A Heavenly Priesthood

¹Now the main point of what is being said is this: We have this kind of high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,[#8:1 Col 3:1; Heb 2:17]

²a minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that was set up by the Lord and not man.[#8:2 Ex 33:7; Heb 9:11,24]

³For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; therefore, it was necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.[#8:3 Eph 5:2; Heb 5:1; 9:14]

⁴Now if he were on earth, he wouldn’t be a priest, since there are those offering the gifts prescribed by the law.[#8:4 Other mss read priests]

⁵These serve as a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was warned when he was about to complete the tabernacle. For God said, Be careful that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown to you on the mountain. ,[#8:5 Col 2:17; Heb 9:23; 10:1; #8:5 Ex 25:40; #8:5 Ex 25:40; Heb 11:7; 12:25]

⁶But Jesus has now obtained a superior ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been established on better promises.[#8:6 Jb 33:23; Is 29:1; Gl 3:19–20; 1Tm 2:5; Heb 9:15; 12:24; #8:6 Heb 7:22; 9:15; 12:24; 13:20; #8:6 Lk 22:20; 2Co 3:6,8]

A Superior Covenant

⁷For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second one.

⁸But finding fault with his people, he says:[#8:8 Lit with them; #8:8 Other mss read finding fault, he says to them]

¹³By saying a new covenant , he has declared that the first is obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old is about to pass away.[#8:13 2Co 5:17]