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But a recapitulation on those things that be said. We have such a bishop, that sat on the right half of the seat of greatness in heavens,

the minister of saints, and of the very tabernacle, that God made [that God set], and not man.

For each bishop is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it is need, that also this bishop have something that he shall offer [wherefore it is need, and this man, for to have something that he shall offer].

Therefore if he were on earth, he were no priest, when there were that should offer gifts by the law, [Therefore if he were on earth, he were not priest, when there were that should offer gifts after the law,]

which serve to the exemplar and shadow of heavenly things. As it was answered to Moses, when he should end the tabernacle, See, he said, make thou all things by the exemplar, that is showed to thee in the mount.[a]

But now he hath gotten a better ministry, by so much as he is a mediator of a better testament [by how much and he is a mediator of a better testament], which is confirmed with better promises.

For if that first had lacked blame [For if that first had been voided from blame], the place of the second should not have been sought.

For he reproving them saith [Forsooth reproving them he saith], Lo! days come, saith the Lord, and I shall make perfect a new testament on the house of Israel, and on the house of Juda;

not like the testament [not after the testament] that I made to their fathers, in the day in which I caught their hand, that I should lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they dwelled not perfectly in my testament, and I have despised them, saith the Lord.

10 But this is the testament, which I shall assign to the house of Israel after those days[b], saith the Lord, in giving my laws into the souls of them, and into the hearts of them I shall above write them; and I shall be to them into a God [and I shall be to them into God], and they shall be to me into a people.

11 And each man shall not teach his neighbour, and each man his brother, saying, Know thou the Lord; for all men shall know me, from the least to the more of them [from the less unto the more of them].

12 For I shall be merciful to the wickedness of them, and now I shall not bethink on the sins of them.

13 But in saying a new, the former waxed old; and that that is of many days, and waxeth old, is nigh the death [is nigh death].

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:5 which serve to the sampler, or figure, and shadow of heavenly things. As it was answered to Moses, when he should make the tabernacle, See, the Lord saith, make all things after the sampler, that is showed to thee in the mount.
  2. Hebrews 8:10 For this is the testament, which I shall dispose to the house of Israel after those days

The office of Christ is more worthy than the office of the priests under the old law, which was imperfect, and was therefore abrogated.

Of the things which we have spoken, this is the pith: that we have such a high priest as sits on the right hand of the seat of majesty in heaven, and is a minister of holy things, and of the very tabernacle that God pitched, and not man.

For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices, and therefore it is necessary that this man also have something to offer. For he would not be a priest if he were on the earth, where are the priests who offer gifts according to the law. Such priests serve in the figure and shadow of heavenly things, in accordance with the oracle of God given to Moses when he was about to make the tabernacle: Take heed (said he) that you fashion all things according to the pattern shown to you in the mount.

Now he has obtained a more excellent office, inasmuch as he is the mediator of a better testament, which was made for better promises. For if that first testament had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for the second.

For in rebuking the people, he says: Behold, the days will come (says the Lord) when I will make a new testament with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the testament that I made with their fathers at the time when I took them by the hands to lead them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my testament, and I regarded them not, says the Lord.

10 For this is the testament that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 11 And they shall not teach everyone his neighbour and everyone his brother, saying, Know the Lord! For they shall all know me, from the least to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful over their unrighteousness, and over their sins and their iniquities.

13 In that he says a new testament, he has abrogated the old. Now that which is abolished and grown old, is ready to vanish away.

1 To prove more certainly that the ceremonies of the Law are abrogated, 5 he showeth that they were appointed to serve the heavenly pattern. 8 He bringeth in the place of Jeremiah, 13 to prove the amendment of the old covenant.

Now [a]of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum, that we have such an high Priest, that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heavens,

[b]And is a minister of the [c]Sanctuary, [d]and of that [e]true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man.

[f]For every high Priest is ordained to offer both gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it was of necessity, that this man should have somewhat also to offer.

[g]For he were not a Priest, if he were on the earth, seeing there are Priests that according to the Law offer gifts,

Who serve unto the pattern and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was warned by God when he was about to finish the Tabernacle. (A)See, said he, that thou make all things according to the pattern, showed to thee in the mount.

[h]But now our high Priest hath obtained a more excellent office, inasmuch as he is the Mediator of a better Testament, which is established upon better promises.

[i]For if that first Testament had been unblameable, no place should have been sought for the second.

For in rebuking them he saith, (B)Behold, the days will come, saith the Lord, when I shall make with the [j]house of Israel, and with the house of Judah a new Testament:

Not like the Testament that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand, to lead them out of the land of Egypt: for they continued not in my Testament, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

10 For this is the Testament that I will make with the house of Israel, After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my Laws in their mind, and in their heart I will write them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.

13 [k]In that he saith a new Testament, he hath abrogated the old: now that which is disannulled and waxed old, is ready to vanish away.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 8:1 He briefly repeateth that, whereunto all these things are to be referred, to wit, we have a far other high Priest than those Levitical high Priests are, even such an one as sitteth at the right hand of the most high God in heaven.
  2. Hebrews 8:2 They of Levi were high Priests in an earthly sanctuary, but Christ is in the heavenly.
  3. Hebrews 8:2 Of heaven.
  4. Hebrews 8:2 They of Levi exercised their Priesthood in a frail tabernacle, but Christ beareth about with him a far other tabernacle, to wit, his body which God himself made to be everlasting, as it shall afterward be declared, Heb. 9:11.
  5. Hebrews 8:2 Of his body.
  6. Hebrews 8:3 He bringeth a reason why it must needs be that Christ should have a body (which he calleth a tabernacle which the Lord pight and not man) to wit, that he might have what to offer: for otherwise he could not be an high Priest. And the selfsame body is both the tabernacle and the sacrifice.
  7. Hebrews 8:4 He giveth a reason why he said that our high Priest is in the heavenly sanctuary and not in the earthly: because, saith he, if he were now on the earth, he could not minister in the earthly sanctuary, seeing there are yet Levitical Priests, which are appointed for him, that is to say, to be patterns of that perfect example. And to what purpose should the patterns serve when the true and original example is present.
  8. Hebrews 8:6 He entereth into the comparison of the old and transitory Testament or covenant being but for a time, whereof the Levitical Priests were mediators with the new the everlasting Mediator whereof is Christ, to show that this is not only better than that in all respects, but also that that was abrogated by this.
  9. Hebrews 8:7 He proveth by the testimony of Jeremiah, that there is a second Testament or covenant, and therefore that the first was not perfect.
  10. Hebrews 8:8 He calleth it an house, as it were one family of the whole kingdom: for whereas the kingdom of David was divided into two factions, the Prophet giveth us to understand that through the new Testament they shall be joined together again in one.
  11. Hebrews 8:13 The conclusion: Therefore by the latter and the new, the first and old is taken away, for it could not be called new if it differed not from the old. And again that same is at length taken away: which is subject to corruption, and therefore imperfect.

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. 13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.