Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

The Superiority of Jesus to Moses

3 Therefore, holy brothers, sharers in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, ² who was faithful to the one who appointed him, as Moses also was in his household.^{[a] 3} For this one is considered worthy of greater glory than Moses, inasmuch as the one who builds it has greater honor than the house. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but the one who built all things is God. ⁵ And Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony to the things that would be spoken, ⁶ but Christ was faithful^[b] as a son over his house, whose house we are, if^[c] we hold fast to our confidence and the hope we can be proud of.

A Serious Warning Against Unbelief

⁷ Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,

¹² Watch out, brothers, lest there be in some of you an evil, unbelieving heart, with the result that you fall away^[f] from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another day by day^[g], as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you become hardened^[h] by the deception of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partners of Christ, if indeed we hold fast the beginning of our commitment steadfast until the end, ¹⁵ while it is said^[i],

¹⁶ For who, when they^[k] heard it, were disobedient? Surely it was not all who went out from Egypt through Moses? ¹⁷ And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ And to whom did he swear they would not enter into his rest, except those who were disobedient? ¹⁹ And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

The Rest that Remains for the People of God

4 Therefore let us fear, while there^[l] remains a promise of entering into his rest, that none of you appear to fall short of it. ² For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us^[m], just as those also did, but the message they heard^[n] did not benefit them, because they^[o] were not united with those who heard it in faith. ³ For we who have believed enter into rest,^[p] just as he has said,

And yet these works have been accomplished from the foundation of the world. ⁴ For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,”^{[s] 5} and in this passage again, ‘They will never enter^[t] into my rest.’”^{[u] 6} Since therefore it remains for some to enter into it, and the ones to whom the good news was proclaimed previously did not enter because of disobedience, ⁷ again he ordains a certain day, today, speaking by David after so long a time, just as had been said before,

⁸ For if Joshua had caused them to rest, he would not have spoken about another day after these things. ⁹ Consequently a sabbath rest remains for the people of God. ¹⁰ For the one who has entered into his rest has also himself rested from his works, just as God did from his own works.

¹¹ Therefore, let us make every effort to enter into that rest, in order that no one may fall in the same pattern of disobedience. ¹² For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, both joints and marrow, and able to judge the reflections and thoughts of the heart. ¹³ And no creature is hidden in the sight of him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of him to whom we must give our account^[w].

Jesus Our Great High Priest

¹⁴ Therefore, because we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is not able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but who has been tempted in all things in the same way, without sin. ¹⁶ Therefore let us approach with confidence to the throne of grace, in order that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

A High Priest Like Melchizedek

5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in the things relating to God, in order that he can offer both gifts and sacrifices on behalf of sins, ² being able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and led astray, since he himself also is surrounded by weakness, ³ and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins for himself also, as well as for the people^[x]. ⁴ And someone does not take for himself the honor, but is called by God, just as Aaron also was. ⁵ Thus also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but the one who said to him,

⁶ just as also in another place he says,

⁷ who in the days of his flesh offered up both prayers and supplications, with loud crying and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard as a result of his reverence. ⁸ Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered, ⁹ and being perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey him, ¹⁰ being designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Advanced Teaching Hindered by Immaturity

¹¹ Concerning this^[ab] we have much to say and it is difficult to explain^[ac], since you have become sluggish in hearing. ¹² For indeed, although you^[ad] ought to be teachers by this time^[ae], you have need of someone to teach you again the beginning elements of the oracles of God, and you have need of^[af] milk, not^[ag] solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes of milk is unacquainted with the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have trained their faculties for the distinguishing of both good and evil.