ward have spoken of another to God, that he may offer both day. gifts and sacrifices for sins: 9 There remaineth therefore 2 Who can have compasa rest to the people of God. sion on the ignorant, and on 10 For he that is entered in-them that are out of the way; to his rest, he also hath ceased for that he himself also is comfrom his own works, as God passed with infirmity.

did from his.)

3 And by reason hereof he 11 Let us labour therefore to ought, as for the people, so also enter into that rest, lest any man for himself, to offer for sins. fall after the same example of un- 4 And no man taketh this belief. honour unto himself, but he that

12 For the word of God is is called of God, as was Aaron: quick, and powerful, and sharp- 5 So also Christ glorified not er than any two-edged sword, himself to be made a high piercing even to the dividing priest; but he that said unto asunder of soul and spirit, and him, Thou art my Son, to-day of the joints and marrow, and is have I begotten thee.

a discerner of the thoughts and 6 As he saith also in anothintents of the heart. er place, Thou art a priest for 13 Neither is there any crea-ever after the order of Melchisture that is not manifest in his edec. sight: but all things are naked 7 Who in the days of his and opened unto the eyes of him flesh, when he had offered up with whom we have to do. prayers and supplications with

14 Seeing then that we have strong crying and tears unto a great High Priest, that is pass-him that was able to save him ed into the heavens, Jesus the from death, and was heard in Son of God, let us hold fast our that he feared; profession.

8 Though he were a Son, 15 For we have not a high yet learned he obedience by the priest which cannot be touched things which he suffered; with the feeling of our infirmi- 9 And being made perfect, ties: but was in all points temp- he became the author of eternal ted like as we are, yet without salvation unto all them that sin. obey him:

16 Let us therefore come 10 Called of God a high boldly unto the throne of grace, priest after the order of Melthat we may obtain mercy, and chisedec. find grace to help in time of need.

CHAP. V.

Of the high priests taken from among men ; wherewith Christ's priesthood is compared, and its privileges set forth.

11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have

FOR every high priest taken need that one teach you again from among men, is ordain- which be the first principles of ed for men in things pertaining the oracles of God; and are be

come such as have need of milk, thorns and briars is rejected, and and not of strong meat. is nigh unto cursing; whose end

of

13 For every one that useth is to be burned. milk, is unskilful in the word 9 But, beloved, we are perrighteousness: for he is a babe. suaded better things of you, and 14 But strong meat belongeth things that accompany salvato them that are of full age, tion, though we thus speak. even those who by reason of 10 For God is not unrightuse have their senses exercised eous to forget your work and to discern both good and evil. labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the

CHAP. VI.

1 The higher doctrines of Christianity proposed to be treated of....10 Of charitable saints, and do minister. deeds, &c. 11 And we desire that every

TH

HEREFORE leaving the one of you do shew the same principles of the doctrine diligence to the full assurance of of Christ, let us go on unto per- hope unto the end: fection; not laying again the 12 That ye be not slothful, foundation of repentance from but followers of them who dead works, and of faith toward through faith and patience inGod, herit the promises.

2 Of the doctrine of baptism, 13 For when God made. and of laying on of hands, and promise to Abraham, because of resurrection of the dead, he could swear by no greater, and of eternal judgment. he sware by himself,

3 And this will we do, if 14 Saying, Surely blessing I God permit. will bless thee, and multiplying 4 For it is impossible for I will multiply thee. those who were once enlighten- 15 And so, after he had paed, and have tasted of the heav-tiently endured, he obtained the enly gifts, and were made parta-promise. kers of the Holy Ghost,

16 For men verily swear by 5 And have tasted the good the greater: and an oath for word of God, and the powers confirmation is to them an end of the world to come, of all strife. 6 If they shall fall away, to 17 Wherein God, willing more renew them again unto repen- abundantly to shew unto the tance; seeing they crucify to heirs of promise the immutabilithemselves the Son of God ty of his counsel, confirmed it afresh, and put him to an open by an oath :

shame.

18 That by two immutable

7 For the earth which drin- things, in which it was impossiketh in the rain that cometh oft ble for God to lie, we might have upon it, and bringeth forth herbs a strong consolation, who have meet for them by whom it is fled for refuge to lay hold upon dressed, receiveth blessing from the hope set before us: 19 Which hope we have as 8 But that which beareth an anchor of the soul. both sure

God:

and steadfast, and which en-them, of whom it is witnessed tereth into that within the vail; that he liveth.

20 Whither the forerunner 9 And as I may so say, Levi is for us entered,even Jesus, made also, who receiveth tithes, paid a high priest for ever after the tithes in Abraham.

order of Melchisedec.

CHAP. VII.

1 Christ, a priest after the order of Melchisedec, 11 is proved to be far more excellent than the priests of Aaron's order.

FOR

10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priestOR this Melchisedec, king hood, (for under it the people of Salem, priest of the most received the law,) what further high God, who met Abraham need was there that another returning from the slaughter of priest should rise after the order the kings, and blessed him; of Melchisedec, and not be cal

2 To whom also Abraham led after the order of Aaron? gave a tenth part of all; first be- 12 For the priesthood being ing by interpretation King of changed, there is made of nerighteousness, and after that al- cessity a change also of the so King of Salem, which is, law.

King of peace;

13 For he of whom these 3 Without father, without things are spoken pertaineth to mother, without descent, having another tribe, of which no man neither beginning of days, nor gave attendance at the altar. end of life; but made like unto 14 For it is evident that our the Son of God; abideth a priest Lord sprang out of Juda; of continually. which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive 16 Who is made, not after the the office of the priesthood, have law of a carnal commandment, a commandment to take tithes but after the power of an endof the people according to the less life.

law, that is, of their brethren, 17 For he testifieth, Thou though they come out of the art a priest for ever after the loins of Abraham: order of Melchisedec.

6 But he whose descent is 18 For there is verily a disnot counted from them received annulling of the commandment tithes of Abraham, and blessed going before, for the weakness him that had the promises. and unprofitableness thereof.

7 And without all contradic- 19 For the law made nothtion the less is blessed of the bet- ing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. 20 And inasmuch as not

ter.

8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth

without an oath he was made hand of the throne of the Majpriest: esty in the heavens ; 21 (For those priests were 2 A minister of the sanctuamade without an oath; but this ry, and of the true tabernacle, with an oath, by him that said which the Lord pitched, and unto him, The Lord sware, and not man. will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Mel- dained to offer gifts and sacrifichisedec :) ces: wherefore it is of necessity 22 By so much was Jesus that this man have somewhat made a surety of a better tes- also to offer.

tament.

of death:

3 For every high priest is or

4 For if he were on earth, he

23 And they truly were many should not be a priest, seeing priests, because they were not that there are priests that offer suffered to continue by reason gifts according to the law: 5 Who serve unto the exam-· 24 But this man, because he ple and shadow of heavenly continueth ever, hath an un- things, as Moses was admonishchangeable priesthood. ed of God when he was about

25 Wherefore he is able also to make the tabernacle: for, See to save them to the uttermost (saith he) that thou make all that come unto God by him, things according to the pattern seeing he ever liveth to make shewed to thee in the mount. intercession for them. 6 But now hath he obtained

26 For such a high priest a more excellent ministry, by became us, who is holy, harmless, how much also he is the mediaundefiled, separate from sinners, tor of a better covenant, which and made higher than the heav- was established upon better promises.

ens;

27 Who needeth not daily, 7 For if that first covenant had as those high priests, to offer up been faultless, then should no sacrifice, first for his own sins, place have been sought for the and then for the people's: for second. this he did once, when he offered up himself.

8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, 28 For the law maketh men saith the Lord, when I will high priests which have infir- make a new covenant with the mity; but the word of the oath, house of Israel and with the which was since the law, mak- house of Judah : eth the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

CHAP. VIII.

9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them 1 The excellency of Christ's ministry, 6 be- by the hand to lead them out of ing the mediator of a better covenant. the land of Egypt; because they TOW of the things which we continued not in my covenant, have spoken this is the and I regarded them not, saith sum: We have such a high the Lord.

NOW

priest, who is set on the right 10 For this is the covenant

that I will make with the house seat; of which we cannot now of Israel, after those days, saith speak particularly. the Lord; I will put my laws in- 6 Now when these things to their mind, and write them were thus ordained, the priest in their hearts: and I will be to went always into the first tabthem a God, and they shall be to ernacle, accomplishing the serme a people : vice of God:

11 And they shall not teach 7 But into the second went. every man his neighbour, and the high priest alone once every every man his brother, saying, year, not without blood, which Know the Lord for all shall he offered for himself, and for know me, from the least to the the errors of the people: 8 The Holy Ghost this signi

greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to fying, that the way into the holitheir unrighteousness, and their est of all was not yet made sins and their iniquities will I manifest, while as the first tabremember no more. ernacle was yet standing:

13 In that he saith, A new 9 Which was a figure for the covenant, he hath made the first time then present, in which old. Now that which decayeth were offered both gifts and sacand waxeth old, is ready to van- rifices, that could not make him ish away. that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

CHAP. IX.

10 Which stood only in meats 1 By the imperfection of the legal sacrifices, 11 he sheweth the efficacy of the blood of and drinks, and divers washings, Christ....16 The necessity of Christ's death. and carnal ordinances, imposed HEN verily the first cove- on them until the time of refornant had also ordinances mation.

THE

of divine service, and a worldly

sanctuary.

11 But Christ being come a high priest of good things to 2 For there was a tabernacle come, by a greater and more made; the first wherein was the perfect tabernacle, not made candlestick, and the table, and with hands, that is to say, not the shew-bread; which is call- of this building;

ed the Sanctuary.

12 Neither by the blood of 3 And after the second vail, goats and calves, but by his own the tabernacle which is called blood, he entered in once into the Holiest of all; the holy place, having obtained 4 Which had the golden cen- eternal_redemption for us. ser, and the ark of the covenant 13 For if the blood of bulls overlaid round about with gold, and of goats, and the ashes of a wherein was the golden pot that heifer sprinkling the unclean, had manna, and Aaron's rod that sanctifieth to the purifying of budded, and the tables of the the flesh :

covenant; 14 How much more shall 5 And over it the cherubims the blood of Christ, who through of glory shadowing the mercy- the eternal Spirit offered himself