²³ Furthermore, the former priests were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, ²⁴ but he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. ²⁵ Consequently, he is able for all time to save^[a] those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.^(A)

²⁶ For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.^{(B) 27} Unlike the other^[b] high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself.^{(C) 28} For the law appoints as high priests humans, who are subject to weakness, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.^(D)

Mediator of a Better Covenant

8 Now the main point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,^{(E) 2} a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent^[c] that the Lord, and not any mortal, has set up.^{(F) 3} For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.^{(G) 4} Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are already those^[d] who offer gifts according to the law. ⁵ They offer worship in a sanctuary that is^[e] a sketch and shadow of the heavenly one, just as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tent.^[f] For, God^[g] said, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.”^{(H) 6} But Jesus^[h] has now obtained a more excellent ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on the basis of better promises.^{(I) 7} For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need to look for a second one.^(J)

A Multitude at the Seaside

⁷ Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him;^{(A) 8} hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon.^{(B) 9} He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him, ¹⁰ for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him.^{(C) 11} Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, “You are the Son of God!”^{(D) 12} But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.^(E)