Hebrews 5–6

Chapter 5

¹For every high priest taken from amongst men is established for men in things relating to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; ²being able to exercise forbearance towards the ignorant and erring, since he himself also is clothed with infirmity; ³and, on account of this infirmity, he ought, even as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. ⁴And no one takes the honour to himself but as called by God, even as Aaron also. ⁵Thus the Christ also has not glorified himself to be made a high priest; but he who had said to him, Thou art my Son, I have to-day begotten thee. ⁶Even as also in another place he says, Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedec. ⁷Who in the days of his flesh, having offered up both supplications and entreaties to him who was able to save him out of death, with strong crying and tears; (and having been heard because of his piety;) ⁸though he were Son, he learned obedience from the things which he suffered; ⁹and having been perfected, became to all them that obey him, author of eternal salvation;

¹⁰addressed by God as high priest according to the order of Melchisedec. ¹¹Concerning whom we have much to say, and hard to be interpreted in speaking of it, since ye are become dull in hearing. ¹²For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have again need that one should teach you what are the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food. ¹³For every one that partakes of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe; ¹⁴but solid food belongs to full-grown men, who, on account of habit, have their senses exercised for distinguishing both good and evil.

Chapter 6

¹Wherefore, leaving the word of the beginning of the Christ, let us go on to what belongs to full growth, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith in God, ²of the doctrine of washings, and of imposition of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment; ³and this will we do if God permit. ⁴For it is impossible to renew again to repentance those once enlightened, and who have tasted of the heavenly gift, and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵and have tasted the good word of God, and the works of power of the age to come, ⁶and have fallen away, crucifying for themselves as they do the Son of God, and making a show of him. ⁷For ground which drinks the rain which comes often upon it, and produces useful herbs for those for whose sakes also it is tilled, partakes of blessing from God; ⁸but bringing forth thorns and briars, it is found worthless and nigh to a curse, whose end is to be burned.

⁹But we are persuaded concerning you, beloved, better things, and connected with salvation, even if we speak thus. ¹⁰For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the love which ye have shewn to his name, having ministered to the saints, and still ministering. ¹¹But we desire earnestly that each one of you shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end; ¹²that ye be not sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience have been inheritors of the promises. ¹³For God, having promised to Abraham, since he had no greater to swear by, swore by himself, ¹⁴saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee; ¹⁵and thus, having had long patience, he got the promise. ¹⁶For men indeed swear by a greater, and with them the oath is a term to all dispute, as making matters sure. ¹⁷Wherein God, willing to shew more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his purpose, intervened by an oath, ¹⁸that by two unchangeable things, in which it was impossible that God should lie, we might have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us, ¹⁹which we have as anchor of the soul, both secure and firm, and entering into that within the veil, ²⁰where Jesus is entered as forerunner for us, become for ever a high priest according to the order of Melchisedec.