Qualifications for high priesthood

1Now every high priest taken from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins,

2being able to deal gently ⁶⁶with those who sin in ignorance and go astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.

3Because of this he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well, just as he does for the people's.

4Also, no one receives this honor on his own, but upon being called by God, just like Aaron. ⁶⁷

Christ meets the qualifications

5So also Christ did not exalt Himself to become High Priest, but it was He[F] who said to Him[S], “You are my Son; today I have begotten You.” ⁶⁸

6Just as He[F] also says in another place, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” ⁶⁹

7He[S], in the days of His flesh, having offered up both prayers and supplications, with a loud cry and tears, to the One who was able to save Him from death, and having been answered because of His godly fear, ⁷⁰

8although being SON, He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

9And having been completed ⁷¹He became the Source of eternal salvation for all those obeying Him, ⁷²

10having been designated by God as High Priest ‘according to the order of Melchizedek’;

11concerning whom we have much to say, but it is hard to explain, since you have become sluggish in hearing. ⁷³

“Let's move on toward perfection”

12Really, because although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary principles of God's oracles all over again; you have come to the point ⁷⁴of needing milk, not solid food!

13Surely; whoever lives on milk is an infant, and therefore unskilled in the Word of righteousness.

14On the other hand, solid food is for the mature, those who by habitual use have trained their senses to distinguish good from bad. ⁷⁵