[CHAP. III.]
WHEREFORE, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, contemplate the apostle and high-priest whom ye confess, Jesus Christ; 2who was faithful to him who appointed him, as Moses also was in all his house. 3For this personage hath been counted worthy of higher glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who built it, hath greater honour than the house. 4For every house is built by some person; but he who is the architect of all things is God. 5And Moses indeed was faithful in all that house of his as a servant, to bear testimony of the things which should be after spoken; 6but Christ as a son over his own house: whose house are we, if we hold firmly the confidence and glorying of hope stedfast unto the end. 7Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith[131], To day if ye will hear his voice, 8harden not your hearts, as in that bitter provocation, at the day of the temptation in the wilderness; 9when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works during forty years. 10Wherefore I was provoked against that generation, and said, They are always deluded in heart, and they have not known my ways: 11so I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest. 12Take heed, brethren, that there be not in any one of you a wicked heart of infidelity, evident in departure from the living God: 13but exhort one another daily, whilst to-day remains, that no one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we are partakers with Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end; 15while it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts as in the provocation. 16For some, though they had heard, provoked him; yet not all who came out of Egypt by Moses. 17But against whom was he incensed forty years? Was it not against those who had sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18And to whom did he swear that they should not enter into his rest, but to those who did not believe? 19So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
[CHAP. IV.]
LET us fear then lest, though a promise be left of entering into his rest, any one of you should appear to fail of obtaining it. 2For we are hearing the same gospel preached as they did; but the word heard did not profit them, not being incorporated by faith with those who heard it. 3For we who have believed, have entered into the rest, even as he said, “So, I sware in my wrath, that they shall not enter into my rest;” and that notwithstanding the works were done from the foundation of the world. 4For he said in a certain passage concerning the seventh day to this purport, “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works[132].” 5And in this passage again, “They shall not enter into my rest.” 6Forasmuch therefore as it remaineth for some to enter into it, and they who first had the gospel preached to them entered not in because of unbelief; 7again he limiteth a certain day, saying by David, To-day, after so long a time; as it is said, “To-day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts.” 8For if Joshua had given them the rest, he would not afterwards have spoken of another day. 9A sabbatical rest then still remaineth for the people of God. 10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath rested from his works, as God did from his own. 11Let us then earnestly endeavour to enter into that rest, lest any person fall after the same example of unbelief. 12For the word of God is quickening, and energetic, and sharper than every two-edged sword, and piercing through and through, so as to divide both soul and spirit, both joints and spinal marrow, and critically judges the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13Even creation is not invisible before him, but all things are naked, and fully displayed before his eyes, to whom we must give our account.
14Having then a great high-priest passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the confession. 15For we have not an high-priest incapable of a fellow-feeling with our infirmities, but one tempted in all points, in exact resemblance with ourselves, sin excepted. 16Let us therefore approach with boldness the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace for seasonable help.
[CHAP. V.]
FOR, every high-priest taken from among men, is constituted on behalf of men for those services which relate to God, that he should offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2being able to feel tenderly for the ignorant and erroneous; forasmuch as he is himself encompassed with infirmity. 3And on this account he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifice for sins. 4And no man assumes to himself this honour, but he who is called of God, even as Aaron was. 5So Christ also did not himself assume the glory to become high-priest, but he gave it who spake to him, “Thou art my Son; I have this day begotten thee.” 6As he saith also in another passage, “Thou art priest forever after the order of Melchisedec[133];” 7who in the days of his flesh, with strong crying and tears, having offered up prayers and supplications to him who was able to save him from death, and being heard for his reverential awe, 8though he was a son, he learned obedience from the things which he suffered: 9and complete himself, he became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him; 10publicly proclaimed of God high-priest after the order of Melchisedec.
11Concerning whom we have much to discourse, and of difficult interpretation to explain, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12For though ye ought for the time to be teachers of others, ye have again need that some one teach you the leading principles of the oracles of God; and are become as those who need milk, and not solid food. 13For every one who useth milk is inexperienced in the word of righteousness: for he is an infant. 14But solid nourishment is proper for grown men, even as many as by habit have their organs of perception exercised for the discernment both of good and evil.
[CHAP. VI.]
WHEREFORE, desisting from initiatory discourse respecting Christ, let us advance towards perfection; not again laying a foundation of repentance from dead works, and faith in God, 2of the doctrine of ablutions, and of imposition of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3And so we will do, if God permit. 4For it is not possible to renew again unto repentance those who have been once illuminated, and have tasted the celestial gift, and have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6and yet have fallen away: for they crucify again to themselves the Son of God, and expose him to public infamy. 7For the earth which imbibes the rain which often falls upon it, and bringeth forth herbage suitable for those by whom it is cultured, receiveth a blessing from God; 8but if it produceth thorns and thistles, it is abandoned, and near the curse of barrenness, whose end will be for burning.