1-3 Every high priest selected to represent men and women before God and offer sacrifices for their sins should be able to deal gently with their failings, since he knows what it’s like from his own experience. But that also means that he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as the peoples’.

4-6 No one elects himself to this honored position. He’s called to it by God, as Aaron was. Neither did Christ presume to set himself up as high priest, but was set apart by the One who said to him, “You’re my Son; today I celebrate you!” In another place God declares, “You’re a priest forever in the royal order of Melchizedek.”

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He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray,(A) since he himself is subject to weakness.(B) This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.(C) And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.(D)

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