Study Desk

And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses.

And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was.

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.

Then you will not become spiritually dull and indifferent. Instead, you will follow the example of those who are going to inherit God's promises because of their faith and endurance.

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

The priests who collect tithes are men who die, so Melchizedek is greater than they are, because we are told that he lives on.

Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless.

Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God.

But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever.

He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus.

It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—"he disappeared, because God took him." For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.

It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king's anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.

All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.

And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: "Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith." He was even called the friend of God.

You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it.

And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.

Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation,