Daily Text and Bible Reading: Saturday, December 20 [Press play below]

7.1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
7.2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name is translated “King of Righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, that is, “King of Peace.”
7.3 In being fatherless, motherless, without genealogy, having neither a beginning of days nor an end of life, but being made like the Son of God, he remains a priest for all time.
7.4 See how great this man was to whom Abraham, the family head, gave a tenth out of the best spoils.
7.5 True, according to the Law, those of the sons of Levi who receive their priestly office have a commandment to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, even though these are descendants of Abraham.
7.6 But this man who did not trace his genealogy from them took tithes from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.
7.7 Now it is undeniable that the lesser one is blessed by the greater.
7.8 And in the one case, it is men who are dying who receive tithes, but in the other case, it is someone of whom witness is given that he lives.
7.9 And it could be said that even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes through Abraham,
7.10 for he was still a future descendant of his forefather when Melchizedek met him.
7.11 If, then, perfection was attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for it was a feature of the Law that was given to the people), what further need would there be for another priest to arise who is said to be in the manner of Melchizedek and not in the manner of Aaron?
7.12 For since the priesthood is being changed, it becomes necessary to change the Law as well.
7.13 For the man about whom these things are said came from another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar.
7.14 For it is clear that our Lord has descended from Judah, yet Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe.
7.15 And this becomes even clearer when another priest arises who is like Melchizedek,
7.16 who has become such, not by the legal requirement that depends on fleshly descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.
7.17 For it is said in witness of him: “You are a priest forever in the manner of Melchizedek.”
7.18 So, then, the former commandment is set aside because it is weak and ineffective.
7.19 For the Law made nothing perfect, but the introduction of a better hope did, through which we are drawing near to God.
7.20 Also, inasmuch as this was not done without an oath being sworn
7.21 (for, indeed, there are men who have become priests without a sworn oath, but this one has become so through an oath sworn respecting him by the One who said: “Jehovah has sworn, and he will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever’”),
7.22 Jesus has accordingly become the guarantee of a better covenant.
7.23 Furthermore, many had to become priests in succession because death prevented them from continuing as such,
7.24 but because he continues alive forever, his priesthood has no successors.
7.25 So he is able also to save completely those who are approaching God through him, because he is always alive to plead for them.
7.26 For it is fitting for us to have such a high priest who is loyal, innocent, undefiled, separated from the sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
7.27 Unlike those high priests, he does not need to offer up sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, because he did this once for all time when he offered himself up.
7.28 For the Law appoints as high priests men who have weaknesses, but the word of the oath sworn after the Law appoints a Son, who has been made perfect forever.
8.1 Now this is the main point of what we are saying: We have such a high priest as this, and he has sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
8.2 a minister of the holy place and of the true tent, which Jehovah set up, and not man.
8.3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.
8.4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are already men who offer the gifts according to the Law.
8.5 These men are offering sacred service in a typical representation and a shadow of the heavenly things; just as Moses, when about to construct the tent, was given the divine command: For He says: “See that you make all things after their pattern that was shown to you in the mountain.”
8.6 But now Jesus has obtained a more excellent ministry because he is also the mediator of a correspondingly better covenant, which has been legally established on better promises.
8.7 If that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second.
8.8 For he does find fault with the people when he says: “‘Look! The days are coming,’ says Jehovah, ‘when I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant.
8.9 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers on the day I took hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not remain in my covenant, so I stopped caring for them,’ says Jehovah.
8.10 “‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ says Jehovah. ‘I will put my laws in their mind, and in their hearts I will write them. And I will become their God, and they will become my people.
8.11 “‘And they will no longer teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother, saying: “Know Jehovah!” For they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them.
8.12 For I will be merciful toward their unrighteous deeds, and I will no longer call their sins to mind.’”
8.13 In his saying “a new covenant,” he has made the former one obsolete. Now what is obsolete and growing old is near to vanishing away.
9.1 For its part, the former covenant used to have legal requirements for sacred service and its holy place on earth.
9.2 For a first tent compartment was constructed, in which were the lampstand and the table and the display of the loaves of presentation; and it is called the Holy Place.
9.3 But behind the second curtain was the tent compartment called the Most Holy.
9.4 This had a golden censer and the ark of the covenant completely overlaid with gold, in which were the golden jar containing the manna and Aaron’s rod that budded and the tablets of the covenant;
9.5 and above it were the glorious cherubs overshadowing the propitiatory cover. But now is not the time to speak of these things in detail.
9.6 After these things were constructed this way, the priests enter the first tent compartment regularly to perform the sacred services;
9.7 but the high priest enters alone into the second compartment once a year, not without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins that the people committed in ignorance.
9.8 Thus the holy spirit makes it clear that the way into the holy place had not yet been revealed while the first tent was standing.
9.9 This tent is an illustration for the present time, and according to this arrangement, both gifts and sacrifices are offered. However, these are not able to make the conscience of the man doing sacred service perfect.
9.10 They have to do only with foods and drinks and various ceremonial washings. They were legal requirements concerning the body and were imposed until the appointed time to set things straight.
9.11 However, when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have already taken place, he passed through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.
9.12 He entered into the holy place, not with the blood of goats and of young bulls, but with his own blood, once for all time, and obtained an everlasting deliverance for us.
9.13 For if the blood of goats and of bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who have been defiled sanctifies for the cleansing of the flesh,
9.14 how much more will the blood of the Christ, who through an everlasting spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we may render sacred service to the living God?
9.15 That is why he is a mediator of a new covenant, in order that because a death has occurred for their release by ransom from the transgressions under the former covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance.
9.16 For where there is a covenant, the death of the human covenanter needs to be established,
9.17 because a covenant is valid at death, since it is not in force as long as the human covenanter is living.
9.18 Consequently, neither was the former covenant put into effect without blood.
9.19 For when Moses had spoken every commandment of the Law to all the people, he took the blood of the young bulls and of the goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the book and all the people,
9.20 saying: “This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded you to keep.”
9.21 He likewise sprinkled the tent and all the vessels of the holy service with the blood.
9.22 Yes, according to the Law nearly all things are cleansed with blood, and unless blood is poured out no forgiveness takes place.
9.23 Therefore, it was necessary for the typical representations of the things in the heavens to be cleansed by these means, but the heavenly things require far better sacrifices.
9.24 For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with hands, which is a copy of the reality, but into heaven itself, so that he now appears before God on our behalf.
9.25 This was not done to offer himself often, as when the high priest enters into the holy place from year to year with blood that is not his own.
9.26 Otherwise, he would have to suffer often from the founding of the world. But now he has manifested himself once for all time at the conclusion of the systems of things to do away with sin through the sacrifice of himself.
9.27 And just as it is reserved for men to die once for all time, but after this to receive a judgment,
9.28 so also the Christ was offered once for all time to bear the sins of many; and the second time that he appears it will be apart from sin, and he will be seen by those earnestly looking for him for their salvation.
10.1 For since the Law has a shadow of the good things to come, but not the very substance of the things, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make those who approach perfect.
10.2 Otherwise, would not the sacrifices have stopped being offered, because those rendering sacred service once cleansed would have no consciousness of sins anymore?
10.3 On the contrary, these sacrifices are a reminder of sins year after year,
10.4 for it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take sins away.
10.5 So when he comes into the world, he says: “‘Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but you prepared a body for me.
10.6 You did not approve of whole burnt offerings and sin offerings.’
10.7 Then I said: ‘Look! I have come (in the scroll it is written about me) to do your will, O God.’”
10.8 After first saying: “You did not want nor did you approve of sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin offerings”—sacrifices that are offered according to the Law—
10.9 then he says: “Look! I have come to do your will.” He does away with what is first in order to establish what is second.
10.10 By this “will” we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.
10.11 Also, every priest takes his station day after day to offer holy service and to make the same sacrifices often, which can never take sins away completely.
10.12 But this man offered one sacrifice for sins for all time and sat down at the right hand of God,
10.13 from then on waiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet.
10.14 For it is by one sacrificial offering that he has made those who are being sanctified perfect for all time.
10.15 Moreover, the holy spirit also bears witness to us, for after it has said:
10.16 “‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,’ says Jehovah. ‘I will put my laws in their hearts, and in their minds I will write them.’”
10.17 Then it says: “And I will no longer call their sins and their lawless deeds to mind.”
10.18 Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
10.19 Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness for the way of entry into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
10.20 which he opened up for us as a new and living way through the curtain, that is, his flesh,
10.21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
10.22 let us approach with sincere hearts and complete faith, having had our hearts sprinkled clean from a wicked conscience and our bodies bathed with clean water.
10.23 Let us hold firmly the public declaration of our hope without wavering, for the one who promised is faithful.
10.24 And let us consider one another so as to incite to love and fine works,
10.25 not forsaking our meeting together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you see the day drawing near.
10.26 For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left,
10.27 but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a burning indignation that is going to consume those in opposition.
10.28 Anyone who has disregarded the Law of Moses dies without compassion on the testimony of two or three.
10.29 How much greater punishment do you think a person will deserve who has trampled on the Son of God and who has regarded as of ordinary value the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and who has outraged the spirit of undeserved kindness with contempt?
10.30 For we know the One who said: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again: “Jehovah will judge his people.”
10.31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
10.32 However, keep remembering the former days in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle along with sufferings.
10.33 At times you were publicly exposed both to reproaches and to tribulations, and at times you shared with those who were having such an experience.
10.34 For you expressed sympathy for those in prison and you accepted joyfully the plundering of your belongings, knowing that you yourselves have a better and an enduring possession.
10.35 Therefore, do not throw away your boldness, which will be richly rewarded.
10.36 For you need endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the fulfillment of the promise.
10.37 For yet “a very little while,” and “the one who is coming will arrive and will not delay.”
10.38 “But my righteous one will live by reason of faith,” and “if he shrinks back, I have no pleasure in him.”
10.39 Now we are not the sort who shrink back to destruction, but the sort who have faith for the preserving of our lives.