Melchizedek’s Priesthood like Christ’s

7 For this ^(A)Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the ^(B)Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. ³ Without father, without mother, ^(C)without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like ^(D)the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.

⁴ Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the ^(E)patriarch, ^(F)gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. ⁵ And those indeed of ^(G)the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment ^[a]in the Law to collect ^[b]a tenth from the people, that is, from their countrymen, although they ^[c]are descended from Abraham. ⁶ But the one ^(H)whose genealogy is not traced from them ^(I)collected ^[d]a tenth from Abraham and ^[e](J)blessed the one who ^(K)had the promises. ⁷ But without any dispute the lesser person is blessed by the greater. ⁸ In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, ^(L)of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. ⁹ And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, has paid tithes, ¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his ^[f]forefather when Melchizedek met him.

^11 (M)So if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it ^(N)the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise ^(O)according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. ¹³ For ^(P)the one about whom ^(Q)these things are said belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. ¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord ^[g]was ^(R)descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses said nothing concerning priests. ¹⁵ And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, ¹⁶ who has become a priest not on the basis of a law of ^[h](S)physical requirement, but according to the power of ^(T)an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is attested of Him,

¹⁸ For, on the one hand, there is the nullification of a former commandment ^(V)because of its weakness and uselessness ¹⁹ (for ^(W)the Law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, there is the introduction of a better ^(X)hope, through which we ^(Y)come near to God. ²⁰ And to the extent that it was not without an oath ²¹ (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him,

²² by the same extent Jesus also has become the ^[i](AC)guarantee of ^(AD)a better covenant.

^23 [j]The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing; ^24 [k]Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues ^(AE)forever, holds His priesthood permanently. ²⁵ Therefore He is also able to ^(AF)save ^[l]forever those who ^(AG)come to God through Him, since He always lives to ^(AH)make intercession for them.

²⁶ For it was fitting for us to have such a ^(AI)high priest, ^(AJ)holy, ^(AK)innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and ^(AL)exalted above the heavens; ²⁷ who has no daily need, like those high priests, to ^(AM)offer up sacrifices, ^(AN)first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because He did this ^(AO)once for all time when He ^(AP)offered up Himself. ²⁸ For the Law appoints men as high priests ^(AQ)who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints ^(AR)a Son, who has been ^(AS)made perfect forever.

A Better Ministry

8 Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a ^(AT)high priest, who has taken His seat at ^(AU)the right hand of the throne of the ^(AV)Majesty in the heavens, ² a ^(AW)minister ^[m]in the sanctuary and ^[n]in the ^(AX)true ^[o]tabernacle, which the Lord ^(AY)set up, not man. ³ For every ^(AZ)high priest is appointed ^(BA)to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. ⁴ Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are ^[p]those who ^(BB)offer the gifts according to the Law; ⁵ who serve ^(BC)a copy and ^(BD)shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses ^[q]was ^(BE)warned by God when he was about to erect the ^[r]tabernacle; for, “^(BF)See,” He says, “that you make all things by the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.” ⁶ But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, to the extent that He is also the ^(BG)mediator of ^(BH)a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.

A New Covenant

⁷ For ^(BI)if that first covenant had been free of fault, no ^[s]circumstances would have been sought for a second. ⁸ For in finding fault with ^[t]the people, He says,

^13 [x]When He said, “^(BS)A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. ^(BT)But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ^[y]about to disappear.

Law of Atonement

16 Now the Lord spoke to Moses after ^(A)the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they had approached the presence of the Lord and died. ² The Lord said to Moses:

“Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter ^(B)at ^[a]any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the ^[b]atoning cover which is on the ark, or he will die; for ^(C)I will appear in the cloud over the ^[c]atoning cover. ³ Aaron shall enter the Holy Place with this: with a ^[d]bull as a ^[e](D)sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering. ⁴ He shall put on the ^(E)holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarments shall be next to his ^[f]body, and he shall be wrapped about the waist with the linen sash and the linen turban wound around his forehead (these are holy garments). He shall ^(F)bathe his ^[g]body in water and put them on. ⁵ And he shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel ^(G)two male goats as a ^[h]sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering. ⁶ Then ^(H)Aaron shall offer the bull as the ^[i]sin offering, which is for himself, so that he may make atonement for himself and for his household. ⁷ He shall then take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. ⁸ Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for ^[j]the ^[k]scapegoat. ⁹ Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the Lord fell, and make it a ^[l]sin offering. ¹⁰ But the goat on which the lot for ^[m]the ^[n]scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make ^(I)atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness ^[o]as the ^[p]scapegoat.

¹¹ “Then Aaron shall offer the bull of the ^[q]sin offering ^(J)which is for himself and make atonement for himself and ^(K)for his household, and he shall slaughter the bull of the ^[r]sin offering which is for himself. ¹² He shall take a ^(L)firepan full of coals of fire from upon the altar before the Lord and ^[s]two handfuls of finely ground ^(M)sweet incense, and bring it inside the veil. ¹³ He shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, so that the cloud of incense may cover the ^(N)atoning cover that is on the ark of the testimony, ^(O)otherwise he will die. ¹⁴ Moreover, ^(P)he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it ^(Q)with his finger on the atoning cover on the east side; also in front of the atoning cover he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

¹⁵ “Then he shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering, ^(R)which is for the people, and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the atoning cover and in front of the atoning cover. ^16 (S)He shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their unlawful acts regarding all their sins; and he shall do so for the tent of meeting which remains with them in the midst of their impurities. ¹⁷ When he goes in to make atonement in the Holy Place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, so that he may make atonement for himself and for his household, and for all the assembly of Israel. ¹⁸ Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it; he shall take some of the blood from the bull and some of the blood from the goat, and ^(T)put it on the horns of the altar on all sides. ^19 (U)With his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times and cleanse it, and consecrate it from the impurities of the sons of Israel.

²⁰ “When he finishes atoning for the Holy Place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat. ²¹ Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and ^(V)confess over it all the wrongdoings of the sons of Israel and all their unlawful acts regarding all their sins; and he shall place them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands ready. ²² Then the goat shall carry on itself all their wrongdoings to an ^[t]isolated territory; he shall release the goat in the wilderness.

²³ “Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and take off ^(W)the linen garments which he put on when he went into the Holy Place, and shall leave them there. ²⁴ And ^(X)he shall bathe his ^[u]body with water in a holy place and put on ^(Y)his clothes, and come out and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people, and make atonement for himself and for the people. ²⁵ Then he shall offer up in smoke the fat of the sin offering on the altar. ²⁶ The one who released the goat ^[v]as the ^[w]scapegoat ^(Z)shall wash his clothes and bathe his ^[x]body with water; then afterward he shall come into the camp. ²⁷ But the bull of the ^[y]sin offering and the goat of the ^[z]sin offering, ^(AA)whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be taken outside the camp, and they shall burn their hides, their flesh, and their refuse in the fire. ²⁸ Then the ^(AB)one who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body with water; and afterward he shall come into the camp.

An Annual Atonement

²⁹ “This shall be a permanent statute for you: ^(AC)in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble ^[aa]yourselves and not ^(AD)do any work, whether the native, or the stranger who resides among you; ³⁰ for it is on this day that ^[ab]atonement shall be made for you to ^(AE)cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the Lord. ³¹ It is to be a Sabbath of solemn rest for you, so that you may ^(AF)humble ^[ac]yourselves; it is a permanent statute. ³² So the priest who is anointed and ^[ad]ordained to serve as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement: he shall put on ^(AG)the linen garments, the holy garments, ³³ and make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar. He shall also make atonement for ^(AH)the priests and for all the people of the assembly. ³⁴ Now you shall have this as a ^(AI)permanent statute, to ^(AJ)make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once every year.” And just as the Lord had commanded Moses, so he did.