¹ For every high priest chosen from among men, is appointed for men, in things pertaining to God, that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins:

² being able to have compassion on the ignorant and erring, because he himself is beset with infirmity:

³ and on account of this, he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to make offering for sins.

⁴ And no one takes this honor to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron also was called.

⁵ So, also, the Christ did not take upon himself the honor of becoming a high priest: but he gave him this honor, who said to him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee:

⁶ as he says also in another place, Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec.

⁷ In the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, to him that was able to save him from death, and having been heard with respect to that which he feared,

⁸ although he was a Son, he yet learned obedience from the things which he suffered;

⁹ and, having been made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation to all that obey him,

¹⁰ being called by God a high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

¹¹ Of him we have many things to say, and difficult to be explained, if we do say them, since you are slow in understanding.

¹² For though you ought to be teachers, considering the time, yet you have need that some one teach you again what are the first elements of the oracles of God; and you have become such as have need of milk, and not of strong food.

¹³ For every one that partakes of milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

¹⁴ But strong food belongs to those who are of mature age, who, by use, have their internal senses exercised to the discerning of both good and evil.