⁴ As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by^[a] God— ⁵ you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood^[b] to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God^(A) through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For it stands in Scripture:

⁷ So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving,

⁸ and

They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined^(G) for this.

⁹ But you are a chosen race,^[g][h](H) a royal priesthood,^[i](I) a holy nation,^[j](J) a people for his possession,^[k](K) so that you may proclaim the praises^[l][m](L) of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.^(M)

²² Because of this oath, Jesus has also become the guarantee of a better covenant.^(A)

²³ Now many have become Levitical priests, since they are prevented by death from remaining in office. ²⁴ But because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently. ²⁵ Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede^(B) for them.

²⁶ For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.^{(C) 27} He doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day, as high priests do—first for their own sins, then for those of the people. He did this once for all time when he offered himself.^{(D) 28} For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promise of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son,^(E) who has been perfected^(F) forever.

A Heavenly Priesthood

8 Now the main point of what is being said is this: We have this kind of high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,^{(A) 2} a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that was set up by the Lord and not man.^(B)

Exhortations to Godliness

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus^(A)— ²⁰ he has inaugurated^[a] for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh^(B))— ²¹ and since we have a great high priest over the house of God,^{(C) 22} let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.^(D)

¹⁵ Therefore, through him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.^(A)

A Ministry of Life or Death

¹⁴ But thanks be to God,^(A) who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place.^{(B) 15} For to God we are the fragrance^(C) of Christ among those who are being saved^(D) and among those who are perishing.^(E)

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you^(A) to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,^(B) holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.^[a]

⁴ John: To the seven churches in Asia. Grace and peace^(A) to you from^[a] the one who is, who was, and who is to come,^(B) and from the seven spirits^[b](C) before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,^(D) the firstborn from the dead^(E) and the ruler of the kings of the earth.^(F)

To him who loves us and has set us free^[c] from our sins by his blood,^{(G) 6} and made us a kingdom,^[d] priests^[e](H) to his God and Father—to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.^(I)