Hebrews 7-10 (New American Standard Bible)

Hebrews 7

Melchizedek's Priesthood Like Christ's

 ¹For this ^(A)Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the ^(B)Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

 ²to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace.

 ³Without father, without mother, ^(C)without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like ^(D)the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

 ⁴Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the ^(E)patriarch, ^(F)gave a tenth of the choicest spoils.

 ⁵And those indeed of ^(G)the sons of Levi who receive the priest's office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham.

 ⁶But the one ^(H)whose genealogy is not traced from them ^(I)collected a tenth from Abraham and ^(J)blessed the one who ^(K)had the promises.

 ⁷But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater.

 ⁸In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, ^(L)of whom it is witnessed that he lives on.

 ⁹And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes,

 ¹⁰for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

 ^11(M)Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it ^(N)the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise ^(O)according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?

 ¹²For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

 ¹³For ^(P)the one concerning whom ^(Q)these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.

 ¹⁴For it is evident that our Lord was ^(R)descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

 ¹⁵And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,

 ¹⁶who has become such not on the basis of a law of ^(S)physical requirement, but according to the power of ^(T)an indestructible life.

 ¹⁷For it is attested of Him,
         "^(U)YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER
         ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."

 ¹⁸For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment ^(V)because of its weakness and uselessness

 ¹⁹(for ^(W)the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better ^(X)hope, through which we ^(Y)draw near to God.

 ²⁰And inasmuch as it was not without an oath

 ²¹(for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,
         "^(Z)THE LORD HAS SWORN
         AND ^(AA)WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND,
         'YOU ARE A PRIEST ^(AB)FOREVER'");

 ²²so much the more also Jesus has become the ^(AC)guarantee of ^(AD)a better covenant.

 ²³The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing,

 ²⁴but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues ^(AE)forever, holds His priesthood permanently.

 ²⁵Therefore He is able also to ^(AF)save forever those who ^(AG)draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to ^(AH)make intercession for them.

 ²⁶For it was fitting for us to have such a ^(AI)high priest, ^(AJ)holy, ^(AK)innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and ^(AL)exalted above the heavens;

 ²⁷who does not need daily, like those high priests, to ^(AM)offer up sacrifices, ^(AN)first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did ^(AO)once for all when He ^(AP)offered up Himself.

 ²⁸For the Law appoints men as high priests ^(AQ)who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints ^(AR)a Son, ^(AS)made perfect forever.

Hebrews 8

A Better Ministry

 ¹Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a ^(AT)high priest, who has taken His seat at ^(AU)the right hand of the throne of the ^(AV)Majesty in the heavens,

 ²a ^(AW)minister in the sanctuary and in the ^(AX)true tabernacle, which the Lord ^(AY)pitched, not man.

 ³For every ^(AZ)high priest is appointed ^(BA)to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.

 ⁴Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who ^(BB)offer the gifts according to the Law;

 ⁵who serve ^(BC)a copy and ^(BD)shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was ^(BE)warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, "^(BF)SEE," He says, "THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN."

 ⁶But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the ^(BG)mediator of ^(BH)a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

A New Covenant

 ⁷For ^(BI)if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second.

 ⁸For finding fault with them, He says,
         "^(BJ)BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD,
         WHEN I WILL EFFECT ^(BK)A NEW COVENANT
         WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH;
    ^9(BL)NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS
         ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND
         TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT;
         FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT,
         AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD.
    ¹⁰"^(BM)FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL
         AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
         I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS,
         AND I WILL WRITE THEM ^(BN)ON THEIR HEARTS.
         AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD,
         AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
    ¹¹"^(BO)AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN,
         AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,'
         FOR ^(BP)ALL WILL KNOW ME,
         FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.
    ¹²"^(BQ)FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES,
         ^(BR)AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE."

 ¹³When He said, "^(BS)A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete ^(BT)But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

Hebrews 9

The Old and the New

 ¹Now even the first covenant had ^(BU)regulations of divine worship and ^(BV)the earthly sanctuary.

 ²For there was ^(BW)a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were ^(BX)the lampstand and ^(BY)the table and ^(BZ)the sacred bread; this is called the holy place.

 ³Behind ^(CA)the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the ^(CB)Holy of Holies,

 ⁴having a golden ^(CC)altar of incense and ^(CD)the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was ^(CE)a golden jar holding the manna, and ^(CF)Aaron's rod which budded, and ^(CG)the tables of the covenant;

 ⁵and above it were the ^(CH)cherubim of glory ^(CI)overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

 ⁶Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests ^(CJ)are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship,

 ⁷but into ^(CK)the second, only ^(CL)the high priest enters ^(CM)once a year, ^(CN)not without taking blood, which he ^(CO)offers for himself and for the ^(CP)sins of the people committed in ignorance.

 ^8(CQ)The Holy Spirit is signifying this, ^(CR)that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing,

 ⁹which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly ^(CS)both gifts and sacrifices are offered which ^(CT)cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience,

 ¹⁰since they relate only to ^(CU)food and ^(CV)drink and various ^(CW)washings, ^(CX)regulations for the body imposed until ^(CY)a time of reformation.

 ¹¹But when Christ appeared as a ^(CZ)high priest of the ^(DA)good things ^[a]to come, He entered through ^(DB)the greater and more perfect tabernacle, ^(DC)not made with hands, that is to say, ^(DD)not of this creation;

 ¹²and not through ^(DE)the blood of goats and calves, but ^(DF)through His own blood, He ^(DG)entered the holy place ^(DH)once for all, having obtained ^(DI)eternal redemption.

 ¹³For if ^(DJ)the blood of goats and bulls and ^(DK)the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh,

 ¹⁴how much more will ^(DL)the blood of Christ, who through ^(DM)the eternal Spirit ^(DN)offered Himself without blemish to God, ^(DO)cleanse your conscience from ^(DP)dead works to serve ^(DQ)the living God?

 ¹⁵For this reason ^(DR)He is the ^(DS)mediator of a ^(DT)new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been ^(DU)called may ^(DV)receive the promise of ^(DW)the eternal inheritance.

 ¹⁶For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it.

 ¹⁷For a covenant is valid only when men are dead, ^[b]for it is never in force while the one who made it lives.

 ¹⁸Therefore even the first covenant was not inaugurated without blood.

 ¹⁹For when every commandment had been ^(DX)spoken by Moses to all the people according to the Law, ^(DY)he took the ^(DZ)blood of the calves and the goats, with ^(EA)water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both ^(EB)the book itself and all the people,

 ²⁰saying, "^(EC)THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT WHICH GOD COMMANDED YOU."

 ²¹And in the same way he ^(ED)sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood.

 ²²And according to the Law, one may ^(EE)almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and ^(EF)without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

 ²³Therefore it was necessary for the ^(EG)copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but ^(EH)the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

 ²⁴For Christ ^(EI)did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of ^(EJ)the true one, but into ^(EK)heaven itself, now ^(EL)to appear in the presence of God for us;

 ²⁵nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as ^(EM)the high priest enters ^(EN)the holy place ^(EO)year by year with blood that is not his own.

 ²⁶Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since ^(EP)the foundation of the world; but now ^(EQ)once at ^(ER)the consummation of the ages He has been ^(ES)manifested to put away sin ^(ET)by the sacrifice of Himself.

 ²⁷And inasmuch as ^(EU)it is appointed for men to die once and after this ^(EV)comes judgment,

 ²⁸so Christ also, having been ^(EW)offered once to ^(EX)bear the sins of many, will appear ^(EY)a second time for ^(EZ)salvation ^(FA)without reference to sin, to those who ^(FB)eagerly await Him.

Hebrews 10

One Sacrifice of Christ Is Sufficient

 ¹For the Law, since it has only ^(FC)a shadow of ^(FD)the good things to come and not the very form of things, ^[c]can ^(FE)never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, ^(FF)make perfect those who draw near.

 ²Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had ^(FG)consciousness of sins?

 ³But ^(FH)in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.

 ⁴For it is ^(FI)impossible for the ^(FJ)blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

 ⁵Therefore, ^(FK)when He comes into the world, He says,
         "^(FL)SACRIFICE AND OFFERING YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED,
         BUT ^(FM)A BODY YOU HAVE PREPARED FOR ME;
    ^6(FN)IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices FOR SIN YOU HAVE TAKEN NO PLEASURE.
    ⁷"^(FO)THEN I SAID, 'BEHOLD, I HAVE COME
         (IN ^(FP)THE SCROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME)
         TO DO YOUR WILL, O GOD.'"

 ⁸After saying above, "^(FQ)SACRIFICES AND OFFERINGS AND ^(FR)WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND sacrifices ^(FS)FOR SIN YOU HAVE NOT DESIRED, NOR HAVE YOU TAKEN PLEASURE in them" (which are offered according to the Law),

 ⁹then He said, "^(FT)BEHOLD, I HAVE COME TO DO YOUR WILL." He takes away the first in order to establish the second.

 ¹⁰By this will we have been ^(FU)sanctified through ^(FV)the offering of ^(FW)the body of Jesus Christ ^(FX)once for all.

 ¹¹Every priest stands daily ministering and ^(FY)offering time after time the same sacrifices, which ^(FZ)can never take away sins;

 ¹²but He, having offered one sacrifice ^(GA)for sins ^(GB)for all time, ^(GC)SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,

 ¹³waiting from that time onward ^(GD)UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.

 ¹⁴For by one offering He has ^(GE)perfected ^(GF)for all time those who are sanctified.

 ¹⁵And ^(GG)the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,
    ¹⁶"^(GH)THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM
         AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
         I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART,
         AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,"
         He then says,
    ¹⁷"^(GI)AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS
         I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE."

 ¹⁸Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

A New and Living Way

 ¹⁹Therefore, brethren, since we ^(GJ)have confidence to ^(GK)enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

 ²⁰by ^(GL)a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through ^(GM)the veil, that is, His flesh,

 ²¹and since we have ^(GN)a great priest ^(GO)over the house of God,

 ²²let us ^(GP)draw near with a sincere heart in ^(GQ)full assurance of faith, having our hearts ^(GR)sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies ^(GS)washed with pure water.

 ²³Let us hold fast the ^(GT)confession of our ^(GU)hope without wavering, for ^(GV)He who promised is faithful;

 ²⁴and let us consider how ^(GW)to stimulate one another to love and ^(GX)good deeds,

 ²⁵not forsaking our own ^(GY)assembling together, as is the habit of some, but ^(GZ)encouraging one another; and all the more as you see ^(HA)the day drawing near.

Christ or Judgment

 ²⁶For if we go on ^(HB)sinning willfully after receiving ^(HC)the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

 ²⁷but a terrifying expectation of ^(HD)judgment and ^(HE)THE FURY OF A FIRE WHICH WILL CONSUME THE ADVERSARIES.

 ^28(HF)Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

 ^29(HG)How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve ^(HH)who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean ^(HI)the blood of the covenant ^(HJ)by which he was sanctified, and has ^(HK)insulted the Spirit of grace?

 ³⁰For we know Him who said, "^(HL)VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY " And again, "^(HM)THE LORD WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE."

 ³¹It is a ^(HN)terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the ^(HO)living God.

 ³²But remember ^(HP)the former days, when, after being ^(HQ)enlightened, you endured a great ^(HR)conflict of sufferings,

 ³³partly by being ^(HS)made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming ^(HT)sharers with those who were so treated.

 ³⁴For you ^(HU)showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted ^(HV)joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves ^(HW)a better possession and a lasting one.

 ³⁵Therefore, do not throw away your ^(HX)confidence, which has a great ^(HY)reward.

 ³⁶For you have need of ^(HZ)endurance, so that when you have ^(IA)done the will of God, you may ^(IB)receive what was promised.
    ^37(IC)FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE,
         ^(ID)HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY.
    ^38(IE)BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONE SHALL LIVE BY FAITH;
         AND IF HE SHRINKS BACK, MY SOUL HAS NO PLEASURE IN HIM.

 ³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.