Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Jesus Is Our High Priest In The True Heavenly Temple

8 Now^[a] the main-point in the things being said is: we have such a High Priest, Who sat-down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ² Minister of the Holies^[b], indeed^[c] of the true tabernacle (which the Lord pitched^[d], not a human).

Earthly Priests Serve In a Copy And Shadow of The Heavenly Things

³ For every high priest is appointed that he might be offering both gifts and sacrifices. Hence it is^[e] necessary that this One also have something which He may offer. ⁴ Now indeed, if He were on earth He would not even be a priest— there being the ones offering the gifts according-to the Law, ⁵ who are serving a copy and a shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses has been warned, being about to complete the tabernacle: for “See”, He says [in Ex 25:40], “that you make everything according to the pattern having been shown to you on the mountain”.

But Jesus Has a Better Ministry As Mediator of a Better Covenant With Better Promises

⁶ But He has now obtained a more-excellent ministry^[f], by as much as He is indeed the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises!

For God Promised a New Covenant

⁷ For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second.