Beginning

God Speaks to Us By His Son

1 In the past, God spoke to our forefathers by the prophets at many times and in many ways. ² In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of the divine nature. He sustains all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins,^[a] he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high.

The Son Is Superior to the Angels

⁴ The Son became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. ⁵ For to which of the angels did God ever say:

And again:

⁶ And again, when he brought his firstborn into the world, he said:

⁷ About the angels he says:

⁸ But about the Son he says:

¹⁰ And he says:

¹³ To which of the angels has he ever said:

¹⁴ Are not all angels ministering spirits sent out to serve for the benefit of those who are going to inherit salvation?

Pay Attention to God’s Word

2 Therefore, we need to pay even more attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. ² For if the message that was spoken through angels^[j] was valid, and every transgression and disobedient act received a just punishment, ³ how will we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? First the message was spoken by the Lord; then it was confirmed to us by those who heard him. ⁴ God also testified to it with signs and wonders, various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his will.

God Put Everything Under His Control

⁵ For God did not place the coming world, about which we are speaking, under the control of angels. ⁶ But there is a place where someone has testified:

Indeed, in putting everything in subjection to him, God left nothing that is not in subjection to him. At the present time, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. ⁹ But we look to Jesus (the one who was made lower than the angels for a little while, so that by God’s grace he might taste death for everyone), now crowned with glory and honor, because he suffered death.

A Merciful and Faithful High Priest

¹⁰ Certainly it was fitting for God (the one for whom and through whom everything exists), in leading many sons to glory, to bring the author of their salvation to his goal through sufferings. ¹¹ For he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified all have one Father. For that reason, he is not ashamed to call them brothers.^{[o] 12} He says:

¹³ And again:

And again:

¹⁴ Therefore, since the children share flesh and blood,^[s] he also shared the same flesh and blood, so that through death he could destroy the one who had the power of death (that is, the Devil) ¹⁵ and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. ¹⁶ For surely he was not concerned with helping angels but with helping Abraham’s offspring.^{[t] 17} For this reason, he had to become like his brothers in every way, in order that he would be a merciful and faithful high priest in the things pertaining to God, so that he could pay^[u] for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ Indeed, because he suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Christ Is Superior to Moses

3 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, focus your attention on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. ² He was faithful to the one who appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in God’s whole house. ³ In fact, Jesus is worthy of greater glory than Moses, in the same way that the builder of a house has more honor than the house. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, and God is the one who built everything.

⁵ Moses was faithful as a servant within God’s whole house by testifying to the things that would be spoken. ⁶ But Christ is faithful as a Son over God’s house. We are his house, if we hold on firmly^[v] to our confidence and the hope about which we boast until the end.^[w]

Do Not Harden Your Hearts

⁷ Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:

¹² Watch out, brothers, so that there is not an evil, unbelieving heart in any of you that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become people who share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firmly until the end. ¹⁵ As it is said:

¹⁶ Who was it who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all those who left Egypt, led by Moses? ¹⁷ And with whom was God angry for forty years? Surely it was with the ones who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness, wasn’t it? ¹⁸ And about whom did he swear an oath that they would not enter his rest, if it wasn’t concerning those who were disobedient? ¹⁹ So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

Some Will Enter God’s Rest

4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be fearful that any one of you may be judged to have failed to reach it. ² In fact, we have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united in faith with those who did listen. ³ Indeed, we who believe are going to enter his rest.

It happened just as he vowed when he said:

And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. ⁴ For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way:

⁵ And again in this statement:

⁶ Therefore, since it is still the case that some do enter this rest, and yet those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not enter because of disobedience, ⁷ God again set a certain day, namely, “today,” when he later said through David, as quoted before:

⁸ For, if Joshua had given them rest, then God would not have spoken later about another day.

⁹ So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For the one who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God rested from his work. ¹¹ Therefore, let us make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

¹² For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to the point of dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, even being able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart. ¹³ And there is no creature hidden from him, but everything is uncovered and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we will give an account.

Jesus Is Our High Priest

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest, who has gone through the heavens, namely, Jesus the Son of God, let us continue to hold on to our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not 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 was without sin. ¹⁶ So let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Our High Priest Is Like Melchizedek

5 To be sure, every high priest is chosen from the people and is appointed to represent the people in the things pertaining to God, so that he may offer gifts, as well as sacrifices, for sins. ² He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also weak in many ways. ³ And for this reason he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins, just as he does for the people.

⁴ No one takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was. ⁵ In the same way, Christ did not take the glory of becoming a high priest on himself, but God said to him:

⁶ He also said the same thing in another place:

⁷ In the days of his flesh,^[af] he offered prayers and pleas with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. ⁸ Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. ⁹ After he was brought to his goal, he became the source of eternal salvation for everyone who obeys him, ¹⁰ because he was designated by God as a high priest, like Melchizedek.

Milk or Solid Food

¹¹ We have much to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, because you have become too lazy to listen. ¹² In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the beginning principles of God’s word all over again. You have become people who need milk, not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who lives on milk is not acquainted with the word of righteousness, because he is still an infant. ¹⁴ But solid food is for mature people, who have their senses trained by practice to distinguish between good and evil.

Moving On Toward Maturity

6 Therefore, leaving the beginning discussion of Christ, let us press on toward matters that require greater maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith in God, ² of the teaching about baptisms,^[ag] of the laying on of hands, of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. ³ And we will do this, if God permits.

⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift and shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age, ⁶ and who then fell away, to be restored to repentance because^[ah] they are crucifying the Son of God again, to their own harm, and exposing him to public ridicule.

⁷ For the land that drinks the rain that often falls on it and produces plants useful to those farming it, this land receives a blessing from God. ⁸ But the land that grows thorns and thistles is worthless and will soon be cursed—its end is to be burned.

⁹ But even if we speak this way, we are confident of better things for you, dear friends, things belonging to salvation. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love that you showed for his name’s sake, when you served the saints, and while you continue to serve them. ¹¹ And we want each of you to continue to show the same eagerness, so that you may have the full assurance of your hope until the end. ¹² Our goal is that you would not become lazy but imitators of those who inherited the promise through faith and patient endurance.

God’s Promise Is Sure

¹³ For God made a promise to Abraham, and since God had no one greater to swear by, “He swore by himself.”^{[ai] 14} He said, “I will most certainly bless you and make you increase in number.”^{[aj] 15} And so in this way, after Abraham had waited patiently, he received the promise.

¹⁶ To be sure, people swear by someone who is greater, and the oath serves as a confirmation for them that ends all disputes. ¹⁷ Because God wanted to show the heirs of the promise with even greater certainty that his plan was unchangeable, he guaranteed his promise with an oath. ¹⁸ He did this so that, through two unchangeable things (in which it is impossible that God would lie), we, who have fled for refuge by taking hold of this hope that is held out to us, might have strong encouragement.

¹⁹ We have this hope as an anchor for the soul. It is sure and firm, and it goes behind the inner curtain, ²⁰ where Jesus entered ahead of us on our behalf, because he became a high priest forever like Melchizedek.