Jesus, High Priest of a Better Covenant
1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, See Mark 16:19one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in ch. 9:24;[ch. 9:11] the true tent8:2 Or tabernacle; also verse 5 that the Lord Ex. 33:7set up, not man. 3 For See ch. 5:1every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus ch. 9:12-14;10:9-12;Eph. 5:2it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve ch. 9:23a copy and ch. 10:1;Col. 2:17shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, Cited from Ex. 25:40"See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain." 6 But as it is, Christ8:6 Greek he has obtained a ministry that is ch. 1:4;2 Cor. 3:6-11as much more excellent than the old as ch. 7:22the covenant ch. 9:15;12:24;[Gal. 3:19]he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. 7 See ch. 7:11For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
8 For he finds fault with them when he says:8:8 Some manuscripts For finding fault with it he says to them
Cited from Jer. 31:31-34"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah,
9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
10 ch. 10:16;Rom. 11:27For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
and [2 Cor. 3:3]write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
11 And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor
and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall Isa. 54:13;John 6:45;1 John 2:27all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
ch. 10:17;Rom. 11:27and I will remember their sins no more."
13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And [2 Cor. 5:17]what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.