Add parallel Print Page Options

Every high priest is appointed to help others by offering gifts and sacrifices to God because of their sins. A high priest has weaknesses of his own, and he feels sorry for foolish and sinful people. (A) This is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins and for the sins of others. (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.

(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,

“You are my Son, because today
    I have become your Father!”

(D) In another place, God says,

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

(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. Jesus is God's own Son, but still he had to suffer before he could learn what it really means to obey God. 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.

Footnotes

  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).

Qualifications for High Priesthood

For every high priest taken from among men (A)is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can [a]have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to (B)weakness. Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for (C)himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as (D)Aaron was.

A Priest Forever

(E)So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:

(F)“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.”

As He also says in another place:

(G)“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek”;

who, in the days of His flesh, when He had (H)offered up prayers and supplications, (I)with vehement cries and tears to Him (J)who was able to save Him from death, and was heard (K)because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned (L)obedience by the things which He suffered. And (M)having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest (N)“according to the order of Melchizedek,” 11 of whom (O)we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become (P)dull of hearing.

Spiritual Immaturity

12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the [b]oracles of God; and you have come to need (Q)milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is (R)a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are [c]of full age, that is, those who by reason of [d]use have their senses exercised (S)to discern both good and evil.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 5:2 deal gently with
  2. Hebrews 5:12 sayings, Scriptures
  3. Hebrews 5:14 mature
  4. Hebrews 5:14 practice

πας γαρ αρχιερευς εξ ανθρωπων λαμβανομενος υπερ ανθρωπων καθισταται τα προς τον θεον ινα προσφερη δωρα τε και θυσιας υπερ αμαρτιων

μετριοπαθειν δυναμενος τοις αγνοουσιν και πλανωμενοις επει και αυτος περικειται ασθενειαν

και δια ταυτην οφειλει καθως περι του λαου ουτως και περι εαυτου προσφερειν υπερ αμαρτιων

και ουχ εαυτω τις λαμβανει την τιμην αλλα ο καλουμενος υπο του θεου καθαπερ και ο ααρων

ουτως και ο χριστος ουχ εαυτον εδοξασεν γενηθηναι αρχιερεα αλλ ο λαλησας προς αυτον υιος μου ει συ εγω σημερον γεγεννηκα σε

καθως και εν ετερω λεγει συ ιερευς εις τον αιωνα κατα την ταξιν μελχισεδεκ

ος εν ταις ημεραις της σαρκος αυτου δεησεις τε και ικετηριας προς τον δυναμενον σωζειν αυτον εκ θανατου μετα κραυγης ισχυρας και δακρυων προσενεγκας και εισακουσθεις απο της ευλαβειας

καιπερ ων υιος εμαθεν αφ ων επαθεν την υπακοην

και τελειωθεις εγενετο τοις υπακουουσιν αυτω πασιν αιτιος σωτηριας αιωνιου

10 προσαγορευθεις υπο του θεου αρχιερευς κατα την ταξιν μελχισεδεκ

11 περι ου πολυς ημιν ο λογος και δυσερμηνευτος λεγειν επει νωθροι γεγονατε ταις ακοαις

12 και γαρ οφειλοντες ειναι διδασκαλοι δια τον χρονον παλιν χρειαν εχετε του διδασκειν υμας τινα τα στοιχεια της αρχης των λογιων του θεου και γεγονατε χρειαν εχοντες γαλακτος και ου στερεας τροφης

13 πας γαρ ο μετεχων γαλακτος απειρος λογου δικαιοσυνης νηπιος γαρ εστιν

14 τελειων δε εστιν η στερεα τροφη των δια την εξιν τα αισθητηρια γεγυμνασμενα εχοντων προς διακρισιν καλου τε και κακου

For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

10 Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.