But as it is, ¹  they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

It contained the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered entirely with gold. In this ark ¹  were the golden urn containing the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

But ¹  showing its fault, ²  God ³  says to them, ⁴  “Look, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.

By faith he lived as a foreigner ¹  in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs ²  of the same promise.

keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. ¹ 

“It will not be like the covenant ¹  that I made with their fathers, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant and I had no regard for them, says the Lord.

God had told him, “Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name,” ¹ 

For the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sins. ¹ 

And just as people ¹  are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment, ² 

Now without dispute the inferior is blessed by the superior,

In the same way ¹  God wanted to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeable, ²  and so he intervened with an oath,

and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive.

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. So this one too had to have something to offer.

For here is the testimony about him: ¹  “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” ² 

And above the ark ¹  were the cherubim ²  of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Now is not the time to speak of these things in detail.

Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.

And since ¹  this was not done without a sworn affirmation – for the others have become priests without a sworn affirmation,

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, sure and steadfast, which reaches inside behind the curtain, ¹ 

So if perfection had in fact been possible through the Levitical priesthood – for on that basis ¹  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?