Book of Common Prayer

Christ is our high priest and seat of grace, and surpasses the high priests of the old law.

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has entered into heaven (I mean Jesus, the Son of God), let us hold fast our profession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who cannot have compassion on our infirmities, but one who was in all points tempted like we are, but yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore go boldly to the seat of grace, so that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

5 For every high priest that is taken from among men is ordained for man, in things pertaining to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin.  ² He can have compassion on the ignorant and on those who are out of the way, because he himself also is compassed with infirmity – ³ concerning which infirmity he is bound to offer for sins, as well for his own part as for the people’s.

⁴ And no man takes honour to himself, but he who is called by God, as was Aaron. ⁵ So also likewise, Christ did not glorify himself to be made the high priest, but he who said to him, You are my Son, this day I have begotten you, glorified him. ⁶ As he also in another place speaks: You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.

²³ When he was at Jerusalem, at Passover in the feast, many believed on his name when they saw the miracles that he did. ²⁴ But Jesus did not put himself in their hands, ²⁵ because he knew all men, and needed not that anyone should testify of man. For he knew what was in man.

The conversation of Christ with Nicodemus. The teaching and baptism of John, and what witness he bears of Christ.

3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler among the Jews. ² He came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God. For no man could do such miracles as you do unless God were with him.

³ Jesus answered and said to him, Truly truly I say to you, unless a man be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

⁴ Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter into his mother’s womb and be born again?

⁵ Jesus answered, Truly truly I say to you, unless a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Marvel not that I said to you, you must be born anew. ⁸ The wind blows where it will, and you hear its sound, but cannot tell from whence it comes and where it goes. That is how it is with everyone that is born of the Spirit.

⁹ And Nicodemus answered and said to him, How can these things be?

¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to him, Are you a teacher in Israel, and do not know these things? ¹¹ Truly truly I say to you, we speak what we know and testify what we have seen, and you people do not receive our witness. ¹² If when I tell you all earthly things, you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you of heavenly things? ¹³ And no man ascends up to heaven but he who came down from heaven; that is to say, the Son of man who is in heaven. ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that no one who believes in him will perish, but will have eternal life.