not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.

For just a little longer and he who is coming will arrive and not delay.

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of your hope until the end,

When he speaks of a new covenant, he makes the first obsolete. Now what is growing obsolete and aging is about to disappear.

And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham.

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands – the representation of the true sanctuary – but into heaven itself, and he appears now in God’s presence for us.

Instead someone testified somewhere: “What is man that you think of him or the son of man that you care for him?

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakes the living God.

And the others who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them from continuing in office,

So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood – for on that basis 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?

For in fact you shared the sufferings of those in prison, and you accepted the confiscation of your belongings with joy, because you knew that you certainly had a better and lasting possession.

Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior,

but he holds his priesthood permanently since he lives forever.

For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,”

who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent but by the power of an indestructible life.

For it is indeed fitting for us to have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.

But now Jesus has obtained a superior ministry, since the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted on better promises.

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant.