came to be,” says Yahweh: “but to this man will I look, even to he who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at my word. 3. He who kills an ox is as he who kills a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as he who breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers an offering, as he who offers pig’s blood; he who burns frankincense, as he who blesses an idol. Yes, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations: 4. I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears on them; because when I called, no one answered; when I spoke, they didn’t listen; but they did that which was evil in my eyes, and chose that in which I didn’t delight.” 5. Hear Yahweh’s word, you who tremble at his word: “Your brothers who hate you, who cast you out for my name’s sake, have said, ‘Let Yahweh be glorified, that we may see your joy;’ but it is those who shall be disappointed. 6. A voice of tumult from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice of Yahweh that repays his enemies what they deserve. 7. “Before she travailed, she gave birth. Before her pain came, she delivered a son. 8. Who has heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she gave birth to her children. 9. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to be delivered?” says Yahweh. “Shall I who cause to give birth shut the womb?” says your God. 10. “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her. Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn over her; 11. that you may nurse and be satisfied at the comforting breasts; that you may drink deeply, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.” 12. For Yahweh says, “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you will nurse. You will be carried on her side, and will be dandled on her knees. 13. As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you. You will be comforted in Jerusalem.” 14. You will see it, and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones will flourish like the tender grass. Yahweh’s hand will be known among his servants; and he will have indignation against his enemies. 15. For, behold, Yahweh will come with fire, and his chariots will be like the whirlwind; to render his anger with fierceness, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 16. For Yahweh will execute judgment by fire and by his sword on all flesh; and those slain by Yahweh will be many. 17. “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves to go to the gardens, behind one in the middle, eating pig’s meat, abominable things, and the mouse, they shall come to an end together,” says Yahweh. 18. “For I know their works and their thoughts. The time comes that I will gather all nations and languages, and they will come, and will see my glory. 19. “I will set a sign among them, and I will send those who escape of them to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to far-away islands, who have not heard my fame, nor have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations. 20. They shall bring all your brothers out of all the nations for an offering to Yahweh, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says Yahweh, as the children of Israel bring their offering in a clean vessel into Yahweh’s house. 21. Of them I will also select priests and Levites,” says Yahweh. 22. “For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me,” says Yahweh, “so your offspring and your name shall remain. 23. It shall happen that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh will come to worship before me,” says Yahweh. 24. “They will go out, and look at the dead bodies of the men who have transgressed against me; for their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

1. God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2. has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. 3. His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4. having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have. 5. For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father?” and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?” 6. When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” 7. Of the angels he says, “Who makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire.” 8. But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom. 9. You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.” 10. And, “You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands. 11. They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does. 12. You will roll them up like a mantle, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years will not fail.” 13. But which of the angels has he told at any time, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?” 14. Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? 1. Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, lest perhaps we drift away. 2. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense; 3. how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation—which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard; 4. God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will? 5. For he didn’t subject the world to come, of which we speak, to angels. 6. But one has somewhere testified, saying, “What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him? 7. You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor. 8. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don’t see all things subjected to him, yet. 9. But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone. 10. For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11. For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12. saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. Among of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13. Again, “I will put my trust in him.” Again, “Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me.” 14. Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15. and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16. For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the offspring of Abraham. 17. Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. 1. Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus; 2. who was faithful to him who appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house. 3. For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, because he who built the house has more honor than the house. 4. For every house is built by someone; but he who built all things is God. 5. Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken, 6. but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end. 7. Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice, 8. don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness, 9. where your fathers tested me by proving me, and saw my deeds for forty years. 10. Therefore I was displeased with that generation, and said, ‘They always err in their heart, but they didn’t know my ways;’ 11. as I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter into my rest.’” 12. Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God; 13. but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end: 15. while it is said, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.” 16. For who, when they heard, rebelled? No, didn’t all those who came out of Egypt by Moses? 17. With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18. To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19. We see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief. 1. Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest. 2. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn’t profit them, because it wasn’t mixed with faith by those who heard. 3. For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest”; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4. For he has said this somewhere about the seventh day, “God rested on the seventh day from all his works”; 5. and in this place again, “They will not enter into my rest.” 6. Seeing therefore it remains that some should enter into it, and they to whom the good news was preached before failed to enter in because of disobedience, 7. he again defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” 8. For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. 9. There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10. For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11. Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience. 12. For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13. There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. 14. Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession. 15. For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. 16. Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need. 1. For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2. The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness. 3. Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself. 4. Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was. 5. So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.” 6. As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 7. He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, 8. though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. 9. Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation, 10. named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek. 11. About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing. 12. For although by this time you should be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the revelations of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food. 13. For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby. 14. But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil. 1. Therefore leaving the teaching of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection—not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God, 2. of the teaching of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3. This will we do, if God permits. 4. For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5. and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come, 6. and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame. 7. For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it, and produces a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God; 8. but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned. 9. But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this. 10. For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the labor of love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them. 11. We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end, 12. that you won’t be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherited the promises. 13. For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, 14. saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15. Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16. For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation. 17. In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath; 18. that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us. 19. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil; 20. where as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. 1. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2. to whom also Abraham divided a tenth part of all (being first, by interpretation, “king of righteousness”, and then also “king of Salem”, which means “king of peace”; 3. without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God), remains a priest continually. 4. Now consider how great this man was, to whom even Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the best plunder. 5. They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the body of Abraham, 6. but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has accepted tithes from Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises. 7. But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 8. Here people who die receive tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives. 9. We can say that through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes, 10. for he was yet in the body of his father when Melchizedek met him. 11. Now if there were perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people have received the law), what further need was there for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12. For the priesthood being changed, there is of necessity a change made also in the law. 13. For he of whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 14. For it is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah, about which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood. 15. This is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there arises another priest, 16. who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life: 17. for it is testified, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” 18. For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 19. (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. 20. Inasmuch as he was not made priest without the taking of an oath 21. (for they indeed have been made priests without an oath), but he with an oath by him that says of him, “The Lord swore and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.’” 22. By so much, Jesus has become the collateral of a better covenant. 23. Many, indeed, have been made priests, because they are hindered from continuing by death. 24. But he, because he lives forever, has his priesthood unchangeable. 25. Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them. 26. For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27. who doesn’t need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself. 28. For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath which came after the law appoints a Son forever who has been perfected.

1. Wine is a mocker, and beer is a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise. 2. The terror of a king is like the roaring of a lion. He who provokes him to anger forfeits his own life. 3. It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife; but every fool will be quarreling. 4. The sluggard will not plow by reason of the winter; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing. 5. Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. 6. Many men claim to be men of unfailing love, but who can find a faithful man? 7. A righteous man walks in integrity. Blessed are his children after him. 8. A king who sits on the throne of judgment scatters away all evil with his eyes. 9. Who can say, “I have made my heart pure. I am clean and without sin?” 10. Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh. 11. Even a child makes himself known by his doings, whether his work is pure, and whether it is right. 12. The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, Yahweh has made even both of them. 13. Don’t love sleep, lest you come to poverty. Open your eyes, and you shall be satisfied with bread. 14. “It’s no good, it’s no good,” says the buyer; but when he is gone his way, then he boasts. 15. There is gold and abundance of rubies; but the lips of knowledge are a rare jewel. 16. Take the garment of one who puts up collateral for a stranger; and hold him in pledge for a wayward woman. 17. Fraudulent food is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth is filled with gravel. 18. Plans are established by advice; by wise guidance you wage war! 19. He who goes about as a tale-bearer reveals secrets; therefore don’t keep company with him who opens wide his lips. 20. Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness. 21. An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning, won’t be blessed in the end. 22. Don’t say, “I will pay back evil.” Wait for Yahweh, and he will save you. 23. Yahweh detests differing weights, and dishonest scales are not pleasing. 24. A man’s steps are from Yahweh; how then can man understand his way? 25. It is a snare to a man to make a rash dedication, then later to consider his vows. 26. A wise king winnows out the wicked, and drives the threshing wheel over them. 27. The spirit of man is Yahweh’s lamp, searching all his innermost parts. 28. Love and faithfulness keep the king safe. His throne is sustained by love. 29. The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair. 30. Wounding blows cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the innermost parts.