For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.

Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.

The Perfect High Priest

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins;

he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is clothed in weakness;

and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins for himself, as well as for the people.

So too Christ did not glorify Himself in becoming a high priest, but it was He who said to Him, “You are My Son, Today I have fathered You”;

just as He also says in another passage, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

In the days of His humanity, He offered up both prayers and pleas with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His devout behavior.

Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.

And having been perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him,

Concerning him we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become poor listeners.

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the actual words of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.

For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God;

Better Things for You

But, beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way.

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints.

And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,

so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and endurance inherit the promises.

For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear an oath by no one greater, He swore by Himself,

saying, “indeed I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply you.”