Add parallel Print Page Options

Jesus, High Priest of a New Covenant

Now the main point in what is being said is this: we have such a (A)high priest, who sat down at (B)the right hand of the throne of the (C)Majesty in the heavens, a (D)minister [a]in the [b]holy places and [c]in the (E)true [d]tabernacle, which the Lord (F)pitched, not man. For every (G)high priest is appointed (H)to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who (I)offer the gifts according to the Law; who serve (J)a copy and (K)shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses [e]was (L)warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “(M)See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.” But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the (N)mediator of (O)a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. For (P)if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. For finding fault with them, He says,

(Q)Behold, days are coming, says the [f]Lord,
[g]When I will complete (R)a new covenant
With the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
(S)Not like the covenant which I made with their fathers
In 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 [h]Lord.
10 (T)For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
After those days, says the [i]Lord:
[j]I will put My laws into their minds,
And (U)upon their hearts I will write them.
And I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.
11 (V)And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen,
And everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
For (W)all will know Me,
From [k]the least to the greatest of them.
12 (X)For I will be merciful to their iniquities,
(Y)And I will remember their sins no more.”

13 [l]When He said, “(Z)A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. (AA)But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is [m]ready to disappear.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:2 Or of
  2. Hebrews 8:2 The holy places within the sanctuary, cf. 9:2-3
  3. Hebrews 8:2 Or of
  4. Hebrews 8:2 Or sacred tent
  5. Hebrews 8:5 Lit has been
  6. Hebrews 8:8 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Jer 31:31
  7. Hebrews 8:8 Lit And
  8. Hebrews 8:9 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Jer 31:32
  9. Hebrews 8:10 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Jer 31:31
  10. Hebrews 8:10 Lit Putting my laws into
  11. Hebrews 8:11 Lit small to great of them
  12. Hebrews 8:13 Or In His saying
  13. Hebrews 8:13 Or near

A Heavenly Priesthood

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) a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that was set up by the Lord and not man.(B) For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts(C) and sacrifices; therefore, it was necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he wouldn’t be a priest, since there are those[a] offering the gifts prescribed by the law. These serve as a copy and shadow(D) of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said, Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain.[b](E) But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator(F) of a better covenant,(G) which has been established on better promises.(H)

A Superior Covenant

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one. But finding fault with his people,[c] he says:[d]

See, the days are coming, says the Lord,
when I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah—
not like the covenant
that I made with their ancestors
on the day I took them by the hand
to lead them out of the land of Egypt.
I showed no concern for them, says the Lord,
because they did not continue in my covenant.
10 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 write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.(I)
11 And each person will not teach his fellow citizen,[e]
and each his brother or sister, saying, “Know the Lord,”
because they will all know me,
from the least to the greatest of them.(J)
12 For I will forgive their wrongdoing,
and I will never again remember their sins.[f][g] (K)

13 By saying a new covenant, he has declared that the first is obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old is about to pass away.(L)

Footnotes

  1. 8:4 Other mss read priests
  2. 8:5 Ex 25:40
  3. 8:8 Lit with them
  4. 8:8 Other mss read finding fault, he says to them
  5. 8:11 Other mss read neighbor
  6. 8:12 Other mss add and their lawless deeds
  7. 8:8–12 Jr 31:31–34