Hebrews 7-10 (Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition)

Hebrews 7

 ¹For this Melchisedech was king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him:

    ²To whom also Abraham divided the tithes of all: who first indeed by interpretation, is king of justice: and then also king of Salem, that is, king of peace:

    ³Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but likened unto the Son of God, continueth a priest for ever.

    ⁴Now consider how great this man is, to whom also Abraham the patriarch gave tithes out of the principal things.

    ⁵And indeed they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is to say, of their brethren: though they themselves also came out of the loins of Abraham.

    ⁶But he, whose pedigree is not numbered among them, received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

    ⁷And without all contradiction, that which is less, is blessed by the better.

    ⁸And here indeed, men that die, receive thithes: but there he hath witness, that he liveth.

    ⁹And (as it may be said) even Levi who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham:

    ¹⁰For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedech met him.

    ¹¹If then perfection was by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchisedech, and not be called according to the order of Aaron?

    ¹²For the priesthood being translated, it is necessary that a translation also be made of the law.

    ¹³For he, of whom these things are spoken, is of another tribe, of which no one attended on the altar.

    ¹⁴For it is evident that our Lord sprung out of Juda: in which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

    ¹⁵And it is yet far more evident: if according to the similitude of Melchisedech there ariseth another priest,

    ¹⁶Who is made not according to the law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an indissoluble life:

    ¹⁷For he testifieth: Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech.

    ¹⁸There is indeed a setting aside of the former commandment, because of the weakness and unprofitableness thereof:

    ¹⁹(For the law brought nothing to perfection,) but a bringing in of a better hope, by which we draw nigh to God.

    ²⁰And inasmuch as it is not without an oath, (for the others indeed were made priests without an oath;

    ²¹But this with an oath, by him that said unto him: The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever.)

    ²²By so much is Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

    ²³And the others indeed were made many priests, because by reason of death they were not suffered to continue:

    ²⁴But this, for that he continueth for ever, hath an everlasting priesthood,

    ²⁵Whereby he is able also to save for ever them that come to God by him; always living to make intercession for us.

    ²⁶For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

    ²⁷Who needeth not daily (as the other priests) to offer sacrifices first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, in offering himself.

    ²⁸For the law maketh men priests, who have infirmity: but the word of the oath, which was since the law, the Son who is perfected for evermore.

   

Hebrews 8

 ¹Now 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 majesty in the heavens,

    ²A minister of the holies, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord hath pitched, and not man.

    ³For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that he also should have some thing to offer.

    ⁴If then he were on earth, he would not be a priest: seeing that there would be others to offer gifts according to the law,

    ⁵Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things. As it was answered to Moses, when he was to finish the tabernacle: See (saith he) that thou make all things according to the pattern which was shewn thee on the mount.

    ⁶But now he hath obtained a better ministry, by how much also he is a mediator of a better testament, which is established on better promises.

    ⁷For if that former had been faultless, there should not indeed a place have been sought for a second.

    ⁸For finding fault with them, he saith: Behold, the days shall come, saith the Lord: and I will perfect unto the house of Israel, and unto the house of Juda, a new testament:

    ⁹Not according to the testament which I made to their fathers, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt: because they continued not in my testament: and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

    ¹⁰For this is the testament which I will make to the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will give my laws into their mind, and in their heart will I write them: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people:

    ¹¹And 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 of them:

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

    ¹³Now in saying a new, he hath made the former old. And that which decayeth and groweth old, is near its end.

   

Hebrews 9

 ¹The former indeed had also justifications of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

    ²For there was a tabernacle made the first, wherein were the candlesticks, and the table, and the setting forth of loaves, which is called the holy.

    ³And after the second veil, the tabernacle, which is called the holy of holies:

    ⁴Having a golden censer, and the ark of the testament covered about on every part with gold, in which was a golden pot that had manna, and the rod of Aaron, that had blossomed, and the tables of the testament.

    ⁵And over it were the cherubims of glory overshadowing the propitiatory: of which it is not needful to speak now particularly.

    ⁶Now these things being thus ordered, into the first tabernacle the priests indeed always entered, accomplishing the offices of sacrifices.

    ⁷But into the second, the high priest alone, once a year: not without blood, which he offereth for his own, and the people's ignorance:

    ⁸The Holy Ghost signifying this, that the way into the holies was not yet made manifest, whilst the former tabernacle was yet standing.

    ⁹Which is a parable of the time present: according to which gifts and sacrifices are offered, which can not, as to the conscience, make him perfect that serveth, only in meats and in drinks,

    ¹⁰And divers washings, and justices of the flesh laid on them until the time of correction.

    ¹¹But Christ, being come an high priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hand, that is, not of this creation:

    ¹²Neither by the blood of goats, or of calves, but by his own blood, entered once into the holies, having obtained eternal redemption.

    ¹³For if the blood of goats and of oxen, and the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled, sanctify such as are defiled, to the cleansing of the flesh:

    ¹⁴How much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the Holy Ghost offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?

    ¹⁵And therefore he is the mediator of the new testament: that by means of his death, for the redemption of those trangressions, which were under the former testament, they that are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

    ¹⁶For where there is a testament, the death of the testator must of necessity come in.

    ¹⁷For a testament is of force, after men are dead: otherwise it is as yet of no strength, whilst the testator liveth.

    ¹⁸Whereupon neither was the first indeed dedicated without blood.

    ¹⁹For when every commandment of the law had been read by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,

    ²⁰Saying: This is the blood of the testament, which God hath enjoined unto you.

    ²¹The tabernacle also and all the vessels of the ministry, in like manner, he sprinkled with blood.

    ²²And almost all things, according to the law, are cleansed with blood: and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

    ²³It is necessary therefore that the patterns of heavenly things should be cleansed with these: but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

    ²⁴For Jesus is not entered into the holies made with hands, the patterns of the true: but into heaven itself, that he may appear now in the presence of God for us.

    ²⁵Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holies, every year with the blood of others:

    ²⁶For then he ought to have suffered often from the beginning of the world: but now once at the end of ages, he hath appeared for the destruction of sin, by the sacrifice of himself.

    ²⁷And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment:

    ²⁸So also Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many; the second time he shall appear without sin to them that expect him unto salvation.

   

Hebrews 10

 ¹For the law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things; by the selfsame sacrifices which they offer continually every year, can never make the comers thereunto perfect:

    ²For then they would have ceased to be offered: because the worshippers once cleansed should have no conscience of sin any longer:

    ³But in them there is made a commemoration of sins every year.

    ⁴For it is impossible that with the blood of oxen and goats sin should be taken away.

    ⁵Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith: Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldest not: but a body thou hast fitted to me:

    ⁶Holocausts for sin did not please thee.

    ⁷Then said I: Behold I come: in the head of the book it is written of me: that I should do thy will, O God.

    ⁸In saying before, Sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts for sin thou wouldest not, neither are they pleasing to thee, which are offered according to the law.

    ⁹Then said I: Behold, I come to do thy will, O God: he taketh away the first, that he may establish that which followeth.

    ¹⁰In the which will, we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Jesus Christ once.

    ¹¹And every priest indeed standeth daily ministering, and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

    ¹²But this man offering one sacrifice for sins, for ever sitteth on the right hand of God,

    ¹³From henceforth expecting, until his enemies be made his footstool.

    ¹⁴For by one oblation he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

    ¹⁵And the Holy Ghost also doth testify this to us. For after that he said:

    ¹⁶And this is the testament which I will make unto them after those days, saith the Lord. I will give my laws in their hearts, and on their minds will I write them:

    ¹⁷And their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.

    ¹⁸Now where there is a remission of these, there is no more an oblation for sin.

    ¹⁹Having therefore, brethren, a confidence in the entering into the holies by the blood of Christ;

    ²⁰A new and living way which he hath dedicated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh,

    ²¹And a high priest over the house of God:

    ²²Let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with clean water.

    ²³Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering (for he is faithful that hath promised),

    ²⁴And let us consider one another, to provoke unto charity and to good works:

    ²⁵Not forsaking our assembly, as some are accustomed; but comforting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.

    ²⁶For if we sin wilfully after having the knowledge of the truth, there is now left no sacrifice for sins,

    ²⁷But a certain dreadful expectation of judgment, and the rage of a fire which shall consume the adversaries.

    ²⁸A man making void the law of Moses, dieth without any mercy under two or three witnesses:

    ²⁹How much more, do you think he deserveth worse punishments, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath esteemed the blood of the testament unclean, by which he was sanctified, and hath offered an affront to the Spirit of grace?

    ³⁰For we know him that hath said: Vengeance belongeth to me, and I will repay. And again: The Lord shall judge his people.

    ³¹It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

    ³²But call to mind the former days, wherein, being illuminated, you endured a great fight of afflictions.

    ³³And on the one hand indeed, by reproaches and tribulations, were made a gazingstock; and on the other, became companions of them that were used in such sort.

    ³⁴For you both had compassion on them that were in bands, and took with joy the being stripped of your own goods, knowing that you have a better and a lasting substance.

    ³⁵Do not therefore lose your confidence, which hath a great reward.

    ³⁶For patience is necessary for you; that, doing the will of God, you may receive the promise.

    ³⁷For yet a little and a very little while, and he that is to come, will come, and will not delay.

    ³⁸But my just man liveth by faith; but if he withdraw himself, he shall not please my soul.

    ³⁹But we are not the children of withdrawing unto perdition, but of faith to the saving of the soul.