1 T odo sumo sacerdote es elegido entre los hombres, y constituido a favor de los hombres ante la presencia de Dios, para presentar ofrendas y sacrificios por los pecados

Every 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.

2 y para mostrarse paciente con los ignorantes y extraviados, ya que él mismo adolece de la debilidad humana.

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.

3 P or eso mismo debe presentar una ofrenda por sus propios pecados, así como por los del pueblo.

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

4 P ero nadie puede tomar este honor por cuenta propia, sino sólo el que es llamado por Dios, como en el caso de Aarón.

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

5 T ampoco Cristo se glorificó a sí mismo haciéndose sumo sacerdote, sino que ese honor se lo dio el que le dijo: «Tú eres mi Hijo, Yo te he engendrado hoy»,

It 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.”

6 y que en otro lugar también dice: «Tú eres sacerdote para siempre, según el orden de Melquisedec».

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

7 C uando Cristo vivía en este mundo, con gran clamor y lágrimas ofreció ruegos y súplicas al que lo podía librar de la muerte, y fue escuchado por su temor reverente.

During 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.

8 A unque era Hijo, aprendió a obedecer mediante el sufrimiento;

Even being God’s Son, He learned to obey by the things He suffered.

9 y una vez que alcanzó la perfección, llegó a ser el autor de la salvación eterna para todos los que le obedecen,

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

10 y Dios lo declaró sumo sacerdote, según el orden de Melquisedec. Advertencia contra la apostasía

In 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

11 A cerca de esto tenemos mucho que decir, aunque no es fácil explicarlo porque ustedes son lentos para entender.

There 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.

12 A unque después de tanto tiempo ya debieran ser maestros, todavía es necesario que se les vuelva a enseñar lo más elemental de las palabras de Dios. Esto es tan así que lo que necesitan es leche, y no alimento sólido.

By 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.

13 P ero todos los que se alimentan de leche son inexpertos en la palabra de justicia, porque son como niños.

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

14 E l alimento sólido es para los que ya han alcanzado la madurez, para los que pueden discernir entre el bien y el mal, y han ejercitado su capacidad de tomar decisiones.

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