Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Christ is our high priest and seat of grace, and surpasses the high priests of the old law.

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has entered into heaven (I mean Jesus, the Son of God), let us hold fast our profession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who cannot have compassion on our infirmities, but one who was in all points tempted like we are, but yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore go boldly to the seat of grace, so that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

5 For every high priest that is taken from among men is ordained for man, in things pertaining to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sin.  ² He can have compassion on the ignorant and on those who are out of the way, because he himself also is compassed with infirmity – ³ concerning which infirmity he is bound to offer for sins, as well for his own part as for the people’s.

⁴ And no man takes honour to himself, but he who is called by God, as was Aaron. ⁵ So also likewise, Christ did not glorify himself to be made the high priest, but he who said to him, You are my Son, this day I have begotten you, glorified him. ⁶ As he also in another place speaks: You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.

⁷ He, in the days of his flesh, did offer up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears to him that was able to save him from death, and was also heard, because of his godliness. ⁸ And though he was God’s Son, yet he learned obedience by those things that he suffered, ⁹ and was made perfect, and the author of eternal salvation for all who obey him, ¹⁰ and is called by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.