5 Every high priest is chosen from among other people. He is given the work of going before God for them to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² Since he himself is weak, he is able to be gentle with those who do not understand and who are doing wrong things. ³ Because he is weak, the high priest must offer sacrifices for his own sins and also for the sins of the people.

⁴ To be a high priest is an honor, but no one chooses himself for this work. He must be called by God as Aaron^[a] was. ⁵ So also Christ did not choose himself to have the honor of being a high priest, but God chose him. God said to him,

⁶ And in another Scripture God says,

⁷ While Jesus lived on earth, he prayed to God and asked God for help. He prayed with loud cries and tears to the One who could save him from death, and his prayer was heard because he trusted God. ⁸ Even though Jesus was the Son of God, he learned obedience by what he suffered. ⁹ And because his obedience was perfect, he was able to give eternal salvation to all who obey him. ¹⁰ In this way God made Jesus a high priest, a priest like Melchizedek.

Warning Against Falling Away

¹¹ We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are so slow to understand. ¹² By now you should be teachers, but you need someone to teach you again the first lessons of God’s message. You still need the teaching that is like milk. You are not ready for solid food. ¹³ Anyone who lives on milk is still a baby and knows nothing about right teaching. ¹⁴ But solid food is for those who are grown up. They are mature enough to know the difference between good and evil.