Hebrews 5
Worldwide English (New Testament)
5 Every high priest is chosen from among men. His work is to stand before God for people. He brings gifts and makes sacrifices to God for the wrong things people have done.
2 Such a high priest can be kind to people who do not know what is right and who do wrong. He knows how to share in the suffering of others because he himself is weak.
3 Because he is weak himself, he must make sacrifices to God for the wrong things he has done, just as he does for the people.
4 No one chooses himself to be high priest. But God calls him, just as he called Aaron.
5 So Christ did not choose himself to be a high priest. But he was chosen by the One who said to him, `You are my Son, and I am your Father today.'
6 In another place in the holy writings God said, `You are a priest for ever like Melchizedek.'
7 When Jesus was a man, he talked to God who was able to save him from death. He called loudly to him with tears. God heard him because he honoured and respected God.
8 Even though Jesus was his Son, he learned to obey God in the troubles he had.
9 When he became perfect, he saved for ever all who obeyed him.
10 God called him a high priest like Melchizedek was a priest.
11 We have many things to say about him. But they are hard to explain to you. You are so slow to understand what we tell you.
12 By this time you should be able to teach others. But you need someone to teach you God's word again from the very beginning. Like children, you need milk, not meat.
13 Anyone who takes milk does not understand the message about which things are right.
14 But meat is for people who are grown up. It is for people who have trained their minds to know the difference between what is good and what is bad.
Hebrews 5
Lexham English Bible
A High Priest Like Melchizedek
5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in the things relating to God, in order that he can offer both gifts and sacrifices on behalf of sins, 2 being able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and led astray, since he himself also is surrounded by weakness, 3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins for himself also, as well as for the people[a]. 4 And someone does not take for himself the honor, but is called by God, just as Aaron also was. 5 Thus also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but the one who said to him,
“You are my Son, today I have begotten you,”[b]
6 just as also in another place he says,
7 who in the days of his flesh offered up both prayers and supplications, with loud crying and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard as a result of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered, 9 and being perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Advanced Teaching Hindered by Immaturity
11 Concerning this[e] we have much to say and it is difficult to explain[f], since you have become sluggish in hearing. 12 For indeed, although you[g] ought to be teachers by this time[h], you have need of someone to teach you again the beginning elements of the oracles of God, and you have need of[i] milk, not[j] solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes of milk is unacquainted with the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have trained their faculties for the distinguishing of both good and evil.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 5:3 Literally “as for the people so also for himself”
- Hebrews 5:5 A quotation from Ps 2:7
- Hebrews 5:6 Literally “for the age”
- Hebrews 5:6 A quotation from Ps 110:4
- Hebrews 5:11 Literally “which”
- Hebrews 5:11 Literally “great for us the message and hard to explain to say”
- Hebrews 5:12 Here “although” is supplied as a component of the participle (“ought”) which is understood as concessive
- Hebrews 5:12 Literally “because of the time”
- Hebrews 5:12 Literally “you are having need of”
- Hebrews 5:12 Some manuscripts have “and not”
Hebrews 5
King James Version
5 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:
2 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.
3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
5 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.
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
7 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;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 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.
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