Hebrews 1-10

Complete Jewish Bible

1 In days gone by, God spoke in many and varied ways to the Fathers through the prophets. ² But now, in the acharit-hayamim, he has spoken to us through his Son, to whom he has given ownership of everything and through whom he created the universe. ³ This Son is the radiance of the Sh’khinah, the very expression of God’s essence, upholding all that exists by his powerful word; and after he had, through himself, made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of HaG’dulah BaM’romim.^[a]

⁴ So he has become much better than angels, and the name God has given him is superior to theirs. ⁵ For to which of the angels did God ever say,

⁸ but to the Son, he says,

¹⁰ and,

¹³ Moreover, to which of the angels has he ever said,

¹⁴ Aren’t they all merely spirits who serve, sent out to help those whom God will deliver?

2 Therefore, we must pay much more careful heed to the things we have heard, so that we will not drift away. ² For if the word God spoke through angels became binding, so that every violation and act of disobedience received its just deserts in full measure, ³ then how will we escape if we ignore such a great deliverance? This deliverance, which was first declared by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him; ⁴ while God also bore witness to it with various signs, wonders and miracles, and with gifts of the Ruach HaKodesh which he distributed as he chose.

⁵ For it was not to angels that God subjected the ‘olam haba — which is what we are talking about. ⁶ And there is a place where someone has given this solemn testimony:

In subjecting everything to him, he left nothing unsubjected to him. However, at present, we don’t see everything subjected to him — at least, not yet. ⁹ But we do see Yeshua — who indeed was made for a little while lower than the angels — now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by God’s grace he might taste death for all humanity. ¹⁰ For in bringing many sons to glory, it was only fitting that God, the Creator and Preserver of everything, should bring the Initiator of their deliverance to the goal through sufferings. ¹¹ For both Yeshua, who sets people apart for God, and the ones being set apart have a common origin — this is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers ¹² when he says,

¹³ Also,

and then it goes on,

¹⁴ Therefore, since the children share a common physical nature as human beings, he became like them and shared that same human nature; so that by his death he might render ineffective the one who had power over death (that is, the Adversary) ¹⁵ and thus set free those who had been in bondage all their lives because of their fear of death.

¹⁶ Indeed, it is obvious that he does not take hold of angels to help them; on the contrary,

¹⁷ This is why he had to become like his brothers in every respect — so that he might become a merciful and faithful cohen gadol in the service of God, making a kapparah for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For since he himself suffered death when he was put to the test, he is able to help those who are being tested now.

3 Therefore, brothers whom God has set apart, who share in the call from heaven, think carefully about Yeshua, whom we acknowledge publicly as God’s emissary and as cohen gadol. ² He was faithful to God, who appointed him; just as

³ But Yeshua deserves more honor than Moshe, just as the builder of the house deserves more honor than the house. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but the one who built everything is God.

⁵ Also, Moshe was faithful in all God’s house, as a servant giving witness to things God would divulge later. ⁶ But the Messiah, as Son, was faithful over God’s house. And we are that house of his, provided we hold firmly to the courage and confidence inspired by what we hope for.

⁷ Therefore, as the Ruach HaKodesh says,

¹² Watch out, brothers, so that there will not be in any one of you an evil heart lacking trust, which could lead you to apostatize from the living God! ¹³ Instead, keep exhorting each other every day, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you will become hardened by the deceit of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become sharers in the Messiah, provided, however, that we hold firmly to the conviction we began with, right through until the goal is reached.

¹⁵ Now where it says,

¹⁶ who were the people who, after they heard, quarreled so bitterly? All those whom Moshe brought out of Egypt. ¹⁷ And with whom was God disgusted for forty years? Those who sinned — yes, they fell dead in the Wilderness! ¹⁸ And to whom was it that he swore that they would not enter his rest? Those who were disobedient. ¹⁹ So we see that they were unable to enter because of lack of trust.

4 Therefore, let us be terrified of the possibility that, even though the promise of entering his rest remains, any one of you might be judged to have fallen short of it; ² for Good News has also been proclaimed to us, just as it was to them. But the message they heard didn’t do them any good, because those who heard it did not combine it with trust. ³ For it is we who have trusted who enter the rest.

It is just as he said,

He swore this even though his works have been in existence since the founding of the universe. ⁴ For there is a place where it is said, concerning the seventh day,

⁵ And once more, our present text says,

⁶ Therefore, since it still remains for some to enter it, and those who received the Good News earlier did not enter, ⁷ he again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David, so long afterwards, in the text already given,

⁸ For if Y’hoshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later of another “day.”

⁹ So there remains a Shabbat-keeping for God’s people. ¹⁰ For the one who has entered God’s rest has also rested from his own works, as God did from his. ¹¹ Therefore, let us do our best to enter that rest; so that no one will fall short because of the same kind of disobedience.

¹² See, the Word of God is alive! It is at work and is sharper than any double-edged sword — it cuts right through to where soul meets spirit and joints meet marrow, and it is quick to judge the inner reflections and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Before God, nothing created is hidden, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great cohen gadol who has passed through to the highest heaven, Yeshua, the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we acknowledge as true. ¹⁵ For we do not have a cohen gadol unable to empathize with our weaknesses; since in every respect he was tempted just as we are, the only difference being that he did not sin. ¹⁶ Therefore, let us confidently approach the throne from which God gives grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace in our time of need.

5 For every cohen gadol taken from among men is appointed to act on people’s behalf with regard to things concerning God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He can deal gently with the ignorant and with those who go astray, since he too is subject to weakness. ³ Also, because of this weakness, he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as those of the people. ⁴ And no one takes this honor upon himself, rather, he is called by God, just as Aharon was.

⁵ So neither did the Messiah glorify himself to become cohen gadol; rather, it was the One who said to him,

⁶ Also, as he says in another place,

⁷ During Yeshua’s life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions, crying aloud and shedding tears, to the One who had the power to deliver him from death; and he was heard because of his godliness. ⁸ Even though he was the Son, he learned obedience through his sufferings. ⁹ And after he had been brought to the goal, he became the source of eternal deliverance to all who obey him, ¹⁰ since he had been proclaimed by God as a cohen gadol to be compared with Malki-Tzedek.

¹¹ We have much to say about this subject, but it is hard to explain, because you have become sluggish in understanding. ¹² For although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the very first principles of God’s Word all over again! You need milk, not solid food! ¹³ Anyone who has to drink milk is still a baby, without experience in applying the Word about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by continuous exercise to distinguish good from evil.

6 Therefore, leaving behind the initial lessons about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of turning from works that lead to death, trusting God, ² and instruction about washings, s’mikhah, the resurrection of the dead and eternal punishment. ³ And, God willing, this is what we will do.

⁴ For when people have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become sharers in the Ruach HaKodesh, ⁵ and tasted the goodness of God’s Word and the powers of the ‘olam haba — ⁶ and then have fallen away — it is impossible to renew them so that they turn from their sin, as long as for themselves they keep executing the Son of God on the stake all over again and keep holding him up to public contempt. ⁷ For the land that soaks up frequent rains and then brings forth a crop useful to its owners receives a blessing from God; ⁸ but if it keeps producing thorns and thistles, it fails the test and is close to being cursed;^[w] in the end, it will be burned.

⁹ Now even though we speak this way, dear friends, we are confident that you have the better things that come with being delivered. ¹⁰ For God is not so unfair as to forget your work and the love you showed for him in your past service to his people — and in your present service too. ¹¹ However, we want each one of you to keep showing the same diligence right up to the end, when your hope will be realized; ¹² so that you will not become sluggish, but will be imitators of those who by their trust and patience are receiving what has been promised.

¹³ For when God made his promise to Avraham, he swore an oath to do what he had promised; and since there was no one greater than himself for him to swear by, he swore by himself^{[x] 14} and said,

¹⁵ and so, after waiting patiently, Avraham saw the promise fulfilled. ¹⁶ Now people swear oaths by someone greater than themselves, and confirmation by an oath puts an end to all dispute. ¹⁷ Therefore, when God wanted to demonstrate still more convincingly the unchangeable character of his intentions to those who were to receive what he had promised, he added an oath to the promise; ¹⁸ so that through two unchangeable things, in neither of which God could lie, we, who have fled to take a firm hold on the hope set before us, would be strongly encouraged. ¹⁹ We have this hope as a sure and safe anchor for ourselves, a hope that goes right on through to what is inside the parokhet, ²⁰ where a forerunner has entered on our behalf, namely, Yeshua, who has become a cohen gadol forever, to be compared with Malki-Tzedek.^[z]

7 This Malki-Tzedek, king of Shalem, a cohen of God Ha‘Elyon, met Avraham on his way back from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him; ² also Avraham gave him a tenth of everything.^[aa]

Now first of all, by translation of his name, he is “king of righteousness”; and then he is also king of Shalem, which means “king of peace.”

³ There is no record of his father, mother, ancestry, birth or death; rather, like the Son of God, he continues as a cohen for all time.

⁴ Just think how great he was! Even the Patriarch Avraham gave him a tenth of the choicest spoils. ⁵ Now the descendants of Levi who became cohanim have a commandment in the Torah to take a tenth of the income of the people, that is, from their own brothers, despite the fact that they too are descended from Avraham. ⁶ But Malki-Tzedek, even though he was not descended from Levi, took a tenth from Avraham.

Also, he blessed Avraham, the man who received God’s promises; ⁷ and it is beyond all dispute that the one who blesses has higher status than the one who receives the blessing.

⁸ Moreover, in the case of the cohanim, the tenth is received by men who die; while in the case of Malki-Tzedek, it is received by someone who is testified to be still alive.

⁹ One might go even further and say that Levi, who himself receives tenths, paid a tenth through Avraham; ¹⁰ inasmuch as he was still in his ancestor Avraham’s body when Malki-Tzedek met him.

¹¹ Therefore, if it had been possible to reach the goal through the system of cohanim derived from Levi (since in connection with it, the people were given the Torah), what need would there have been for another, different kind of cohen, the one spoken of as to be compared with Malki-Tzedek and not to be compared with Aharon? ¹² For if the system of cohanim is transformed, there must of necessity occur a transformation of Torah. ¹³ The one about whom these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar; ¹⁴ for everyone knows that our Lord arose out of Y’hudah, and that Moshe said nothing about this tribe when he spoke about cohanim.

¹⁵ It becomes even clearer if a “different kind of cohen,” one like Malki-Tzedek, arises, ¹⁶ one who became a cohen not by virtue of a rule in the Torah concerning physical descent, but by virtue of the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is stated,

¹⁸ Thus, on the one hand, the earlier rule is set aside because of its weakness and inefficacy ¹⁹ (for the Torah did not bring anything to the goal); and, on the other hand, a hope of something better is introduced, through which we are drawing near to God.

²⁰ What is more, God swore an oath. For no oath was sworn in connection with those who become cohanim now; ²¹ but Yeshua became a cohen by the oath which God swore when he said to him,

²² Also this shows how much better is the covenant of which Yeshua has become guarantor.

²³ Moreover, the present cohanim are many in number, because they are prevented by death from continuing in office. ²⁴ But because he lives forever, his position as cohen does not pass on to someone else; ²⁵ and consequently, he is totally able to deliver those who approach God through him; since he is alive forever and thus forever able to intercede on their behalf.

²⁶ This is the kind of cohen gadol that meets our need — holy, without evil, without stain, set apart from sinners and raised higher than the heavens; ²⁷ one who does not have the daily necessity, like the other cohanim g’dolim, of offering up sacrifices first for their own sins and only then for those of the people; because he offered one sacrifice, once and for all, by offering up himself. ²⁸ For the Torah appoints as cohanim g’dolim men who have weakness; but the text which speaks about the swearing of the oath, a text written later than the Torah, appoints a Son who has been brought to the goal forever.

8 Here is the whole point of what we have been saying: we do have just such a cohen gadol as has been described. And he does sit at the right hand of HaG’dulah in heaven.^{[ad] 2} There he serves in the Holy Place, that is, in the true Tent of Meeting, the one erected not by human beings but by Adonai.

³ For every cohen gadol is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so this cohen gadol too has to have something he can offer. ⁴ Now if he were on earth, he wouldn’t be a cohen at all, since there already are cohanim offering the gifts required by the Torah. ⁵ But what they are serving is only a copy and shadow of the heavenly original; for when Moshe was about to erect the Tent, God warned him, “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain.”^[ae]

⁶ But now the work Yeshua has been given to do is far superior to theirs, just as the covenant he mediates is better. For this covenant has been given as Torah on the basis of better promises. ⁷ Indeed, if the first covenant had not given ground for faultfinding, there would have been no need for a second one. ⁸ For God does find fault with the people when he says,

¹³ By using the term, “new,” he has made the first covenant “old”; and something being made old, something in the process of aging, is on its way to vanishing altogether.

9 Now the first covenant had both regulations for worship and a Holy Place here on earth. ² A tent was set up, the outer one, which was called the Holy Place; in it were the menorah, the table and the Bread of the Presence. ³ Behind the second parokhet was a tent called the Holiest Place, ⁴ which had the golden altar for burning incense and the Ark of the Covenant, entirely covered with gold. In the Ark were the gold jar containing the man, Aharon’s rod that sprouted and the stone Tablets of the Covenant; ⁵ and above it were the k’ruvim representing the Sh’khinah, casting their shadow on the lid of the Ark — but now is not the time to discuss these things in detail.

⁶ With things so arranged, the cohanim go into the outer tent all the time to discharge their duties; ⁷ but only the cohen hagadol enters the inner one; and he goes in only once a year, and he must always bring blood, which he offers both for himself and for the sins committed in ignorance by the people. ⁸ By this arrangement, the Ruach HaKodesh showed that so long as the first Tent had standing, the way into the Holiest Place was still closed. ⁹ This symbolizes the present age and indicates that the conscience of the person performing the service cannot be brought to the goal by the gifts and sacrifices he offers. ¹⁰ For they involve only food and drink and various ceremonial washings — regulations concerning the outward life, imposed until the time for God to reshape the whole structure.

¹¹ But when the Messiah appeared as cohen gadol of the good things that are happening already, then, through the greater and more perfect Tent which is not man-made (that is, it is not of this created world), ¹² he entered the Holiest Place once and for all.

And he entered not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus setting people free forever. ¹³ For if sprinkling ceremonially unclean persons with the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer restores their outward purity; ¹⁴ then how much more the blood of the Messiah, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God as a sacrifice without blemish, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living God!

¹⁵ It is because of this death that he is mediator of a new covenant [or will].^[ag] Because a death has occurred which sets people free from the transgressions committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. ¹⁶ For where there is a will, there must necessarily be produced evidence of its maker’s death, ¹⁷ since a will goes into effect only upon death; it never has force while its maker is still alive.

¹⁸ This is why the first covenant too was inaugurated with blood. ¹⁹ After Moshe had proclaimed every command of the Torah to all the people, he took the blood of the calves with some water and used scarlet wool and hyssop to sprinkle both the scroll itself and all the people; ²⁰ and he said, “This is the blood of the covenant which God has ordained for you.”^{[ah] 21} Likewise, he sprinkled with the blood both the Tent and all the things used in its ceremonies. ²² In fact, according to the Torah, almost everything is purified with blood; indeed, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

²³ Now this is how the copies of the heavenly things had to be purified, but the heavenly things themselves require better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For the Messiah has entered a Holiest Place which is not man-made and merely a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, in order to appear now on our behalf in the very presence of God.

²⁵ Further, he did not enter heaven to offer himself over and over again, like the cohen hagadol who enters the Holiest Place year after year with blood that is not his own; ²⁶ for then he would have had to suffer death many times — from the founding of the universe on. But as it is, he has appeared once at the end of the ages in order to do away with sin through the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷ Just as human beings have to die once, but after this comes judgment, ²⁸ so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many,^[ai] will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to deliver those who are eagerly waiting for him.

10 For the Torah has in it a shadow of the good things to come, but not the actual manifestation of the originals. Therefore, it can never, by means of the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, bring to the goal those who approach the Holy Place to offer them. ² Otherwise, wouldn’t the offering of those sacrifices have ceased? For if the people performing the service had been cleansed once and for all, they would no longer have sins on their conscience. ³ No, it is quite the contrary — in these sacrifices is a reminder of sins, year after year. ⁴ For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

⁵ This is why, on coming into the world, he says,

⁸ In saying first, “You neither willed nor were pleased with animal sacrifices, meal offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings,” things which are offered in accordance with the Torah; ⁹ and then, “Look, I have come to do your will”; he takes away the first system in order to set up the second. ¹⁰ It is in connection with this will that we have been separated for God and made holy, once and for all, through the offering of Yeshua the Messiah’s body.

¹¹ Now every cohen stands every day doing his service, offering over and over the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. ¹² But this one, after he had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ from then on to wait until his enemies be made a footstool for his feet.^{[ak] 14} For by a single offering he has brought to the goal for all time those who are being set apart for God and made holy.

¹⁵ And the Ruach HaKodesh too bears witness to us; for after saying,

¹⁷ he then adds,

¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness for these, an offering for sins is no longer needed.

¹⁹ So, brothers, we have confidence to use the way into the Holiest Place opened by the blood of Yeshua. ²⁰ He inaugurated it for us as a new and living way through the parokhet, by means of his flesh. ²¹ We also have a great cohen over God’s household. ²² Therefore, let us approach the Holiest Place with a sincere heart, in the full assurance that comes from trusting — with our hearts sprinkled clean from a bad conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.^{[an] 23} Let us continue holding fast to the hope we acknowledge, without wavering; for the One who made the promise is trustworthy. ²⁴ And let us keep paying attention to one another, in order to spur each other on to love and good deeds, ²⁵ not neglecting our own congregational meetings, as some have made a practice of doing, but, rather, encouraging each other.

And let us do this all the more as you see the Day approaching. ²⁶ For if we deliberately continue to sin after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but only the terrifying prospect of Judgment, of raging fire that will consume the enemies.^[ao]

²⁸ Someone who disregards the Torah of Moshe is put to death without mercy on the word of two or three witnesses.^{[ap] 29} Think how much worse will be the punishment deserved by someone who has trampled underfoot the Son of God; who has treated as something common the blood of the covenant^[aq] which made him holy; and who has insulted the Spirit, giver of God’s grace!

³⁰ For the One we know is the One who said,

and then said,

³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God!

³² But remember the earlier days, when, after you had received the light, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings. ³³ Sometimes you were publicly disgraced and persecuted, while at other times you stood loyally by those who were treated this way. ³⁴ For you shared the sufferings of those who had been put in prison. Also when your possessions were seized, you accepted it gladly; since you knew that what you possessed was better and would last forever.

³⁵ So don’t throw away that courage of yours, which carries with it such a great reward. ³⁶ For you need to hold out; so that, by having done what God wills, you may receive what he has promised. ³⁷ For

³⁹ However, we are not the kind who shrink back and are destroyed; on the contrary, we keep trusting and thus preserve our lives!