Chronological

The Priestly Order of Melchizedek

7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. ² To him Abraham also gave a tenth part of everything. In the first place, his name is translated “king of righteousness,” and then also he is king of Salem, which means “king of peace.” ³ Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he continually remains a priest.

⁴ Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. ⁵ Surely the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a command to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, though they also come from the seed of Abraham. ⁶ But this man, whose descent is not numbered among them, received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. ⁷ Without question, the inferior is blessed by the superior. ⁸ In the one case mortal men receive tithes, but in the other he of whom it is witnessed that he is alive receives them. ⁹ One might say that Levi also, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, ¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met Abraham.

¹¹ If perfection were attained through the Levitical priesthood (for through it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise in the order of Melchizedek, rather than established in the order of Aaron? ¹² For a change in the priesthood necessitates a change in the law. ¹³ For the One concerning whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, from which no man served at the altar. ¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord descended from Judah, a tribe concerning which Moses said nothing about priests. ¹⁵ This is far more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, ¹⁶ who becomes a priest not by a law pertaining to ancestry, but by the power of an endless life. ¹⁷ For He testifies:

¹⁸ For there is then an annulling of the previous commandment due to its weakness and uselessness. ¹⁹ For the law made nothing perfect, but now a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.

²⁰ And He was not made a priest without an oath. ²¹ (Other priests were made without an oath, but this One with an oath by the One who said to Him:

²² Through this oath Jesus became the guarantor of a better covenant.

²³ And the former priests were numerous because they were hindered from serving because of death. ²⁴ But He, because He lives forever, has an everlasting priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, because He at all times lives to make intercession for them.

²⁶ For such a High Priest was fitting for us, for He is holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and is higher than the heavens. ²⁷ Unlike those high priests, He does not need to offer daily sacrifices—first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for He did this once for all when He offered up Himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints men who are weak as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son who is made perfect forever.

Jesus Our High Priest

8 Now this is the main point of the things that we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ² a minister in the sanctuary and the true tabernacle, which the Lord, not man, set up.

³ For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this priest also have something to offer. ⁴ For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests that offer gifts according to the law. ⁵ They serve in a sanctuary that is an example and shadow of the heavenly one, as Moses was instructed by God when he was about to make the tabernacle, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”^{[c] 6} But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, because He is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

⁷ For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no occasion would have been sought for a second. ⁸ For finding fault with them, God says:

¹³ In speaking of a new covenant He has made the first one old. Now that which is decaying and growing old is ready to vanish away.

The Earthly and Heavenly Sanctuaries

9 Then indeed, the first covenant had ordinances for divine services and an earthly sanctuary. ² A tabernacle was made. In the first part of the tabernacle, called the Holy Place, were the candlestick, the table, and the showbread. ³ Behind the second veil was the second part of the tabernacle called the Most Holy Place, ⁴ which contained the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid with gold, containing the golden pot holding the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. ⁵ Above the ark were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Concerning these things we cannot now speak in detail.

⁶ Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests would regularly go into the first part, conducting the services of God. ⁷ But only the high priest went into the second part once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins of the people, committed in ignorance. ⁸ The Holy Spirit was signifying through this that the way into the Most Holy Place was not yet revealed, because the first part of the tabernacle was still standing. ⁹ This is an illustration for the present time, showing that the gifts and sacrifices offered could not perfect the conscience of those who worshipped, ¹⁰ since they are concerned only with foods and drinks, ceremonial cleansings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

¹¹ But Christ, when He came as a High Priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, ¹² neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. ¹³ For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies so that the flesh is purified, ¹⁴ how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

¹⁵ For this reason He is the Mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the sins that were committed under the first covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

¹⁶ For where there is a will, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. ¹⁷ For a will has force after men are dead, since it has no force at all while the testator lives. ¹⁸ So not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. ¹⁹ For when Moses had taught every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, ²⁰ saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded you to keep.”^{[f] 21} Likewise he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of worship with blood. ²² And according to the law almost everything must be cleansed with blood; without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Christ’s Sacrifice Takes Away Sin

²³ It was therefore necessary that the replicas of heavenly things be cleansed with these sacrifices, but that the heavenly things themselves be cleansed with better sacrifices than these. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter holy places made with hands, which are patterned after the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. ²⁵ Nor did He enter to offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. ²⁶ For then He would have had to suffer repeatedly since the world was created, but now He has appeared once at the end of the ages to put away sin by sacrificing Himself. ²⁷ As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this comes the judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to save those who eagerly wait for Him.

10 For the law is a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of those things. It could never by the same sacrifices, which they offer continually year after year, perfect those who draw near. ² Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshippers, once purified, would no longer be conscious of sins? ³ But in those sacrifices there is an annual reminder of sins. ⁴ For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

⁵ Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

⁸ Previously when He said, “You did not desire sacrifices and offerings. You have had no pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin,”^[h] which are offered in accordance with the law, ⁹ then He said, “See, I have come to do Your will, O God.”^[i] He takes away the first that He may establish the second. ¹⁰ By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

¹¹ But every priest stands daily ministering and repetitively offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. ¹² But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God. ¹³ Since that time He has been waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool. ¹⁴ For by one offering He has forever perfected those who are sanctified.

¹⁵ The Holy Spirit also witnesses to us about this. For after saying,

¹⁷ then He adds,

¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

Exhortation and Warning

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way that He has opened for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh, ²¹ and since we have a High Priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse them from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us firmly hold the profession of our faith without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how to spur one another to love and to good works. ²⁵ Let us not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but let us exhort one another, especially as you see the Day approaching.

²⁶ For if we willfully continue to sin after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which will devour the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who despised Moses’ law died without mercy in the presence of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much more severe a punishment do you suppose he deserves, who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded the blood of the covenant that sanctified him to be a common thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine,” says the Lord, “I will repay.”^[l] And again He says, “The Lord will judge His people.”^{[m] 31} It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

³² Remember the former days, after you were enlightened, in which you endured a great struggle of afflictions. ³³ In part you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and afflictions. And in part you became companions of those who were so abused. ³⁴ For you had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully endured the confiscation of your property, knowing that you have in heaven a better and an enduring possession for yourselves. ³⁵ Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which will be greatly rewarded.

³⁶ For you need patience, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive the promise. ³⁷ For,

³⁹ But we are not of those who draw back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.