Letters to the Churches

for it is witnessed of him, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.

For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness

(for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw nigh unto God.

And inasmuch as it is not without the taking of an oath

(for they indeed have been made priests without an oath; but he with an oath by him that saith of him, The Lord sware and will not repent himself, Thou art a priest for ever);

by so much also hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant.

And they indeed have been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing:

but he, because he abideth for ever, hath his priesthood unchangeable.

Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people: for this he did once for all, when he offered up himself.

For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, perfected for evermore.

Now in the things which we are saying the chief pointis this: We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.

For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that thishigh priestalso have somewhat to offer.

Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts according to the law;

who servethat which isa copy and shadow of the heavenly things, even as Moses is warnedof Godwhen he is about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern that was showed thee in the mount.

But now hath he obtained a ministry the more excellent, by so much as he is also the mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then would no place have been sought for a second.

For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;

Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers In the day that I took them by the hand to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt; For they continued not in my covenant, And I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, And on their heart also will I write them: And I will be to them a God, And they shall be to me a people:

And they shall not teach every man his fellow-citizen, And every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: For all shall know me, From the least to the greatest of them.

For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And their sins will I remember no more.

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. But that which is becoming old and waxeth aged is nigh unto vanishing away.