13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

15 And it is yet far more evident, for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec.

18 For there is verily a disannullinge of the commandment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest;

21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec :)

22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.d

e Disannulling, repealing.

d A surety, A mediator of a better

covenant.

unchangeable.

23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens ;

27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests; to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's; for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated forevermore.

CHAP. VIII. By Christ's eternal priesthood the Levitical priesthood is abolished.

NOW of the things which we have spoken this is the sum; We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens ;

2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernaele, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

5 Who serve unto the ex

ample and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God, when he was about to make the tabernacle; for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry,a by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

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

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

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

a But now hath be, Jesus Christ.

The rites and

10 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 write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now, that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

CHAP. IX.

1 The rites and bloody sacri fices of the law, 11 far infe rior to the blood and sacrifice of Christ.

THEN verily the first cov enant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shew-bread; which is called The Sanctua ry.

3 And after the second vail the tabernacle, which is called, The Holiest of all;

4 Which had the golden

censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the cove nant;

5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

6 Now, when these things were thus ordained, the priest went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God:

But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the ple:

peo

8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

11 But Christ being come, an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made

of the law.

with hands, that is to say, not of this building ;a

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once, into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

13 For if the blood of bulls, and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh;

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

17 For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

18 Whereupon, neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people, according to the a Not of this building, not of this lower world, or this creation.

law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people,

20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

21 Moreover, he sprinkled likewise with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding

of blood is no remission.

28 It was, therefore, necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these ; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world,b hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment;

b In the end of the world, at the conclusion of the Mosaic dispensation.

inferior to Christ.

28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation.

CHAP. X.

1 The weakness of the law-sacrifices. 10 The sacrifice of Christ's body once offered effectually. 19 An exhortation to faith and patience. FOR the law, having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect.

2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered ? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.

4 For it is not possible, that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

5 Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith,a Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

6 In burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it

a He saith, Ps. xl. 6.

The weakness of

is written of me,b) to do thy will, O God.

8 Above, when he said, Sacrifice, and offering, and burnt-offerings, and offering for sin, thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; (which are offered by the law;) 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he establish the second. may

10 By the which will, we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 And every priest standeth daily ministering, and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God;

13 From henceforth expecting,c till his enemies be made his footstool.d

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified;

15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us; for after that he had said before,

16 This is the covenant that I will make with them; after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

b It is written of me, Gen. iii. 15. e Expecting, waiting.

d Be made his footstool, be utterly destroyed,

the law sacrifices.

17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18 Now, where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19 Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh;

21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

22 Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering: (for he is faithful that promised;)

24 And let us consider one another, to provoke unto love, and to good works.

25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.e

26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful

e The day approaching, the day of the destruction of the Jewish state, and of calamity to the unbelieving Hebrews.