9But, beloved, we are persuaded concerning you that things are better, and connected with salvation, though we thus speak. 10For God is not unjust, to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have demonstrated in his name, having ministered assistance to the saints, and still ministering. 11But we earnestly desire that every one of you do manifest the same diligence, in order to obtain the full assurance of hope unto the end: 12that ye be not slothful, but imitators of those who, by faith and long suffering, are inheriting the promises. 13For God when he gave the promise to Abraham forasmuch as he had nothing greater to swear by, sware by himself, 14saying, “Verily, blessing, I will bless thee, and multiplying, I will multiply thee[134].” 15And so after long patient waiting he obtained the promise. 16For men indeed swear by something greater than themselves; and an oath for confirmation is with them conclusive in all disputes. 17And thus God, designing more abundantly to demonstrate to the heirs of promise the immutability of his will, pledged himself by oath, 18that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us; 19which, as an anchor for our soul, we hold both sure and stedfast, and entering into the sanctuary within the vail, 20into which the forerunner for us is entered, even Jesus, made after the order of Melchisedec an high-priest for ever.
[CHAP. VII.]
FOR this Melchisedec, king of Salem, a priest of God most high, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; 2to whom also Abraham gave a tenth share of all the spoil: being, as the interpretation of his name imports, first, King of righteousness, and then also King of Salem, that is, King of peace: 3without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but in exact resemblance with the Son of God, abideth a priest for ever. 4Now observe how great is this Melchisedec, to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave the tenth of the spoils. 5For they indeed of the sons of Levi, who are admitted to priesthood, have an order to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though also sprung from the loins of Abraham. 6But he who derived not his genealogy from them, received tithes from Abraham, and blessed him who had the promises; 7but without all dispute the inferior receives benediction from the superior. 8And here indeed dying men receive the tithes, but there he hath a testimony borne to him that he liveth. 9And, if I may so say, through Abraham even Levi, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes. 10For he was as yet in the loins of his father when Melchisedec met him. 11If therefore there was perfection by the Levitical priesthood (for under that the people had the law given to them), what farther need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12For the priesthood being transferred, there is of necessity an abrogation of the law also. 13For he to whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, in which no man approached the altar. 14For it is evident that our Lord sprang from Judah; to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the priesthood; 15and it is yet more abundantly evident, that there should arise another priest after the likeness of Melchisedec, 16who was not made such by the law of a carnal commandment, but by the power of a life indissoluble. 17For the testimony is, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 18For there is indeed an abrogation of the preceding command, because of its weakness and inutility. 19For the law led to no perfection, but was an introduction to a better hope, by which we draw nigh unto God.
20Moreover, forasmuch as he was not made priest without an oath, 21(for they indeed were made priests without an oath; but he with an oath, by him who said unto him, “The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:”) 22by so much is Jesus become the surety of a better testament.
23And they indeed are many who were made priests, because by death they were prevented from abiding in their office: 24but this person, because he abideth for ever, hath a priesthood that passeth not over to another. 25Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost those who come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26For such an high-priest was suitable to us, holy, inoffensive, spotless, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens: 27who hath not daily need, as the high-priests, first, to offer sacrifice for their own sins, afterwards, for those of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself. 28For the law constitutes men high-priests, though they have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which is since the law, constitutes the Son, unto eternity completely perfect.
[CHAP. VIII.]
NOW the summary of the things spoken is this: we have such an high-priest, who hath taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of Majesty in the heavens; 2a minister of the holies, and of the true tabernacle which the Lord hath pitched, and not man. 3For every high-priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that this person also have somewhat to offer. 4For if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, there being priests who offer gifts according to the law; 5who perform the service after the figure and shadow of things in the heavens, as Moses was divinely instructed, when he was about to finish the tabernacle. “For see,” saith God, “that thou make all things according to the model shewed thee on the mount[135].” 6But now hath Christ obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as he is the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been established on better promises.
7For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no place sought for a second. 8For finding fault with them, he saith, “Behold, the days are coming, saith the Lord; and I will accomplish for the house of Israel and for the house of Judah a new covenant: 9not according to that covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day when I laid hold upon their hand to lead them up out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I took no longer care of them, saith the Lord. 10For this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; giving my laws to their understanding, even on their hearts will I inscribe them: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. 11And they shall no more teach every man his neighbour, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me from the mean man of them unto the great among them. 12For I will be placable to their unrighteousnesses and their sins, and their iniquities I will never more remember[136].” 13In calling it a new covenant, he hath made the first antiquated. Now what is antiquated and grown aged, is near evanescence.
[CHAP. IX.]
THEN also the first tabernacle had indeed regulations for the divine service, and a sanctuary furnished. 2For the tabernacle was prepared; the first part, in which was both the candlestick, and the table, and the shew-bread, which is called the holy. 3But behind the second vail was the tabernacle, called the holy of holies: 4having the golden censer, and the coffer of the covenant, overlaid with gold within and without, in which were the golden urn containing the manna, and Aaron’s rod which had budded, and the stone tables of the covenant; 5and above, over it the cherubim of glory, overshadowing the propitiatory. 6Now when these things were thus disposed, the priests entered continually into the first tabernacle indeed, performing the divine services: 7but into the second once in every year entered the high-priest alone, not without blood, which he offered for his own inadvertencies, and for those of the people: 8the Holy Ghost thus signifying, that the way into the holies was not yet made manifest, whilst the first tabernacle held its station; 9which figurative representation continues unto the present time, according to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot, with respect to conscience, make him perfect who performs the services, 10as they consist only of meats, and drinks, and different ablutions, and corporal services, until the appointed time of perfect reformation.