Hebrews 5–7

5Every high priest is chosen from among men. He is appointed to act for them in everything that has to do with God. He offers gifts and sacrifices for their sins. ²He is able to deal gently with those who have gone down the wrong path without knowing it. He can do that because he himself is weak. ³That’s why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins. He must also do it for the sins of the people.

⁴No one can take that honor for himself. He must be appointed by God, just as Aaron was.

⁵Even Christ did not take the glory of becoming a high priest for himself. God said to him,

“You are my Son.

Today I have become your Father.”

⁶In another place he said,

“You are a priest forever,

just like Melchizedek.”

⁷Jesus prayed while he lived on earth. He made his appeal with loud cries and tears. He prayed to the One who could save him from death. God heard him because he truly honored God.

⁸Jesus was God’s Son. But by suffering he learned what it means to obey. ⁹In that way he was made perfect. Eternal salvation comes from him. He saves all those who obey him.

¹⁰God appointed him to be the high priest, just like Melchizedek.

A Warning Against Falling Away

¹¹We have a lot to say about that. But it is hard to explain it to you. You learn too slowly. ¹²By this time you should be teachers. But in fact, you need someone to teach you all over again. You need even the simple truths of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food.

¹³Anyone who lives on milk is still a baby. That person does not want to learn about living a godly life. ¹⁴Solid food is for those who are grown up. They have trained themselves with a lot of practice. They can tell the difference between good and evil.

6So let us leave the simple teachings about Christ. Let us grow up as believers. Let us not start all over again with the basic teachings. They taught us that we need to turn away from doing things that lead to death. They taught us that we must have faith in God. ²They taught us about different kinds of baptism. They taught us about placing hands on people. They taught us that people will rise from the dead. They taught us that God will judge everyone. And they taught us that what he decides will last forever.

³If God permits, we will go beyond those teachings and grow up.

⁴What if some people fall away from the faith? It won’t be possible to bring them back. It is true that they have seen the light. They have tasted the heavenly gift. They have shared in the Holy Spirit. ⁵They have tasted the good things of God’s word. They have tasted the powers of the age to come. ⁶But they have fallen away from the faith. So it won’t be possible to bring them back. They won’t be able to turn away from their sins. They are losing everything. That’s because they are nailing the Son of God to the cross all over again. They are bringing shame on him in front of everyone.

⁷Some land drinks the rain that falls on it. It produces a crop that is useful to those who farm the land. That land receives God’s blessing. ⁸But other land produces only thorns and weeds. That land isn’t worth anything. It is in danger of coming under God’s curse. In the end, it will be burned.

⁹Dear friends, we have to say these things. But we are sure of better things in your case. We are talking about the things that go along with being saved.

¹⁰God is fair. He will not forget what you have done. He will remember the love you have shown him. You showed it when you helped his people. And you show it when you keep on helping them.

¹¹We want each of you to be faithful to the very end. We want you to be sure of what you hope for. ¹²We don’t want you to slow down. Instead, be like those who have faith and are patient. They will receive what God promised.

God Keeps His Promise

¹³When God made his promise to Abraham, he took an oath to keep it. But there was no one greater than himself to take an oath by. So he took his oath by making an appeal to himself.

¹⁴He said, “I will certainly bless you. I will give you many children.” ¹⁵Abraham was patient while he waited. Then he received what God promised him.

¹⁶People take oaths by someone greater than themselves. An oath makes a promise certain. It puts an end to all arguing. ¹⁷So God took an oath when he made his promise. He wanted to make it very clear that his purpose does not change. He wanted those who would receive what was promised to know that.

¹⁸God took an oath so we would have good reason not to give up. We have run away from everything else to take hold of the hope offered to us in God’s promise. So God gave his promise and his oath. Those two things can’t change. He couldn’t lie about them.

¹⁹Our hope is certain. It is something for the soul to hold on to. It is strong and secure. It goes all the way into the Most Holy Room behind the curtain. ²⁰That is where Jesus has gone. He went there to open the way ahead of us. He has become a high priest forever, just like Melchizedek.

Melchizedek the Priest

7Melchizedek was the king of Salem. He was the priest of God Most High. He met Abraham, who was returning from winning a battle over some kings. Melchizedek blessed him. ²Abraham gave him a tenth of everything.

First, the name Melchizedek means “king of what is right.” Also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” ³Melchizedek has no father or mother. He has no family line. His days have no beginning. His life has no end. He remains a priest forever, just like the Son of God.

⁴Think how great Melchizedek was. Even our father Abraham gave him a tenth of what he had captured. ⁵Now the law lays down a rule for the sons of Levi who become priests. They must collect a tenth from the people. They must collect it even from those who belong to the family line of Abraham.

⁶Melchizedek did not trace his family line from Levi. But he collected a tenth from Abraham. Melchizedek blessed the one who had received the promises. ⁷Without a doubt, the more important person blesses the less important one. ⁸In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die. But in the other case, it is collected by the one who is said to be living.

⁹Levi collects the tenth. But we might say that Levi paid the tenth through Abraham. ¹⁰That’s because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in Abraham’s body.

Jesus Is Like Melchizedek

¹¹Suppose the Levites who were priests could have made people perfect. The law was given to the people so they could become perfect through the priests. Then why was there still a need for another priest to come? And why did he need to be like Melchizedek? Why wasn’t he from Aaron’s family line?

¹²A change of priests requires a change of law. ¹³Those things are said about one who is from a different tribe. No one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. ¹⁴It is clear that our Lord came from the family line of Judah. Moses said nothing about priests who were from that tribe.

¹⁵But suppose another priest like Melchizedek appears. Then what we have said is even more clear. ¹⁶He has not become a priest because of a rule about his family line. He has become a priest because of his powerful life. His life can never be destroyed. ¹⁷Scripture says,

“You are a priest forever,

just like Melchizedek.”

¹⁸The old rule is done away with. It was weak and useless. ¹⁹The law didn’t make anything perfect. Now a better hope has been given to us. That hope brings us near to God.

²⁰The change of priests was made with an oath. Others became priests without any oath. ²¹But Jesus became a priest with an oath. God said to him,

“The Lord has taken an oath and made a promise.

He will not change his mind. He has said,

‘You are a priest forever.’ ”

²²Because of that oath, Jesus makes the promise of a better covenant certain.

²³There were many priests in Levi’s family line. Death kept them from continuing in office. ²⁴But Jesus lives forever. So he always holds the office of priest. ²⁵People now come to God through him. And he is able to save them completely and for all time. Jesus lives forever. He prays for them.

²⁶A high priest like that meets our need. He is holy, pure and without blame. He isn’t like other people. He does not sin. He is lifted high above the heavens.

²⁷He isn’t like the other high priests. They need to offer sacrifices day after day. First they bring offerings for their own sins. Then they do it for the sins of the people. But Jesus gave one sacrifice for the sins of the people. He gave it once and for all time. He did it by offering himself.

²⁸The law appoints men who are weak to be high priests. But God’s oath came after the law. The oath appointed the Son. He has been made perfect forever.