Hebrews 8

Christ Is Our High Priest

1Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven. 2There he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle,#8:2 Or tent; also in 8:5. the true place of worship that was built by the Lord and not by human hands.

3And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too. 4If he were here on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there already are priests who offer the gifts required by the law. 5They serve in a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.”#8:5 Exod 25:40; 26:30.

6But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.

7If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. 8But when God found fault with the people, he said:

“The day is coming, says the Lord,

when I will make a new covenant

with the people of Israel and Judah.

9This covenant will not be like the one

I made with their ancestors

when I took them by the hand

and led them out of the land of Egypt.

They did not remain faithful to my covenant,

so I turned my back on them, says the Lord.

10But this is the new covenant I will make

with the people of Israel on that day,#8:10 Greek after those days. says the Lord:

I will put my laws in their minds,

and I will write them on their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

11And they will not need to teach their neighbors,

nor will they need to teach their relatives,#8:11 Greek their brother.

saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’

For everyone, from the least to the greatest,

will know me already.

12And I will forgive their wickedness,

and I will never again remember their sins.”#8:8-12 Jer 31:31-34.

13When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear.

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Hebrews 8

Jesus, High Priest of a Better Covenant

1Now 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, 2a minister in the holy places, in #ch. 9:24; [ch. 9:11] the true tent#8:2 Or tabernacle; also verse 5 that the Lord #Ex. 33:7set up, not man. 3For #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. 4Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5They 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.” 6But as it is, Christ#8:6 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.

8For 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,

9not 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. 11:27 For 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.

11And 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.

12For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,

# ch. 10:17; Rom. 11:27 and I will remember their sins no more.”

13In 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.

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