Chapter 5

The office of a high priest. Christ is our high priest.

1. 1

   For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins:

2. 2

   Who can have compassion on them who are ignorant, and err: because he himself also is encompassed with infirmity:

3. 3

   And therefore he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

4. 4

   Neither doth any man take the honour to himself but he that is called by God, as Aaron was.

5. 5

   So also Christ did not glorify himself to be made a high priest: but he that said to him: Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

6. 6

   As he saith also in another place: Thou art a priest forever, according to the order of Melchisedech.

7. 7

   Who in the days of his flesh, offering up prayers and supplications, with a strong cry and tears to him, that was able to save him from death, was heard for his reverence.

8. 8

   And whereas indeed he was the Son of God, he learned obedience by the things which he suffered:

9. 9

   And being consummated, he became the cause of eternal salvation to all that obey him,

10. 10

    Called by God a high priest, according to the order of Melchisedech.

11. 11

    Of whom we have great things to say, and hard to be intelligibly uttered: because you are become weak to hear.

12. 12

    For whereas for the time you ought to be masters; you have need to be taught again what are the first rudiments of the oracles of God: and you are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food.

13. 13

    For every one that is a partaker of milk, is unskilful in the word of justice: for he is a little child.

14. 14

    But solid food is for the perfect: for those who by use have their senses exercised to the discerning of good and evil.