1 F or every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in things relating to God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

For every chief priest -- out of men taken -- in behalf of men is set in things to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins,

2 H e is able to exercise gentleness and forbearance toward the ignorant and erring, since he himself also is liable to moral weakness and physical infirmity.

able to be gentle to those ignorant and going astray, since himself also is compassed with infirmity;

3 A nd because of this he is obliged to offer sacrifice for his own sins, as well as for those of the people.

and because of this infirmity he ought, as for the people, so also for himself to offer for sins;

4 B esides, one does not appropriate for himself the honor, but he is called by God and receives it of Him, just as Aaron did.

and no one to himself doth take the honour, but he who is called by God, as also Aaron:

5 S o too Christ (the Messiah) did not exalt Himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed and exalted by Him Who said to Him, You are My Son; today I have begotten You;

so also the Christ did not glorify himself to become chief priest, but He who spake unto him: `My Son thou art, I to-day have begotten thee;'

6 A s He says also in another place, You are a Priest forever after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.

as also in another He saith, `Thou a priest -- to the age, according to the order of Melchisedek;'

7 I n the days of His flesh offered up definite, special petitions '> but needed] and supplications with strong crying and tears to Him Who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence toward God '> in that He shrank from the horrors of separation from the bright presence of the Father].

who in the days of his flesh both prayers and supplications unto Him who was able to save him from death -- with strong crying and tears -- having offered up, and having been heard in respect to that which he feared,

8 A lthough He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered

through being a Son, did learn by the things which he suffered -- the obedience,

9 A nd, making Him perfectly, He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him,

and having been made perfect, he did become to all those obeying him a cause of salvation age-during,

10 B eing designated and recognized and saluted by God as High Priest after the order (with the rank) of Melchizedek.

having been addressed by God a chief priest, according to the order of Melchisedek,

11 C oncerning this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull in your hearing and sluggish '> slothful in achieving spiritual insight].

concerning whom we have much discourse and of hard explanation to say, since ye have become dull of hearing,

12 F or even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God’s Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food.

for even owing to be teachers, because of the time, again ye have need that one teach you what the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God, and ye have become having need of milk, and not of strong food,

13 F or everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant!

for every one who is partaking of milk unskilled in the word of righteousness -- for he is an infant,

14 B ut solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law.

and of perfect men is the strong food, who because of the use are having the senses exercised, unto the discernment both of good and of evil.