John the Baptist Prepares the Way^(A)(B)

3 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate^(C) was governor of Judea, Herod^(D) tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— ² during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas,^(E) the word of God came to John^(F) son of Zechariah^(G) in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.^{(H) 4} As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers!^(J) Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?^{(K) 8} Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’^(L) For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”^(M)

¹⁰ “What should we do then?”^(N) the crowd asked.

¹¹ John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”^(O)

¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized.^(P) “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

¹³ “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,”^(Q) he told them.

¹⁴ Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely^(R)—be content with your pay.”

¹⁵ The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John^(S) might possibly be the Messiah.^{(T) 16} John answered them all, “I baptize you with^[b] water.^(U) But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with^[c] the Holy Spirit and fire.^{(V) 17} His winnowing fork^(W) is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”^{(X) 18} And with many other words John exhorted the people and proclaimed the good news to them.

¹⁹ But when John rebuked Herod^(Y) the tetrarch because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, ²⁰ Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.^(Z)

The Baptism and Genealogy of Jesus^(AA)(AB)

²¹ When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying,^(AC) heaven was opened ²² and the Holy Spirit descended on him^(AD) in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son,^(AE) whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”^(AF)

²³ Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.^(AG) He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,^(AH)

¹⁰ In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists,^(A) should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered.^{(B) 11} Both the one who makes people holy^(C) and those who are made holy^(D) are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.^[a](E)

¹⁴ Since the children have flesh and blood,^(A) he too shared in their humanity^(B) so that by his death he might break the power^(C) of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil^(D)—

⁴ For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”^{[a](A) 5} And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”^(B)

⁶ Therefore since it still remains for some to enter that rest, and since those who formerly had the good news proclaimed to them did not go in because of their disobedience,^{(C) 7} God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted:

⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest,^(E) God would not have spoken^(F) later about another day. ⁹ There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; ¹⁰ for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works,^[c](G) just as God did from his.^{(H) 11} Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.^(I)

¹² For the word of God^(J) is alive^(K) and active.^(L) Sharper than any double-edged sword,^(M) it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.^{(N) 13} Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.^(O) Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus the Great High Priest

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest^(P) who has ascended into heaven,^[d](Q) Jesus the Son of God,^(R) let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.^{(S) 15} For we do not have a high priest^(T) who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are^(U)—yet he did not sin.^{(V) 16} Let us then approach^(W) God’s throne of grace with confidence,^(X) so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

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

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

⁶ And he says in another place,

⁷ During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions^(AL) with fervent cries and tears^(AM) to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard^(AN) because of his reverent submission.^{(AO) 8} Son^(AP) though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered^{(AQ) 9} and, once made perfect,^(AR) he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ¹⁰ and was designated by God to be high priest^(AS) in the order of Melchizedek.^(AT)