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But a recapitulation on those things that be said. We have such a bishop, that sat on the right half of the seat of greatness in heavens,

the minister of saints, and of the very tabernacle, that God made [that God set], and not man.

For each bishop is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is need, that also this bishop have something that he shall offer [wherefore it is need, and this man, for to have something that he shall offer].

Therefore if he were on earth, he were no priest, when there were that should offer gifts by the law, [Therefore if he were on earth, he were not priest, when there were that should offer gifts after the law,]

which serve to the exemplar and shadow of heavenly things. As it was answered to Moses, when he should end the tabernacle, See, he said, make thou all things by the exemplar, that is showed to thee in the mount.[a]

But now he hath gotten a better ministry, by so much as he is a mediator of a better testament [by how much and he is a mediator of a better testament], which is confirmed with better promises.

For if that first had lacked blame [For if that first had been voided from blame], the place of the second should not have been sought.

For he reproving them saith [Forsooth reproving them he saith], Lo! days come, saith the Lord, and I shall make perfect a new testament on the house of Israel, and on the house of Juda;

not like the testament [not after the testament] that I made to their fathers, in the day in which I caught their hand, that I should lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they dwelled not perfectly in my testament, and I have despised them, saith the Lord.

10 But this is the testament, which I shall assign to the house of Israel after those days[b], saith the Lord, in giving my laws into the souls of them, and into the hearts of them I shall above write them; and I shall be to them into a God [and I shall be to them into God], and they shall be to me into a people.

11 And each man shall not teach his neighbour, and each man his brother, saying, Know thou the Lord; for all men shall know me, from the least to the more of them [from the less unto the more of them].

12 For I shall be merciful to the wickedness of them, and now I shall not bethink on the sins of them.

13 But in saying a new, the former waxed old; and that that is of many days, and waxeth old, is nigh the death [is nigh death].

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:5 which serve to the sampler, or figure, and shadow of heavenly things. As it was answered to Moses, when he should make the tabernacle, See, the Lord saith, make all things after the sampler, that is showed to thee in the mount.
  2. Hebrews 8:10 For this is the testament, which I shall dispose to the house of Israel after those days

The High Priest of a New Covenant

Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest,(A) who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,(B) and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle(C) set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

Every high priest(D) is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices,(E) and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.(F) If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.(G) They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy(H) and shadow(I) of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned(J) when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[a](K) But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant(L) of which he is mediator(M) is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.(N) But God found fault with the people and said[b]:

“The days are coming, declares the Lord,
    when I will make a new covenant(O)
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant
    I made with their ancestors(P)
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,
because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,
    and I turned away from them,
declares the Lord.
10 This is the covenant(Q) I will establish with the people of Israel
    after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
    and write them on their hearts.(R)
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.(S)
11 No longer will they teach their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,(T)
    from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will forgive their wickedness
    and will remember their sins no more.(U)[c](V)

13 By calling this covenant “new,”(W) he has made the first one obsolete;(X) and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:5 Exodus 25:40
  2. Hebrews 8:8 Some manuscripts may be translated fault and said to the people.
  3. Hebrews 8:12 Jer. 31:31-34

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.