Hebrews 5

A High Priest Like Melchizedek

5For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in the things relating to God, in order that he can offer both gifts and sacrifices on behalf of sins, ²being able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and led astray, since he himself also is surrounded by weakness, ³and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins for himself also, as well as for the people^a. ⁴And someone does not take for himself the honor, but is called by God, just as Aaron also was. ⁵Thus also Christ did not glorify himself to become high priest, but the one who said to him,

“You are my Son, today I have begotten you,”^b

⁶just as also in another place he says,

“You are a priest forever^c according to the order of Melchizedek,”^d

⁷who in the days of his flesh offered up both prayers and supplications, with loud crying and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard as a result of his reverence. ⁸Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered, ⁹and being perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation to all those who obey him, ¹⁰being designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Advanced Teaching Hindered by Immaturity

¹¹Concerning this^e we have much to say and it is difficult to explain^f, since you have become sluggish in hearing. ¹²For indeed, although you^* ought to be teachers by this time^g, you have need of someone to teach you again the beginning elements of the oracles of God, and you have need of^h milk, notⁱ solid food. ¹³For everyone who partakes of milk is unacquainted with the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. ¹⁴But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have trained their faculties for the distinguishing of both good and evil.