Jesus Is the Great High Priest

¹⁴ We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. This is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. ¹⁵ Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! ¹⁶ So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved grace, and we will find help.

5 Every high priest is appointed to help others by offering gifts and sacrifices to God because of their sins. ² A high priest has weaknesses of his own, and he feels sorry for foolish and sinful people. ^3 (A) This is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins and for the sins of others. ^4 (B) But no one can have the honor of being a high priest simply by wanting to be one. Only God can choose a priest, and God is the one who chose Aaron.

^5 (C) This is how it was with Christ. He became a high priest, but not just because he wanted the honor of being one. It was God who told him,

^6 (D) In another place, God says,

“You are a priest forever
    just like Melchizedek.”^[a]

^7 (E) God had the power to save Jesus from death. And while Jesus was on earth, he begged God with loud crying and tears to save him. He truly worshiped God, and God listened to his prayers. ⁸ Jesus is God's own Son, but still he had to suffer before he could learn what it really means to obey God. ⁹ Suffering made Jesus perfect, and now he can save forever all who obey him. ¹⁰ This is because God chose him to be a high priest like Melchizedek.

Warning against Turning Away

¹¹ Much more could be said about this subject. But it is hard to explain, and all of you are slow to understand. ^12 (F) By now you should have been teachers, but once again you need to be taught the simplest things about what God has said. You need milk instead of solid food. ¹³ People who live on milk are like babies who don't really know what is right. ¹⁴ Solid food is for mature people who have been trained to know right from wrong.

6 We must try to become mature and start thinking about more than just the basic things we were taught about Christ. We shouldn't need to keep talking about why we ought to turn from deeds that bring death and why we ought to have faith in God. ² And we shouldn't need to keep teaching about baptisms^[b] or about the laying on of hands^[c] or about people being raised from death and the future judgment. ³ Let's grow up, if God is willing.

^4-6 But what about people who turn away after they have already seen the light and have received the gift from heaven and have shared in the Holy Spirit? What about those who turn away after they have received the good message of God and the powers of the future world? There is no way to bring them back. What they are doing is the same as nailing the Son of God to a cross and insulting him in public!

⁷ A field is useful to farmers, if there is enough rain to make good crops grow. In fact, God will bless such a field. ^8 (G) But land that produces only thornbushes is worthless. It is likely to fall under God's curse, and in the end it will be set on fire.

⁹ My friends, we are talking this way. But we are sure that you are doing those really good things people do when they are being saved. ¹⁰ God is always fair. He will remember how you helped his people in the past and how you are still helping them. You belong to God, and he won't forget the love you have shown his people. ¹¹ We wish each of you would always be eager to show how strong and lasting your hope really is. ¹² Then you would never be lazy. You would be following the example of those who had faith and were patient until God kept his promise to them.

Notas al pie

1. 5.6 Melchizedek: When Melchizedek is mentioned in the Old Testament, he is described as a priest who lived before Aaron. Nothing is said about his ancestors or his death (see 7.3 and Genesis 14.17-20).
2. 6.2 baptisms: Or “ceremonies of washing.”
3. 6.2 laying on of hands: This was a ceremony in which church leaders and others put their hands on people to show that those people were chosen to do some special kind of work.

Referencia cruzada

1. 5.3 : Lv 9.7.
2. 5.4 : Ex 28.1.
3. 5.5 : Ps 2.7.
4. 5.6 : Ps 110.4.
5. 5.7 : Mt 26.36-46; Mk 14.32-42; Lk 22.39-46.
6. 5.12,13 : 1 Co 3.2.
7. 6.8 : Gn 3.17,18.

Jacob Blesses His Sons

49 Jacob called his sons together and said:

²⁸ These are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is how Jacob gave each of them their proper blessings.

Jacob's Death

^29-31 (B) Jacob told his sons:

Soon I will die, and I want you to bury me in Machpelah Cave. Abraham bought this cave as a burial place from Ephron the Hittite, and it is near the town of Mamre in Canaan. Abraham and Sarah are buried there, and so are Isaac and Rebekah. I buried Leah there too. ³² Both the cave and the land that goes with it were bought from the Hittites.

^33 (C) When Jacob had finished giving these instructions to his sons, he lay down on his bed and died. 50 ¹ Joseph started crying, then leaned over to hug and kiss his father.

² Joseph gave orders for Jacob's body to be embalmed, ³ and it took the usual 40 days.

The Egyptians mourned 70 days for Jacob. ⁴ When the time of mourning was over, Joseph said to the Egyptian leaders, “If you consider me your friend, please speak to the king^[i] for me. ^5 (D) Just before my father died, he made me promise to bury him in his burial cave in Canaan. If the king will give me permission to go, I will come back here.”

⁶ The king answered, “Go to Canaan and keep your promise to your father.”

^7-9 When Joseph left Goshen with his brothers, his relatives, and his father's relatives to bury Jacob, many of the king's highest officials and even his military chariots and cavalry went along. The Israelites left behind only their children, their cattle, and their sheep and goats.

¹⁰ After crossing the Jordan River, Joseph stopped at Atad's threshing place, where they all mourned and wept seven days for Jacob. ¹¹ The Canaanites saw this and said, “The Egyptians are in great sorrow.” Then they named the place “Egypt in Sorrow.”^[j]

¹² So Jacob's sons did just as their father had instructed. ^13 (E) They took him to Mamre in Canaan and buried him in Machpelah Cave, the burial place Abraham had bought from Ephron the Hittite.

¹⁴ After the funeral, Joseph, his brothers, and everyone else returned to Egypt.

Joseph's Promise to His Brothers

¹⁵ After Jacob died, Joseph's brothers said to each other, “What if Joseph still hates us and wants to get even with us for all the cruel things we did to him?”

¹⁶ So they sent this message to Joseph:

Before our father died, ¹⁷ he told us, “You did some cruel and terrible things to Joseph, but you must ask him to forgive you.”

Now we ask you to please forgive the terrible things we did. After all, we serve the same God that your father worshiped.

When Joseph heard this, he started crying.

¹⁸ Right then, Joseph's brothers came and bowed down to the ground in front of him and said, “We are your slaves.”

¹⁹ But Joseph told them, “Don't be afraid! I have no right to change what God has decided. ²⁰ You tried to harm me, but God made it turn out for the best, so that he could save all these people, as he is now doing. ²¹ Don't be afraid! I will take care of you and your children.” After Joseph said this, his brothers felt much better.

Joseph's Death

²² Joseph lived in Egypt with his brothers until he died at the age of 110. ²³ Joseph lived long enough to see Ephraim's children and grandchildren. He also lived to see the children of Manasseh's son Machir, and he welcomed them into his family. ²⁴ Before Joseph died, he told his brothers, “I won't live much longer. But God will take care of you and lead you out of Egypt to the land he promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ^25 (F) Now promise me that you will take my body with you when God leads you to that land.”

²⁶ So Joseph died in Egypt at the age of 110; his body was embalmed and put in a coffin.

(A psalm by David for Jeduthun, the music leader.)

A Prayer for Forgiveness