Hebrews 3-5

English Standard Version

Jesus Greater Than Moses

3 Therefore, holy brothers,^[a] you who share in ^(A)a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, ^(B)the apostle and high priest of our confession, ² who was faithful to him who appointed him, ^(C)just as Moses also was faithful in all God's^[b] house. ³ For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. ⁴ (For every house is built by someone, but ^(D)the builder of all things is God.) ^5 (E)Now Moses was faithful in all God's house ^(F)as a servant, ^(G)to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, ⁶ but Christ is faithful over God's house as ^(H)a son. And ^(I)we are his house, if indeed we ^(J)hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.^[c]

A Rest for the People of God

⁷ Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,

¹² Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from ^(N)the living God. ¹³ But ^(O)exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by ^(P)the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have come to share in Christ, ^(Q)if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. ¹⁵ As it is said,

¹⁶ For ^(S)who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not ^(T)all those who left Egypt led by Moses? ¹⁷ And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, ^(U)whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ And to whom did he swear that ^(V)they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? ¹⁹ So we see that ^(W)they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

4 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem ^(X)to have failed to reach it. ² For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because ^(Y)they were not united by faith with those who listened.^{[d] 3} For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴ For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: ^(AA)“And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” ⁵ And again in this passage he said,

⁶ Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news ^(AC)failed to enter because of disobedience, ⁷ again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, God^[e] would not have spoken of another day later on. ⁹ So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, ¹⁰ for whoever has entered God's rest has also ^(AE)rested from his works as God did from his.

¹¹ Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so ^(AF)that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. ¹² For ^(AG)the word of God is living and ^(AH)active, ^(AI)sharper than any ^(AJ)two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and ^(AK)discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And ^(AL)no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are ^(AM)naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus the Great High Priest

¹⁴ Since then we have ^(AN)a great high priest ^(AO)who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, ^(AP)let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest ^(AQ)who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been ^(AR)tempted as we are, ^(AS)yet without sin. ^16 (AT)Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

5 For every high priest chosen from among men ^(AU)is appointed to act on behalf of men ^(AV)in relation to God, ^(AW)to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ^2 (AX)He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself ^(AY)is beset with weakness. ³ Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins ^(AZ)just as he does for those of the people. ⁴ And ^(BA)no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, ^(BB)just as Aaron was.

⁵ So also Christ ^(BC)did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,

⁶ as he says also in another place,

⁷ In the days of his flesh, ^(BF)Jesus^[f] offered up prayers and supplications, ^(BG)with loud cries and tears, to him ^(BH)who was able to save him from death, and ^(BI)he was heard because of his reverence. ⁸ Although ^(BJ)he was a son, ^(BK)he learned obedience through what he suffered. ⁹ And ^(BL)being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, ¹⁰ being designated by God a high priest ^(BM)after the order of Melchizedek.

Warning Against Apostasy

¹¹ About this we have much to say, and it is ^(BN)hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again ^(BO)the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need ^(BP)milk, not solid food, ¹³ for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is ^(BQ)a child. ¹⁴ But solid food is for ^(BR)the mature, for those who have their powers ^(BS)of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.