1 E very Jewish religious leader is chosen from among men. He is a helper standing between God and men. He gives gifts on the altar in worship to God from the people. He gives blood from animals for the sins of the people.

For 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.

2 A Jewish religious leader is weak in many ways because he is just a man himself. He knows how to be gentle with those who know little. He knows how to help those who are doing wrong.

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

3 B ecause he is weak himself, he must give gifts to God for his own sins as well as for the sins of the people.

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

4 A Jewish religious leader does not choose this honor for himself. God chooses a man for this work. Aaron was chosen this way. Christ Is Our Religious Leader Who Has Made the Way for Man to Go to God

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

5 I t is the same way with Christ. He did not choose the honor of being a Religious Leader Who has made the way for man to go to God. Instead, God said to Christ, “You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father.”

So 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;

6 G od says in another part of His Word, “You will be a Religious Leader forever. You will be like Melchizedek.”

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

7 D uring the time Jesus lived on earth, He prayed and asked God with loud cries and tears. Jesus’ prayer was to God Who was able to save Him from death. God heard Christ because Christ honored God.

In 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].

8 E ven being God’s Son, He learned to obey by the things He suffered.

Although He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered

9 A nd having been made perfect, He planned and made it possible for all those who obey Him to be saved from the punishment of sin.

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

10 I n God’s plan He was to be a Religious Leader Who made the way for man to go to God. He was like Melchizedek. Do Not Fall Back Into Sin

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

11 T here is much we could say about this, but it is hard to make you understand. It is because you do not want to hear well.

Concerning 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].

12 B y now you should be teachers. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the first things you need to know from God’s Word. You still need milk instead of solid food.

For 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.

13 A nyone who lives on milk cannot understand the teaching about being right with God. He is a baby.

For 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!

14 S olid food is for full-grown men. They have learned to use their minds to tell the difference between good and bad.

But 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.