1For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins;
2[a]he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is [b]clothed in weakness;
3and because of it he is obligated to offersacrifices for sins for himself, as well as for the people.
4And no one takes the honor for himself, but receives it when he is called by God, just as Aaron also was.
5So too Christ did not glorify Himselfin becoming a high priest, but it was He who said to Him,
“YOU ARE MY SON,
TODAY I HAVE FATHERED YOU”;
6just as He also says in anotherpassage,
“YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER
ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”
7In the days of [c]His humanity, [d]He offered up both prayers and pleas with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him [e]from death, and He [f]was heard because of His devout behavior.
8Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.
9And having been perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him,
10being designated by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
11Concerning[g]him we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become[h]poor listeners.
12For though[i]by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the [j]elementary principles of the actual words of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13For everyone who partakesonly of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant.
14But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.
[a]2 Lit being able to [b]2 I.e., weak by nature [c]7 Lit His flesh [d]7 Lit who having offered up [e]7 Or out of [f]7 Lit having been heard [g]11 Lit whom; or which [h]11 Lit sluggish in hearing [i]12 Lit because of the time [j]12 Lit elements of the beginning
