1 For every high priest chosen from among men *ch. 8:3is appointed to act on behalf of men *ch. 2:17in relation to God, *ch. 8:3,4;9:9;10:11;11:4to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 *ch. 2:18;4:15He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself *[ch. 7:28]is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins *ch. 7:27;9:7;Lev. 4:3;9:7;16:6just as he does for those of the people. 4 And *Num. 16:5,40;18:7;2 Chr. 26:18no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, *Ex. 28:1;1 Chr. 23:13just as Aaron was.

5 So also Christ *John 8:54did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,

*See ch. 1:5"You are my Son,

today I have begotten you";

6 as he says also in another place,

*ch. 7:17,21;Cited from Ps. 110:4"You are a priest forever,

after the order of Melchizedek."

7 In the days of his flesh, *Matt. 26:39,44;Mark 14:36,39;Luke 22:41,44Jesus*5:7 Greek he offered up prayers and supplications, *Ps. 22:1,2;[Matt. 27:46,50;Mark 15:34,37;Luke 23:46] with loud cries and tears, to him *Mark 14:36who was able to save him from death, and *Ps. 22:24he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although *See ch. 1:2he was a son, *Phil. 2:8he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And *See ch. 2:10being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest *ver. 6;ch. 6:20after the order of Melchizedek.

11 About this we have much to say, and it is *[2 Pet. 3:16]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 *ch. 6:1the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need *1 Cor. 3:2milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is *1 Cor. 3:1;[1 Pet. 2:2]a child. 14 But solid food is for *Eph. 4:13the mature, for those who have their powers *Gen. 3:22;1 Kgs. 3:9;Isa. 7:15of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.