1 The word of the Lord that came^(A) to Joel^(B) son of Pethuel.

An Invasion of Locusts

A Call to Lamentation

An Army of Locusts

Rend Your Heart

The Lord’s Answer

¹⁹ The Lord replied^[e] to them:

The Day of the Lord

The Nations Judged

⁴ “Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon^(FJ) and all you regions of Philistia?^(FK) Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.^{(FL) 5} For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.^{[j](FM) 6} You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks,^(FN) that you might send them far from their homeland.

⁷ “See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them,^(FO) and I will return^(FP) on your own heads what you have done. ⁸ I will sell your sons^(FQ) and daughters to the people of Judah,^(FR) and they will sell them to the Sabeans,^(FS) a nation far away.” The Lord has spoken.^(FT)

Blessings for God’s People

5 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God,^(A) to offer gifts and sacrifices^(B) for sins.^{(C) 2} He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray,^(D) since he himself is subject to weakness.^{(E) 3} This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.^{(F) 4} And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.^(G)

⁵ In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory^(H) of becoming a high priest.^(I) But God said^(J) to him,

⁶ And he says in another place,

⁷ During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions^(N) with fervent cries and tears^(O) to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard^(P) because of his reverent submission.^{(Q) 8} Son^(R) though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered^{(S) 9} and, once made perfect,^(T) he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ¹⁰ and was designated by God to be high priest^(U) in the order of Melchizedek.^(V)

Warning Against Falling Away^(W)

¹¹ We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. ¹² In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths^(X) of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!^{(Y) 13} Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,^(Z) is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature,^(AA) who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.^(AB)

6 Therefore let us move beyond^(AC) the elementary teachings^(AD) about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,^[c](AE) and of faith in God, ² instruction about cleansing rites,^[d](AF) the laying on of hands,^(AG) the resurrection of the dead,^(AH) and eternal judgment. ³ And God permitting,^(AI) we will do so.

⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened,^(AJ) who have tasted the heavenly gift,^(AK) who have shared in the Holy Spirit,^{(AL) 5} who have tasted the goodness^(AM) of the word of God^(AN) and the powers of the coming age ⁶ and who have fallen^[e] away, to be brought back to repentance.^(AO) To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God^(AP) all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. ⁷ Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. ⁸ But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed.^(AQ) In the end it will be burned.

⁹ Even though we speak like this, dear friends,^(AR) we are convinced of better things in your case—the things that have to do with salvation. ¹⁰ God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.^{(AS) 11} We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope^(AT) for may be fully realized. ¹² We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate^(AU) those who through faith and patience^(AV) inherit what has been promised.^(AW)

The Certainty of God’s Promise

¹³ When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,^{(AX) 14} saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”^{[f](AY) 15} And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.^(AZ)

¹⁶ People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.^{(BA) 17} Because God wanted to make the unchanging^(BB) nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised,^(BC) he confirmed it with an oath. ¹⁸ God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,^(BD) we who have fled to take hold of the hope^(BE) set before us may be greatly encouraged. ¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,^{(BF) 20} where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.^(BG) He has become a high priest^(BH) forever, in the order of Melchizedek.^(BI)

Melchizedek the Priest

7 This Melchizedek was king of Salem^(BJ) and priest of God Most High.^(BK) He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him,^{(BL) 2} and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” ³ Without father or mother, without genealogy,^(BM) without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God,^(BN) he remains a priest forever.

⁴ Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch^(BO) Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!^{(BP) 5} Now the law requires the descendants of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people^(BQ)—that is, from their fellow Israelites—even though they also are descended from Abraham. ⁶ This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed^(BR) him who had the promises.^{(BS) 7} And without doubt the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸ In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living.^{(BT) 9} One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, ¹⁰ because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

Jesus Like Melchizedek

¹¹ If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people^(BU) established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come,^(BV) one in the order of Melchizedek,^(BW) not in the order of Aaron? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. ¹³ He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe,^(BX) and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar.^{(BY) 14} For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah,^(BZ) and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. ¹⁵ And what we have said is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, ¹⁶ one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is declared:

¹⁸ The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless^{(CB) 19} (for the law made nothing perfect),^(CC) and a better hope^(CD) is introduced, by which we draw near to God.^(CE)

²⁰ And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, ²¹ but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:

²² Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.^(CH)

²³ Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; ²⁴ but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.^{(CI) 25} Therefore he is able to save^(CJ) completely^[i] those who come to God^(CK) through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.^(CL)

²⁶ Such a high priest^(CM) truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners,^(CN) exalted above the heavens.^{(CO) 27} Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices^(CP) day after day, first for his own sins,^(CQ) and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all^(CR) when he offered himself.^{(CS) 28} For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness;^(CT) but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son,^(CU) who has been made perfect^(CV) forever.