Book of Common Prayer
The sympathetic high priest
14 Well, then, since we have a great high priest who has gone right through the heavens, Jesus, God’s son, let us hold on firmly to our confession of faith. 15 For we don’t have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then come boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us at the moment when we need it.
5 Every high priest, you see, is chosen from among human beings, and is placed before God on their behalf, so that he can offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to sympathize with people who don’t know very much, or who wander off in different directions, since he too has his own share of weakness. 3 That’s why he has to offer sacrifices in relation to his own sins as well as those of the people.
The son becomes the priest
4 Nobody takes the office of priesthood on himself; you have to be called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 In the same way, the Messiah didn’t exalt himself so that he might become a high priest. It came about through the one who said to him,
You are my son; today I have become your father.
6 As he says in another passage,
You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.
23 While he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, several people came to trust in his name, because they had seen the signs he did. 24 But Jesus didn’t entrust himself to them. He knew everything, 25 and had no need for anyone to give him information about people. He himself knew what was inside people.
Jesus and Nicodemus
3 There was a man of the Pharisees called Nicodemus, a ruler of the Judaeans. 2 He came to Jesus by night.
“Rabbi,” he said to him. “We know that you’re a teacher who’s come from God. Nobody can do these signs that you’re doing, unless God is with him.”
3 “Let me tell you the solemn truth,” replied Jesus. “Unless someone has been born from above, they won’t be able to see God’s kingdom.”
4 “How can someone possibly be born,” asked Nicodemus, “when they’re old? You’re not telling me they can go back a second time into the mother’s womb and be born, are you?”
5 “I’m telling you the solemn truth,” replied Jesus. “Unless someone is born from water and spirit, they can’t enter God’s kingdom. 6 Flesh is born from flesh, but spirit is born from spirit. 7 Don’t be surprised that I said to you, You must be born from above. 8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear the sound it makes; but you don’t know where it’s coming from or where it’s going to. That’s what it’s like with someone who is born from the spirit.”
9 “How can this be so?” asked Nicodemus.
10 “Well, well!” replied Jesus. “You’re a teacher of Israel, and yet you don’t know about all this? 11 I’m telling you the solemn truth: we’re talking about things we know about. We’re giving evidence about things we’ve seen. But you won’t admit our evidence. 12 If I told you earthly things and you don’t believe, how will it be if I tell you heavenly things? Are you going to believe then? 13 And nobody has gone up into heaven except the one who came down from heaven, the son of man.”
The snake and the love of God
14 “So, just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, in the same way the son of man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may share in the life of God’s new age.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.