Beginning

God’s Final Word in His Son

1 God, having ^(A)spoken long ago to the fathers in ^(B)the prophets in many portions and ^(C)in many ways, ^2 [a](D)in these last days ^(E)spoke to us ^[b]in ^(F)His Son, whom He appointed ^(G)heir of all things, ^(H)through whom also He made the ^[c](I)worlds, ³ who is the radiance of His glory and the exact ^(J)representation of His nature, and ^[d](K)upholds all things by the word of His power; who, having accomplished ^(L)cleansing for sins, ^(M)sat down at the right hand of the ^(N)Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent ^(O)name than they.

⁵ For to which of the angels did He ever say,

And again,

⁶ And ^[e]when He again ^(R)brings the firstborn into ^[f](S)the world, He says,

⁷ And of the angels He says,

⁸ But of the Son He says,

¹⁰ And,

¹³ But to which of the angels has He ever said,

¹⁴ Are they not all ^(AG)ministering spirits, sent to render service for the sake of those who will ^(AH)inherit ^(AI)salvation?

Warning Against Neglecting Salvation

2 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to ^[h]what we have heard, lest ^(AJ)we drift away. ² For if the word ^(AK)spoken through ^(AL)angels proved ^[i]unalterable, and ^(AM)every trespass and disobedience received a just ^[j](AN)penalty, ^3 (AO)how will we escape if we neglect so great a ^(AP)salvation? That salvation, first ^(AQ)spoken by the Lord, was ^(AR)confirmed to us by those who heard, ⁴ God also testifying with them, both by ^(AS)signs and wonders and by ^(AT)various ^[k]miracles and by ^[l](AU)gifts of the Holy Spirit ^(AV)according to His own will.

Jesus, the Author of Salvation

⁵ For He did not subject to angels ^[m](AW)the world to come, concerning which we are speaking. ⁶ But one has testified ^(AX)somewhere, saying,

For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now ^(BB)we do not yet see all things subjected to him. ⁹ But we do see Him who was ^(BC)made ^[p]for a little while lower than the angels—Jesus, ^(BD)because of the suffering of death ^(BE)crowned with glory and honor, so that ^(BF)by the grace of God He might ^(BG)taste death ^(BH)for everyone.

¹⁰ For ^(BI)it was fitting for Him, ^(BJ)for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to ^(BK)perfect the ^[q](BL)author of their salvation through sufferings. ¹¹ For both He who ^(BM)sanctifies and those who ^(BN)are being sanctified are all ^(BO)of One; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them ^(BP)brothers, ¹² saying,

¹³ And again,

And again,

¹⁴ Therefore, since the children share in ^[r](BT)flesh and blood, ^(BU)He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that ^(BV)through death He might render powerless ^(BW)him who had the ^[s]power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and might free those who through ^(BX)fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. ¹⁶ For assuredly He does not ^[t]give help to angels, but He gives help to the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, He ^[u]had ^(BY)to be made like His brothers in all things, so that He might ^(BZ)become a merciful and faithful ^(CA)high priest in ^(CB)things pertaining to God, to ^(CC)make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For since He Himself was ^(CD)tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to help those who are tempted.

Jesus Greater than Moses

3 Therefore, ^(CE)holy brothers, partakers of a ^(CF)heavenly calling, consider ^(CG)the Apostle and ^(CH)High Priest of our ^(CI)confession—Jesus, ² who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as ^(CJ)Moses also was in all His house. ^3 (CK)For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, in so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. ⁵ Now ^(CL)Moses was faithful in all His house as ^(CM)a servant, ^(CN)for a testimony of those things ^(CO)which were to be spoken later, ⁶ but Christ was faithful as ^(CP)a Son over His house—^(CQ)whose house we are, ^(CR)if we hold fast our ^(CS)confidence and the boast of our ^(CT)hope.

⁷ Therefore, just as ^(CU)the Holy Spirit says,

Warning Against Unbelief

^12 (DB)See to it brothers, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart ^[w]that falls away from ^(DC)the living God. ¹³ But ^(DD)encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the ^(DE)deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partakers of Christ, ^(DF)if we hold fast the beginning of our ^(DG)assurance firm until the end, ¹⁵ while it is said,

¹⁶ For who ^(DI)provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, ^(DJ)did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? ¹⁷ And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, ^(DK)whose corpses fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ And to whom did He swear ^(DL)that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were ^(DM)disobedient? ¹⁹ So we see that they were not able to enter because of ^(DN)unbelief.

The Believer’s Rest

4 Therefore, let us fear, lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have ^(DO)fallen short of it. ² For indeed we have had good news proclaimed to us, just as they also; but ^(DP)the word ^[y]that was heard did not profit those ^[z]who were not united with faith among those who heard. ³ For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,

although His works were finished ^(DR)from the foundation of the world. ⁴ For He has spoken ^(DS)somewhere in this way concerning the seventh day: “^(DT)And God ^(DU)rested on the seventh day from all His works”; ⁵ and again in this passage, “^(DV)They shall not enter My rest.” ⁶ Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news proclaimed to them failed to enter because of ^(DW)disobedience, ⁷ He again determines a certain day, “Today,” saying ^[aa]through David after so long a time just ^(DX)as has been said before,

⁸ For ^(DZ)if ^[ab]Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. ⁹ So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For the one who has entered His rest has himself also ^(EA)rested from his works, as ^(EB)God did from His. ¹¹ Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall into the same ^(EC)example of ^(ED)disobedience. ¹² For ^(EE)the word of God is ^(EF)living and ^(EG)active and sharper than any two-edged ^(EH)sword, and piercing as far as the division of ^(EI)soul and ^(EJ)spirit, of both joints and marrow, and ^(EK)able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And ^(EL)there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are ^[ac](EM)uncovered and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we have an account to give.

Jesus Our Great High Priest

¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great ^(EN)high priest who has ^(EO)passed through the heavens, Jesus ^(EP)the Son of God, let us take hold of our ^(EQ)confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have ^(ER)a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been ^(ES)tempted in all things like we are, yet ^(ET)without sin. ¹⁶ Therefore let us ^(EU)draw near with ^(EV)confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

5 For every high priest ^(EW)taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in ^(EX)things pertaining to God, in order to ^(EY)offer both gifts and sacrifices ^(EZ)for sins, ^2 (FA)being able to deal gently with the ^(FB)ignorant and ^(FC)misguided, since he himself also is ^[ad](FD)beset with weakness; ³ and because of it, he is obligated, ^(FE)just as for the people, to also offer sacrifices ^(FF)for sins in the same way for himself. ⁴ And ^(FG)no one takes this honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even ^(FH)as Aaron was.

⁵ In this way also Christ ^(FI)did not glorify Himself to become a ^(FJ)high priest, but He who ^(FK)said to Him,

⁶ just as He says also in another passage,

⁷ He, ^[ae]in the days of His flesh, ^[af](FO)offered up both prayers and supplications with ^(FP)loud crying and tears to the One ^(FQ)able to save Him ^[ag]from death, and He ^[ah]was heard because of His ^(FR)reverence. ⁸ Although He was ^(FS)a Son, He learned ^(FT)obedience from the things which He suffered. ⁹ And having been made ^(FU)perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, ¹⁰ being designated by God as ^(FV)a high priest according to ^(FW)the order of Melchizedek.

¹¹ Concerning ^[ai]him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹² For though ^[aj]by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you ^(FX)the ^[ak](FY)elementary principles of the ^(FZ)oracles of God, and you have come to need ^(GA)milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an ^(GB)infant. ¹⁴ But solid food is for ^(GC)the ^[al]mature, who because of practice have their senses ^(GD)trained to ^(GE)discern both good and evil.

Warning Against Falling Away

6 Therefore ^(GF)leaving ^(GG)the ^[am]elementary teaching about the ^[an]Christ, let us press on to ^[ao](GH)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from ^(GI)dead works and of faith toward God, ² of ^(GJ)teaching about washings and ^(GK)laying on of hands, and the ^(GL)resurrection of the dead and ^(GM)eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do, ^(GN)if God permits. ⁴ For in the case of those once having been ^(GO)enlightened and having tasted of ^(GP)the heavenly gift and having become ^(GQ)partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and having ^(GR)tasted the good ^(GS)word of God and the powers of ^(GT)the age to come, ⁶ and having fallen away, it is ^(GU)impossible to renew them again to repentance, ^[ap](GV)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. ⁷ For ground that drinks the rain which often ^[aq]falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those ^(GW)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; ⁸ but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is unfit and ^(GX)close ^[ar]to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

The Inheritance of the Promises

⁹ But we are convinced about you, ^(GY)beloved, of things that are better and that belong to salvation, though we are speaking in this way. ¹⁰ For ^(GZ)God is not unrighteous so as to forget ^(HA)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ^(HB)ministered and continuing to minister to the ^[as]saints. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence ^[at]so as to realize the ^(HC)full assurance of ^(HD)hope until the end, ¹² so that you may not become dull, but ^(HE)imitators of those who through ^(HF)faith and patience ^(HG)inherit the promises.

¹³ For ^(HH)when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He ^(HI)swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, “^(HJ)I will greatly bless you and I will greatly multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, ^(HK)having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. ^16 (HL)For men swear by ^[au]one greater than themselves, and with them ^(HM)an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. ^17 [av]In the same way God, desiring even more to show to ^(HN)the heirs of the promise ^(HO)the unchangeableness of His purpose, guaranteed it with an oath, ¹⁸ so that by two unchangeable things in which ^(HP)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of ^(HQ)the hope set before us. ^19 [aw]This ^(HR)hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and confirmed and one which ^(HS)enters ^[ax]within the veil, ^20 (HT)where a forerunner has entered for us—Jesus, having become a ^(HU)high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.