Letters to the Churches

for He doth testify--`Thou art a priest--to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;'

for a disannulling indeed doth come of the command going before because of its weakness, and unprofitableness,

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

And inasmuch as it is not apart from oath, (for those indeed apart from oath are become priests,

and he with an oath through Him who is saying unto him, `The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest--to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;')

by so much of a better covenant hath Jesus become surety,

and those indeed are many who have become priests, because by death they are hindered from remaining;

and he, because of his remaining--to the age, hath the priesthood not transient,

whence also he is able to save to the very end, those coming through him unto God--ever living to make intercession for them.

For such a chief priest did become us--kind, harmless, undefiled, separate from the sinners, and become higher than the heavens,

who hath no necessity daily, as the chief priests, first for his own sins to offer up sacrifice, then for those of the people; for this he did once, having offered up himself;

for the law doth appoint men chief priests, having infirmity, but the word of the oath that is after the law appointeth the Son--to the age having been perfected.

And the sum concerning the things spoken of is : we have such a chief priest, who did sit down at the right hand of the throne of the greatness in the heavens,

of the holy places a servant, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord did set up, and not man,

for every chief priest to offer both gifts and sacrifices is appointed, whence it is necessary for this one to have also something that he may offer;

for if, indeed, he were upon earth, he would not be a priest--(there being the priests who are offering according to the law, the gifts,

who unto an example and shadow do serve of the heavenly things, as Moses hath been divinely warned, being about to construct the tabernacle, for `See (saith He) thou mayest make all things according to the pattern that was shewn to thee in the mount;') --

and now he hath obtained a more excellent service, how much also of a better covenant is he mediator, which on better promises hath been sanctioned,

for if that first were faultless, a place would not have been sought for a second.

For finding fault, He saith to them, `Lo, days come, saith the Lord, and I will complete with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah, a new covenant,

not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day of My taking them by their hand, to bring them out of the land of Egypt--because they did not remain in My covenant, and I did not regard them, saith the Lord, --

because this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saith the Lord, giving My laws into their mind, and upon their hearts I will write them, and I will be to them for a God, and they shall be to Me for a people;

and they shall not teach each his neighbour, and each his brother, saying, Know thou the Lord, because they shall all know Me from the small one of them unto the great one of them,

because I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawlessnesses I will remember no more;' --

in the saying `new,' He hath made the first old, and what doth become obsolete and is old is nigh disappearing.