Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks

A Serious Warning Against Falling Away

6 Therefore, leaving behind the elementary message about Christ, let us move on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith in God, ² teaching about baptisms and laying on of hands, and resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do, if God permits. ⁴ For it is impossible concerning those who have once been enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and become sharers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the coming age, ⁶ and having fallen away, to renew them again to repentance, because they^[a] have crucified again for themselves the Son of God and held him up to contempt. ⁷ For ground that drinks the rain that comes often upon it, and brings forth vegetation usable to those people for whose sake^[b] it is also cultivated, shares a blessing from God. ⁸ But if it^[c] produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to a curse, whose end is for burning.

⁹ But even if we are speaking in this way, dear friends, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and belonging to salvation. ¹⁰ For God is not unjust, so as to forget your work and the love which you demonstrated for his name by^[d] having served the saints, and continuing to serve them. ¹¹ And we desire each one of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, ¹² in order that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and patience.

The Reliability of God’s Promise

¹³ For when^[e] God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater to swear by, he swore by himself, ¹⁴ saying,

¹⁵ And so, by^[h] persevering, he obtained the promise. ¹⁶ For people swear by what is greater than themselves, and the oath for confirmation is the end of all dispute for them. ¹⁷ In the same way God, because he^[i] wanted to show even more to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his resolve, guaranteed it with an oath, ¹⁸ in order that through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge may have powerful encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us, ¹⁹ which we have like an anchor of the soul, both firm and steadfast, and entering into the inside of the curtain, ²⁰ where Jesus, the forerunner for us, entered, because he^[j] became a high priest forever^[k] according to the order of Melchizedek.

The Greatness of Melchizedek

7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham as he^[l] was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,^{[m] 2} to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of everything^[n]—in the first place, his name is translated “king of righteousness,” and then also “king of Salem,” that is, “king of peace”; ³ without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God—he remains a priest for all time.

⁴ But see how great this man was, to whom Abraham^[o] the patriarch gave a tenth from the spoils! ⁵ And indeed those of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have a commandment to collect a tenth from the people according to the law, that is, from their brothers, although they are descended from Abraham^[p]. ⁶ But the one who did not trace his descent from them collected tithes from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. ⁷ Now without any dispute the inferior is blessed by the more prominent. ⁸ And in this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case it is testified that he lives. ⁹ And, so to speak^[q], even Levi, the one who receives tithes, has paid tithes through Abraham. ¹⁰ For he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.

The Superiority of Jesus to Melchizedek

¹¹ Thus if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood, for on the basis of it the people received the law, what further need is there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek and not said to be according to the order of Aaron? ¹² For when^[r] the priesthood changes, of necessity there is a change of the law also. ¹³ For the one about whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe from which no one has officiated at the altar. ¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord is a descendant of Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses said nothing concerning priests. ¹⁵ And it is still more clear, if another priest according to the likeness of Melchizedek arises, ¹⁶ who has become a priest not according to a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is testified,

¹⁸ For on the one hand a preceding commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness ¹⁹ (for the law made nothing perfect), but on the other hand there is the introduction of a better hope through which we draw near to God. ²⁰ And by as much as this was not without an oath (for these on the one hand have become priests^[u] without an oath, ²¹ but he with an oath by the one who said to him,

²² by so much more^[x] Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

²³ And indeed many have become^[y] priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, ²⁴ but he, because he continues forever^[z], holds the priesthood permanently. ²⁵ Therefore also he is able to save completely those who draw near to God through him, because he^[aa] always lives in order to intercede on their behalf.

²⁶ For a high priest such as this indeed is fitting for us, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and having become exalted above the heavens, ²⁷ who does not need every day^[ab] like the former high priests to offer up sacrifices for his own sins and then for the sins of the people, because he did this once for all when he^[ac] offered up himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the statement of the oath, after the law, appoints a Son, who is made perfect forever^[ad].