THE BOOK
OF HEBREWS
King James Version
1 ¶ God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake
in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these
last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things,
by whom also he made the worlds;
3 Who being the
brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all
things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat
down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
4 ¶ Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath
by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 For unto which
of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten
thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
6 And again, when
he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the
angels of God worship him.
7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and
his ministers a flame of fire.
8 But unto the
Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of
righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved
righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed
thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
10 And, Thou,
Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens
are the works of thine hands:
11 They shall
perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;
12 And as a
vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the
same, and thy years shall not fail.
13 But to which
of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine
enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all
ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of
salvation?
1 ¶ Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the
things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
2 For if the word
spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience
received a just recompence of reward;
3 How shall we
escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken
by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
4 God also
bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles,
and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
5 ¶ For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the
world to come, whereof we speak.
6 But one in a
certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or
the son of man, that thou visitest him?
7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst
him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
8 Thou hast put
all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection
under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet
all things put under him.
9 But we see
Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death,
crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death
for every man.
10 ¶ For it became him, for whom are all things, and by
whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of
their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he
that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he
is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 Saying, I will
declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing
praise unto thee.
13 And again, I
will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath
given me.
14 ¶ Forasmuch then as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part
of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of
death, that is, the devil;
15 And deliver
them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
16 For verily he
took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in
all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make
reconciliation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that he
himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are
tempted.
1 ¶ Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly
calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
2 Who was
faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his
house.
3 For this man
was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded
the house hath more honour than the house.
4 For every house
is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
5 And Moses
verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those
things which were to be spoken after;
6 But Christ as a
son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and
the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
7 ¶ Wherefore (as the Holy
Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
8 Harden not your
hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your
fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
10 Wherefore I
was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart;
and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in
my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 Take heed,
brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing
from the living God.
13 But exhort one
another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through
the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we
hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
15 While it is
said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the
provocation.
16 For some, when
they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17 But with whom
was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose
carcases fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom
sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed
not?
19 So we see that
they could not enter in because of unbelief.
1 ¶ Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us
of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was
the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit
them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which
have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if
they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the
foundation of the world.
4 For he spake in
a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh
day from all his works.
5 And in this
place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing
therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was
first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after
so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not
your hearts.
8 For if Jesus
had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth
therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is
entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from
his.
11 ¶ Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest,
lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12 For the word
of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is
there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked
and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
14 Seeing then that we have a great high
priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast
our profession.
15 For we have
not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;
but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and
find grace to help in time of need.
1 ¶ For every high priest taken from among men is
ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and
sacrifices for sins:
2 Who can have
compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he
himself also is compassed with infirmity.
3 And by reason
hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
4 And no man
taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
5 So also Christ
glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him,
Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6 As he saith
also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedec.
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had
offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that
was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were
a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made
perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
10 ¶ Called of God an high priest after the order of
Melchisedec.
11 Of whom we
have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
12 For when for
the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which
be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need
of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one
that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14 But strong
meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use
have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
1 ¶ Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of
Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of
repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,
2 Of the doctrine
of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of
eternal judgment.
3 And this will
we do, if God permit.
4 For it is
impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly
gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted
the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall
fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to
themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it,
and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth
blessing from God:
8 But that which
beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is
to be burned.
9 ¶ But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you,
and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not
unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward
his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire
that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope
unto the end:
12 That ye be not
slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises.
13 For when God
made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by
himself,
14 Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee,
and multiplying I will multiply thee.
15 And so, after
he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.
16 For men verily
swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all
strife.
17 Wherein God,
willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of
his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:
18 That by two
immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a
strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set
before us:
19 Which hope we
have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into
that within the veil;
20 Whither the
forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after
the order of Melchisedec.
1 ¶ For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the
most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and
blessed him;
2 To whom also
Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of
righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
3 Without father,
without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of
life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
4 Now consider
how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of
the spoils.
5 And verily they
that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a
commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of
their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:
6 But he whose
descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him
that had the promises.
7 And without all contradiction the less is
blessed of the better.
8 And here men
that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed
that he liveth.
9 And as I may so
say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
10 For he was yet
in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
11 ¶ If therefore perfection were by the Levitical
priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was
there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not
be called after the order of Aaron?
12 For the
priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.
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 disannulling 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.
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 for evermore.