5Hebrews 5

1Every high priest is appointed to help others by offering gifts and sacrifices to God because of their sins.Select Hebrews 5:1

2A high priest has weaknesses of his own, and he feels sorry for foolish and sinful people.Select Hebrews 5:2

3This is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins and for the sins of others.Select Hebrews 5:3

4But no one can have the honor of being a high priest simply by wanting to be one. Only God can choose a priest, and God is the one who chose Aaron.Select Hebrews 5:4

5This is how it was with Christ. He became a high priest, but not just because he wanted the honor of being one. It was God who told him, “You are my Son, because today I have become your Father!”Select Hebrews 5:5

6In another place, God says, “You are a priest forever just like Melchizedek.”Select Hebrews 5:6

7God had the power to save Jesus from death. And while Jesus was on earth, he begged God with loud crying and tears to save him. He truly worshiped God, and God listened to his prayers.Select Hebrews 5:7

8Jesus is God's own Son, but still he had to suffer before he could learn what it really means to obey God.Select Hebrews 5:8

9Suffering made Jesus perfect, and now he can save forever all who obey him.Select Hebrews 5:9

10This is because God chose him to be a high priest like Melchizedek.Select Hebrews 5:10

Warning against Turning Away

11Much more could be said about this subject. But it is hard to explain, and all of you are slow to understand.Select Hebrews 5:11

12By now you should have been teachers, but once again you need to be taught the simplest things about what God has said. You need milk instead of solid food.Select Hebrews 5:12

13People who live on milk are like babies who don't really know what is right.Select Hebrews 5:13

14Solid food is for mature people who have been trained to know right from wrong.Select Hebrews 5:14