Offering the Firstfruits

⁹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁰ “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you^(A) and you reap its harvest,^(B) bring to the priest a sheaf^(C) of the first grain you harvest.^{(D) 11} He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord^(E) so it will be accepted^(F) on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath. ¹² On the day you wave the sheaf, you must sacrifice as a burnt offering to the Lord a lamb a year old^(G) without defect,^{(H) 13} together with its grain offering^(I) of two-tenths of an ephah^[a](J) of the finest flour mixed with olive oil—a food offering presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma—and its drink offering^(K) of a quarter of a hin^[b] of wine.^{(L) 14} You must not eat any bread, or roasted or new grain,^(M) until the very day you bring this offering to your God.^(N) This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come,^(O) wherever you live.^(P)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run^(A) with perseverance^(B) the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus,^(C) the pioneer^(D) and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,^(E) scorning its shame,^(F) and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.^(G)

³⁹ But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

¹⁷ Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message,^(A) and the message is heard through the word about Christ.^(B)

A Crown for Joshua

⁹ The word of the Lord came to me: ¹⁰ “Take silver and gold from the exiles Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, who have arrived from Babylon.^(A) Go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. ¹¹ Take the silver and gold and make a crown,^(B) and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua^(C) son of Jozadak.^{[a](D) 12} Tell him this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch,^(E) and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the Lord.^{(F) 13} It is he who will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he^[b] will be a priest^(G) on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’ ¹⁴ The crown will be given to Heldai,^[c] Tobijah, Jedaiah and Hen^[d] son of Zephaniah as a memorial^(H) in the temple of the Lord. ¹⁵ Those who are far away will come and help to build the temple of the Lord,^(I) and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.^(J) This will happen if you diligently obey^(K) the Lord your God.”

¹⁷ For this reason he had to be made like them,^[a](A) fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful^(B) and faithful high priest^(C) in service to God,^(D) and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.^{(E) 18} Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.^(F)

Jesus the Great High Priest

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest^(A) who has ascended into heaven,^[a](B) Jesus the Son of God,^(C) let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.^{(D) 15} For we do not have a high priest^(E) who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are^(F)—yet he did not sin.^{(G) 16} Let us then approach^(H) God’s throne of grace with confidence,^(I) so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.