1 Every high priest who is taken from among men is given his position to take care of the interests of men in those things which have to do with God, so that he may make offerings for sins.

2 He is able to have feeling for those who have no knowledge and for those who are wandering from the true way, because he himself is feeble;

3 And being feeble, he has to make sin-offerings for himself as well as for the people.

4 And no man who is not given authority by God, as Aaron was, takes this honour for himself.

5 In the same way Christ did not take for himself the glory of being made a high priest, but was given it by him who said, You are my Son, this day I have given you being:

6 As he says in another place, You are a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

7 Who in the days of his flesh, having sent up prayers and requests with strong crying and weeping to him who was able to give him salvation from death, had his prayer answered because of his fear of God.

8 And though he was a Son, through the pain which he underwent, the knowledge came to him of what it was to be under God's orders;

9 And when he had been made complete, he became the giver of eternal salvation to all those who are under his orders;

10 Being named by God a high priest of the order of Melchizedek.

11 Of whom we have much to say which it is hard to make clear, because you are slow of hearing.

12 And though by this time it would be right for you to be teachers, you still have need of someone to give you teaching about the first simple rules of God's revelation; you have become like babies who have need of milk, and not of solid food.

13 For everyone who takes milk is without experience of the word of righteousness: he is a child.

14 But solid food is for men of full growth, even for those whose senses are trained by use to see what is good and what is evil.

1 For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness. 3 Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself. 4 Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was. 5 So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him,

"You are my Son.

Today I have become your father."

6 As he says also in another place,

"You are a priest forever,

after the order of Melchizedek."

7 He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, 8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. 9 Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation, 10 named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

11 About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing. 12 For although by this time you should be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the revelations of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby. 14 But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.