7This Melchizedek was king of the city of Salem and also a priest of God Most High. When Abraham was returning home after winning a great battle against the kings, Melchizedek met him and blessed him.G1063G3778G3198G935G4532G2409G5310G2316G3588G4876G11G5290G575G2871G935G2532G2127G846 2Then Abraham took a tenth of all he had captured in battle and gave it to Melchizedek. The name Melchizedek means "king of justice," and king of Salem means "king of peace."G3739G2532G11G3307G1181G575G3956G4412G3303G2059G935G1343G1161G1899G2532G935G4532G3603G935G1515 3There is no record of his father or mother or any of his ancestors—no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling the Son of God.G540G282G35G2192G3383G746G2250G3383G5056G2222G1161G871G5207G2316G3306G2409G1519G1336 4Consider then how great this Melchizedek was. Even Abraham, the great patriarch of Israel, recognized this by giving him a tenth of what he had taken in battle.G1161G2334G4080G3778G3739G2532G3966G11G1325G1181G1537G205 5Now the law of Moses required that the priests, who are descendants of Levi, must collect a tithe from the rest of the people of Israel, who are also descendants of Abraham.G2532G3303G1537G5207G3017G3588G2983G2405G2192G1785G586G2992G2596G3551G5123G846G80G2539G1831G1537G3751G11 6But Melchizedek, who was not a descendant of Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham. And Melchizedek placed a blessing upon Abraham, the one who had already received the promises of God.G1161G1075G3361G1075G1537G846G1183G11G2532G2127G2192G1860 7And without question, the person who has the power to give a blessing is greater than the one who is blessed.G1161G5565G3956G485G1640G2127G5259G2909 8The priests who collect tithes are men who die, so Melchizedek is greater than they are, because we are told that he lives on.G2532G5602G3303G444G599G2983G1181G1161G1563G3140G3754G2198 9In addition, we might even say that these Levites—the ones who collect the tithe—paid a tithe to Melchizedek when their ancestor Abraham paid a tithe to him.G2532G5613G2031G2036G3017G2532G3588G2983G1181G1183G1223G11 10For although Levi wasn't born yet, the seed from which he came was in Abraham's body when Melchizedek collected the tithe from him.G1063G2258G2089G1722G3751G3962G3753G3198G4876G846 11So if the priesthood of Levi, on which the law was based, could have achieved the perfection God intended, why did God need to establish a different priesthood, with a priest in the order of Melchizedek instead of the order of Levi and Aaron?G1487G3303G3767G5050G2258G1223G3020G2420G1063G1909G846G2992G3549G5101G2089G5532G2087G2409G450G2596G5010G3198G2532G3756G3004G2596G5010G2 12And if the priesthood is changed, the law must also be changed to permit it.G1063G2420G3346G1096G1537G318G3331G2532G3551 13For the priest we are talking about belongs to a different tribe, whose members have never served at the altar as priests.G1063G1909G3739G5023G3004G3348G2087G5443G575G3739G3762G4337G2379 14What I mean is, our Lord came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never mentioned priests coming from that tribe.G1063G4271G3754G2257G2962G393G1537G2455G1519G3739G5443G3475G2980G3762G4012G2420 15This change has been made very clear since a different priest, who is like Melchizedek, has appeared.G2532G2076G2089G4054G2612G1487G2596G3665G3198G450G2087G2409 16Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed.G3739G1096G3756G2596G3551G4559G1785G235G2596G1411G179G2222 17And the psalmist pointed this out when he prophesied, "You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek."G1063G3140G3754G4771G2409G1519G165G2596G5010G3198 18Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless.G1063G1096G3303G115G1785G4254G1223G772G2532G512G846 19For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.G1063G3551G5048G3762G5048G1161G1898G2909G1680G1223G3739G1448G2316 20This new system was established with a solemn oath. Aaron's descendants became priests without such an oath,G2532G2596G3745G3756G5565G3728 21but there was an oath regarding Jesus. For God said to him, "The LORD has taken an oath and will not break his vow: 'You are a priest forever.'"G1063G2409G3303G1526G1096G5565G3728G1161G3326G3728G1223G3004G4314G846G2962G3660G2532G3338G3756G3338G4771G2409G1519G165G2596G5010G3198 22Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God.G2596G5118G1096G2424G1096G1450G2909G1242 23There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office.G2532G1526G3303G1526G1096G4119G2409G2967G3887G1223G2288 24But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever.G1161G1223G846G3306G1519G165G2192G531G2420 25Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.G3606G1410G2532G4982G1519G3838G4334G2316G1223G846G3842G2198G1519G1793G5228G846 26He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.G1063G5108G749G4241G2254G3741G172G283G5563G575G268G2532G1096G5308G3772 27Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people's sins.G3739G2192G318G3756G2596G2250G5618G749G399G2378G4386G5228G2398G266G1899G2992G1063G5124G4160G2178G399G1438 28The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.G1063G3551G2525G444G749G2192G769G1161G3056G3728G3588G3326G3551G5207G5048G1519G165
8Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven.G1161G1909G3004G2774G2192G5108G749G3739G2523G1722G1188G2362G3172G1722G3772 2There he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle, the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands.G3011G39G2532G228G4633G3739G2962G4078G2532G3756G444 3And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too.G1063G3956G749G2525G1519G4374G1435G5037G2532G2378G3606G316G5126G2192G5100G2532G3739G4374 4If he were here on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there already are priests who offer the gifts required by the law.G1063G1487G3303G2258G1909G1093G302G3761G2258G2409G5607G2409G4374G1435G2596G3551 5They serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: "Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain."G3748G3000G5262G2532G4639G2032G2531G3475G5537G3195G2005G4633G1063G3708G5346G4160G3956G2596G5179G1166G4671G1722G3735 6But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.G1161G3570G5177G1313G3009G3745G2532G2076G3316G2909G1242G3748G3549G1909G2909G1860 7If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it.G1063G1487G1565G4413G2258G273G302G3756G5117G2212G1208 8But when God found fault with the people, he said: "The day is coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.G1063G3201G846G3004G2400G2250G2064G3004G2962G2532G4931G2537G1242G1909G3624G2474G2532G1909G3624G2455 9This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the LORD.G3756G2596G1242G3739G4160G846G3962G1722G2250G1949G846G3450G5495G1806G846G1537G1093G125G3754G846G1696G3756G1722G3450G1242G2504G272G846G272G3004G2962 10But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.G3754G3778G1242G3739G1303G3624G2474G3326G1565G2250G3004G2962G1325G3450G3551G1519G846G1271G2532G1924G846G1909G846G2588G2532G2071G1519G846G2316G2532G846G2071G1519G3427G2992 11And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, 'You should know the LORD.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already.G2532G1321G3364G1321G1538G846G4139G2532G1538G846G80G3004G1097G2962G3754G3956G1492G3165G575G3398G846G2193G3173G846 12And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins."G3754G2071G2436G846G93G2532G846G266G2532G846G458G3415G3364G2089 13When God speaks of a "new" covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.G1722G3004G2537G3822G4413G3822G1161G3822G2532G1095G1451G854
9That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth.G3767G3303G4413G2192G2532G1345G2999G5037G2886G39 2There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place.G1063G2680G4633G2680G4413G1722G3739G5037G3087G2532G5132G2532G4286G740G3748G3004G39 3Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place.G1161G3326G1208G2665G4633G3588G3004G39G39 4In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron's staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant.G2192G5552G2369G2532G2787G1242G4028G3840G5553G1722G3739G5552G4713G2192G3131G2532G2G4464G985G2532G4109G1242 5Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark's cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.G1161G5231G846G5502G1391G2683G2435G4012G3739G3756G2076G3568G3004G2596G3313 6When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties.G1161G5130G2680G3779G2680G2409G1524G1275G1519G3303G4413G4633G2005G2999 7But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.G1161G1519G1208G749G3441G530G1763G3756G5565G129G3739G4374G5228G1438G2532G51G2992 8By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.G40G4151G5124G1213G3598G39G5319G3380G5319G4413G4633G2192G2089G4714 9This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them.G3748G3850G1519G2540G1764G2596G3739G4374G5037G1435G2532G2378G1410G3361G5048G3000G5048G2596G4893 10For that old system deals only with food and drink and various cleansing ceremonies—physical regulations that were in effect only until a better system could be established.G3440G1909G1033G2532G4188G2532G1313G909G2532G4561G1345G1945G3360G2540G1357 11So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world.G1161G5547G3854G749G18G3195G1223G3187G2532G5046G4633G3756G5499G5123G3756G5026G2937 12With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever.G3761G1223G129G5131G2532G3448G1161G1223G2398G129G1525G2178G1519G39G2147G166G3085 13Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people's bodies from ceremonial impurity.G1063G1487G129G5022G2532G5131G2532G4700G1151G4472G2840G37G4314G2514G4561 14Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.G4214G3123G2511G129G5547G3739G1223G166G4151G4374G1438G299G2316G2511G5216G4893G575G3498G2041G1519G3000G2198G2316 15That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.G2532G5124G1223G2076G3316G2537G1242G3704G1096G2288G1519G629G3847G1909G4413G1242G2564G2983G1860G166G2817 16Now when someone leaves a will, it is necessary to prove that the person who made it is dead.G1063G3699G1242G318G5342G2288G1303 17The will goes into effect only after the person's death. While the person who made it is still alive, the will cannot be put into effect.G1063G1242G949G1909G3498G1893G2480G3379G2480G3379G3753G1303G2198 18That is why even the first covenant was put into effect with the blood of an animal.G3606G3761G4413G1457G5565G129 19For after Moses had read each of God's commandments to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, and sprinkled both the book of God's law and all the people, using hyssop branches and scarlet wool.G1063G5259G3475G2980G3956G1785G3956G2992G2596G3551G2983G129G3448G2532G5131G3326G5204G2532G2847G2053G2532G5301G4472G5037G975G846G2532G3956G2992 20Then he said, "This blood confirms the covenant God has made with you."G3004G5124G129G1242G3739G2316G1781G4314G5209 21And in the same way, he sprinkled blood on the Tabernacle and on everything used for worship.G1161G3668G4472G129G2532G4633G2532G3956G4632G3009 22In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.G2532G4975G3956G2511G2596G3551G2511G1722G129G2532G5565G130G1096G3756G859 23That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals.G3767G318G5262G3303G1722G3772G2511G5125G1161G2032G846G2909G2378G3844G5025 24For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf.G1063G5547G1525G3756G1525G1519G39G5499G499G228G235G1519G3772G846G3568G1718G4383G2316G5228G2257 25And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal.G3761G2443G4374G1438G4178G5618G749G1525G1519G39G2596G1763G1722G129G245 26If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.G1893G1163G846G4178G3958G575G2602G2889G1161G3568G530G1909G4930G165G5319G1519G115G266G1223G2378G846 27And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,G2532G2596G3745G606G444G530G599G1161G3326G5124G2920 28so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.G3779G5547G530G4374G1519G399G266G4183G553G846G3700G1537G1208G5565G266G1519G4991
10The old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship.G1063G3551G2192G4639G18G3195G3756G846G1504G4229G1410G3763G846G2378G3739G4374G2596G1763G1519G1336G5048G4334G50482If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared.G1893G302G3756G3973G4374G1223G3000G530G2508G2192G3367G2089G4893G2663But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year.G235G1722G846G364G266G2596G17634For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.G1063G102G129G5022G2532G5131G851G2665That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, "You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer.G1352G1525G1519G2889G3004G2378G2532G4376G2309G3756G1161G4983G2675G34276You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin.G3646G2532G4012G266G2106G3756G21067Then I said, 'Look, I have come to do your will, O God—as is written about me in the Scriptures.'"G5119G2036G2400G2240G1722G2777G975G1125G4012G1700G4160G4675G2307G23168First, Christ said, "You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them" (though they are required by the law of Moses).G511G3004G3754G2378G2532G4376G2532G3646G2532G4012G266G2309G3756G3761G2106G3748G4374G2596G35519Then he said, "Look, I have come to do your will." He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect.G5119G2046G2400G2240G4160G4675G2307G2316G337G4413G2443G2476G120810For God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.G1722G3739G2307G2070G37G1223G4376G4983G2424G5547G217811Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins.G2532G3303G3956G2409G2476G2596G2250G3008G2532G4374G4178G846G2378G3748G1410G3763G4014G26612But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand.G1161G846G4374G3391G2378G5228G266G1519G1336G2523G1722G1188G231613There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet.G3063G1551G2193G846G2190G5087G846G5286G422814For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.G1063G3391G4376G5048G1519G1336G3715And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,G1161G40G4151G2532G3140G2254G1063G3326G428016"This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds."G3778G1242G3739G1303G4314G846G3326G1565G2250G3004G2962G1325G3450G3551G1909G846G2588G2532G1909G846G1271G1924G84617Then he says, "I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds."G2532G846G266G2532G458G846G3415G3364G208918And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.G1161G3699G859G5130G3765G4376G4012G26619And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.G2192G3767G80G3954G1519G1529G39G1722G129G242420By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.G4372G2532G2198G3598G3739G1457G2254G1223G2665G5123G846G456121And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house,G2532G3173G2409G1909G3624G231622let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.G4334G3326G228G2588G1722G4136G4102G4472G2588G4472G575G4190G4893G2532G4983G3068G2513G520423Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.G2722G3671G1680G186G1063G4103G186124Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.G2532G2657G240G1519G3948G26G2532G2570G204125And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.G3361G1459G1997G1438G1997G2531G1485G5100G235G3870G2532G5118G3123G3745G991G2250G144826Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins.G1063G2257G264G1596G3326G2983G1922G225G620G3765G2378G4012G26627There is only the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies.G1161G5100G5398G1561G2920G2532G4442G2205G3195G2068G522728For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.G5100G114G3475G3551G599G5565G3628G1909G1417G2228G5140G314429Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to us.G4214G5501G5098G1380G515G3588G2662G5207G2316G2532G2233G129G1242G3739G1722G37G2839G2532G1796G4151G548530For we know the one who said, "I will take revenge. I will pay them back." He also said, "The LORD will judge his own people."G1063G1492G2036G1557G1698G1473G467G3004G2962G2532G3825G2962G2919G846G299231It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.G5398G1706G1519G5495G2198G231632Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering.G1161G363G4386G2250G1722G3739G5461G5278G4183G119G380433Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things.G5124G3303G2301G5037G3680G2532G2347G1161G5124G1096G2844G390G3779G39034You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever.G2532G1063G4834G3450G1199G2532G4327G3326G5479G724G5216G5224G1097G1722G1438G2192G1722G3772G2909G2532G3306G522335So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!G577G3361G577G3767G5216G3954G3748G2192G3173G340536Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.G1063G2192G5532G5281G2443G4160G2307G2316G2865G186037"For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.G1063G2089G3397G3745G3745G2064G2240G2532G5549G3756G554938And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away."G1161G1342G2198G1537G4102G2532G1437G5288G3450G5590G2106G3756G2106G1722G84639But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.G1161G2249G2070G3756G5289G1519G684G235G4102G1519G4047G5590
Dublin, OH
, who are also descendants of Abraham.G2532
