Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
Better ministry, better covenant
8 The point of all this now appears. We have just such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the heavenly Majesty, 2 as a minister of the holy things and of the true Tabernacle, the one set up by God rather than by humans.
3 Every high priest, you see, is appointed in order to offer gifts and sacrifices, which is why this one, too, must have something to offer. 4 If he were on earth, he wouldn’t even be a priest, since there already are priests who make offerings in accordance with the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly realities, in line with what Moses was told, when he was getting ready to construct the Tabernacle: “take care that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 Now, you see, Jesus has obtained a vastly superior ministry. In the same way, he is the mediator of a better covenant, which is established on better promises.
The promise of a new covenant
7 If the first covenant had been faultless, you see, there wouldn’t have been any reason to look for a second one.
Scripture quotations from The New Testament for Everyone are copyright © Nicholas Thomas Wright 2011, 2018, 2019.