Hebrews 5:1--7:28

5:1 For every high priest is taken from among the people ¹  and appointed ²  to represent them before God, ³  to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 5:2 He is able to deal compassionately with those who are ignorant and erring, since he also is subject to weakness, 5:3 and for this reason he is obligated to make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. 5:4 And no one assumes this honor ⁴  on his own initiative, ⁵  but only when called to it by God, ⁶  as in fact Aaron was. 5:5 So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming high priest, but the one who glorified him was God, ⁷  who said to him, “You are my Son! Today I have fathered you,” ⁸  5:6 as also in another place God ⁹  says, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” ¹⁰  5:7 During his earthly life ¹¹  Christ ¹²  offered ¹³  both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion. 5:8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered. ¹⁴  5:9 And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 5:10 and he was designated ¹⁵  by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek. ¹⁶ 

The Need to Move on to Maturity

5:11 On this topic we have much to say ¹⁷  and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish ¹⁸  in hearing. 5:12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, ¹⁹  you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances. ²⁰  You have gone back to needing ²¹  milk, not ²²  solid food. 5:13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 5:14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil.

6:1 Therefore we must progress beyond ²³  the elementary ²⁴  instructions about Christ ²⁵  and move on ²⁶  to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God, 6:2 teaching about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 6:3 And this is what we intend to do, ²⁷  if God permits. 6:4 For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 6:5 tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, 6:6 and then have committed apostasy, ²⁸  to renew them again to repentance, since ²⁹  they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again ³⁰  and holding him up to contempt. 6:7 For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on ³¹  it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God. 6:8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is useless and about to be cursed; ³²  its fate is to be burned. 6:9 But in your case, dear friends, even though we speak like this, we are convinced of better things relating to salvation. 6:10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints. 6:11 But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of your hope until the end, 6:12 so that you may not be sluggish, ³³  but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.

6:13 Now when God made his promise to Abraham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, 6:14 saying, “Surely I will bless you greatly and multiply your descendants abundantly.” ³⁴  6:15 And so by persevering, Abraham ³⁵  inherited the promise. 6:16 For people ³⁶  swear by something greater than themselves, ³⁷  and the oath serves as a confirmation to end all dispute. ³⁸  6:17 In the same way ³⁹  God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, ⁴⁰  and so he intervened with an oath, 6:18 so that we who have found refuge in him ⁴¹  may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible for God to lie. 6:19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, which reaches inside behind the curtain, ⁴²  6:20 where Jesus our forerunner entered on our behalf, since he became a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. ⁴³ 

The Nature of Melchizedek’s Priesthood

7:1 Now this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kings and blessed him. ⁴⁴  7:2 To him ⁴⁵  also Abraham apportioned a tithe ⁴⁶  of everything. ⁴⁷  His name first means ⁴⁸  king of righteousness, then king of Salem, that is, king of peace. 7:3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, he has neither beginning of days nor end of life but is like the son of God, and he remains a priest for all time. 7:4 But see how great he must be, if ⁴⁹  Abraham the patriarch gave him a tithe ⁵⁰  of his plunder. 7:5 And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office ⁵¹  have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, ⁵²  although they too are descendants of Abraham. ⁵³  7:6 But Melchizedek ⁵⁴  who does not share their ancestry ⁵⁵  collected a tithe ⁵⁶  from Abraham and blessed ⁵⁷  the one who possessed the promise. 7:7 Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior, 7:8 and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive. 7:9 And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham. 7:10 For he was still in his ancestor Abraham’s loins ⁵⁸  when Melchizedek met him.

Jesus and the Priesthood of Melchizedek

7:11 So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood – for on that basis ⁵⁹  the people received the law – what further need would there have been for another priest to arise, said to be in the order of Melchizedek and not in Aaron’s order? 7:12 For when the priesthood changes, a change in the law must come ⁶⁰  as well. 7:13 Yet the one these things are spoken about belongs to ⁶¹  a different tribe, and no one from that tribe ⁶²  has ever officiated at the altar. 7:14 For it is clear that our Lord is descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests in connection with that tribe. 7:15 And this is even clearer if another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, 7:16 who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent ⁶³  but by the power of an indestructible life. 7:17 For here is the testimony about him: ⁶⁴  “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” ⁶⁵  7:18 On the one hand a former command is set aside ⁶⁶  because it is weak and useless, ⁶⁷  7:19 for the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. 7:20 And since ⁶⁸  this was not done without a sworn affirmation – for the others have become priests without a sworn affirmation, 7:21 but Jesus ⁶⁹  did so ⁷⁰  with a sworn affirmation by the one who said to him, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever’” ⁷¹  – 7:22 accordingly Jesus has become the guarantee ⁷²  of a better covenant. 7:23 And the others ⁷³  who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them ⁷⁴  from continuing in office, ⁷⁵  7:24 but he holds his priesthood permanently since he lives forever. 7:25 So he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 7:26 For it is indeed fitting for us to have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 7:27 He has no need to do every day what those priests do, to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people, since he did this in offering himself once for all. 7:28 For the law appoints as high priests men subject to weakness, ⁷⁶  but the word of solemn affirmation that came after the law appoints a son made perfect forever.

[5:1]  ¹ tn Grk “from among men,” but since the point in context is shared humanity (rather than shared maleness), the plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) has been translated “people.”

[5:1]  ² tn Grk “who is taken from among people is appointed.”

[5:1]  ³ tn Grk “appointed on behalf of people in reference to things relating to God.”

[5:4]  ⁴ sn Honor refers here to the honor of the high priesthood.

[5:4]  ⁵ tn Grk “by himself, on his own.”

[5:4]  ⁶ tn Grk “being called by God.”

[5:5]  ⁷ tn Grk “the one”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:5]  ⁸ tn Grk “I have begotten you”; see Heb 1:5.

[5:6]  ⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:6]  ¹⁰ sn A quotation from Ps 110:4.

[5:7]  ¹¹ tn Grk “in the days of his flesh.”

[5:7]  ¹² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:7]  ¹³ tn Grk “who…having offered,” continuing the description of Christ from Heb 5:5-6.

[5:8]  ¹⁴ sn There is a wordplay in the Greek text between the verbs “learned” (ἔμαθεν, emaqen) and “suffered” (ἔπαθεν, epaqen).

[5:10]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “having been designated,” continuing the thought of Heb 5:9.

[5:10]  ¹⁶ sn The phrase in the order of Melchizedek picks up the quotation from Ps 110:4 in Heb 5:6.

[5:11]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “concerning which the message for us is great.”

[5:11]  ¹⁸ tn Or “dull.”

[5:12]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “because of the time.”

[5:12]  ²⁰ tn Grk “the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God.”

[5:12]  ²¹ tn Grk “you have come to have a need for.”

[5:12]  ²² tc ‡ Most texts, including some early and important ones (א² A B* D Ψ 0122 0278 1881 Ï sy Cl), have καί (kai, “and”) immediately preceding οὐ (ou, “not”), but other equally significant witnesses (Ì⁴⁶ א* B² C 33 81 1739 lat Or Did) lack the conjunction. As it was a natural tendency for scribes to add a coordinating conjunction, the καί appears to be a motivated reading. On balance, it is probably best to regard the shorter reading as authentic. NA²⁷ has καί in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[6:1]  ²³ tn Grk “Therefore leaving behind.” The implication is not of abandoning this elementary information, but of building on it.

[6:1]  ²⁴ tn Or “basic.”

[6:1]  ²⁵ tn Grk “the message of the beginning of Christ.”

[6:1]  ²⁶ tn Grk “leaving behind…let us move on.”

[6:3]  ²⁷ tn Grk “and we will do this.”

[6:6]  ²⁸ tn Or “have fallen away.”

[6:6]  ²⁹ tn Or “while”; Grk “crucifying…and holding.” The Greek participles here (“crucifying…and holding”) can be understood as either causal (“since”) or temporal (“while”).

[6:6]  ³⁰ tn Grk “recrucifying the son of God for themselves.”

[6:7]  ³¹ tn Grk “comes upon.”

[6:8]  ³² tn Grk “near to a curse.”

[6:12]  ³³ tn Or “dull.”

[6:14]  ³⁴ tn Grk “in blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply you,” the Greek form of a Hebrew idiom showing intensity.

[6:15]  ³⁵ tn Grk “he”; in the translation the referent (Abraham) has been specified for clarity.

[6:16]  ³⁶ tn The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποι (anqrwpoi) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, and is thus translated “people.”

[6:16]  ³⁷ tn Grk “by something greater”; the rest of the comparison (“than themselves”) is implied.

[6:16]  ³⁸ tn Grk “the oath for confirmation is an end of all dispute.”

[6:17]  ³⁹ tn Grk “in which.”

[6:17]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “immutable” (here and in v. 18); Grk “the unchangeableness of his purpose.”

[6:18]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “have taken refuge”; the basis of that refuge is implied in the preceding verse.

[6:19]  ⁴² sn The curtain refers to the veil or drape in the temple that separated the holy place from the holy of holies.

[6:20]  ⁴³ sn A quotation from Ps 110:4, picked up again from Heb 5:6, 10.

[7:1]  ⁴⁴ sn A series of quotations from Gen 14:17-19.

[7:2]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “to whom,” continuing the description of Melchizedek. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[7:2]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:2]  ⁴⁷ sn A quotation from Gen 14:20.

[7:2]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “first being interpreted,” describing Melchizedek.

[7:4]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “to whom.”

[7:4]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:5]  ⁵¹ tn Or “the priesthood.”

[7:5]  ⁵² tn Grk “from their brothers.” See BDAG 18-19 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.b.

[7:5]  ⁵³ tn Grk “have come from the loins of Abraham.”

[7:6]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “the one”; in the translation the referent (Melchizedek) has been specified for clarity.

[7:6]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “is not descended from them.”

[7:6]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “a tenth part.”

[7:6]  ⁵⁷ sn The verbs “collected…and blessed” emphasize the continuing effect of the past actions, i.e., Melchizedek’s importance.

[7:10]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “in the loins of his father” (a reference to Abraham). The name “Abraham” has been repeated in the translation at this point (cf. v. 9) in order to clarify the referent (i.e., what ancestor was in view).

[7:11]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “based on it.”

[7:12]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “of necessity a change in the law comes to pass.”

[7:13]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “shares in.”

[7:13]  ⁶² tn Grk “from which no one.”

[7:16]  ⁶³ tn Grk “a law of a fleshly command.”

[7:17]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “for he/it is witnessed that.”

[7:17]  ⁶⁵ sn A quotation from Ps 110:4 (see Heb 5:6 and 6:20).

[7:18]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “the setting aside of a former command comes to pass.”

[7:18]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “because of its weakness and uselessness.”

[7:20]  ⁶⁸ sn The Greek text contains an elaborate comparison between v. 20a and v. 22, with a parenthesis (vv. 20b-21) in between; the comparison is literally, “by as much as…by so much” or “to the degree that…to that same degree.”

[7:21]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:21]  ⁷⁰ tn The words “did so” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[7:21]  ⁷¹ sn A quotation from Ps 110:4 (see Heb 5:6, 6:20, and 7:17).

[7:22]  ⁷² tn Or “surety.”

[7:23]  ⁷³ tn Grk “they on the one hand” in contrast with “he on the other hand” in v. 24.

[7:23]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “they were prevented by death.”

[7:23]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “from continuing” (the words “in office” are supplied for clarity).

[7:28]  ⁷⁶ sn See Heb 5:2 where this concept was introduced.