Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
Our Apostle and High Priest
3 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.(A) 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was in all God’s household. 3 For Jesus is considered worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder has more honor than the house. 4 Now every house is built by someone, but the one who built everything is God.(B) 5 Moses was faithful as a servant(C) in all God’s household, as a testimony to what would be said in the future. 6 But Christ was faithful as a Son over his household. And we are that household if we hold on to our confidence and the hope in which we boast.[a](D)
Warning against Unbelief
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:
Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested me, tried me,
and saw my works 10 for forty years.
Therefore I was provoked to anger with that generation
and said, “They always go astray in their hearts,
and they have not known my ways.”
11 So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest.”[b](E)
12 Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away(F) from the living God. 13 But encourage each other daily,(G) while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened(H) by sin’s deception.(I) 14 For we have become participants in Christ if we hold firmly until the end the reality[c] that we had at the start.(J) 15 As it is said:
16 For who heard and rebelled? Wasn’t it all who came out of Egypt under Moses?(L) 17 With whom was God angry for forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?(M) 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
The Promised Rest
4 Therefore, since the promise to enter his rest remains, let us beware[e] that none of you be found to have fallen short.[f] 2 For we also have received the good news just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith.[g](N) 3 For we who have believed enter the rest, in keeping with what[h] he has said,
even though his works have been finished since the foundation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way: And on the seventh day God rested from all his works.[j](P) 5 Again, in that passage he says, They will never enter my rest.[k] 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience,(Q) 7 he again specifies a certain day—today. He specified this speaking through David after such a long time:
8 For if Joshua(S) had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. 10 For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his.(T) 11 Let us, then, 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 effective(U) and sharper than any double-edged sword,(V) penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.(W) 13 No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom(X) we must give an account.
Our Great High Priest
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession.(Y) 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 as we are,(Z) yet without sin.(AA) 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.
Christ, a High Priest
5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed in matters pertaining to God for the people, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he is also clothed with weakness.(AB) 3 Because of this, he must make an offering for his own sins as well as for the people.(AC) 4 No one takes this honor on himself; instead, a person is called by God, just as Aaron was.(AD) 5 In the same way, Christ did not exalt himself to become a high priest, but God who said to him,
6 also says in another place,
7 During his earthly life,[p] he offered prayers and appeals(AG) with loud cries and tears(AH) 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 what he suffered.(AI) 9 After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, 10 and he was declared by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
The Problem of Immaturity
11 We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand. 12 Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food.(AJ) 13 Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.(AK)
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