1Every high priest is chosen from among the people. He is appointed to act for the people. He acts for them in whatever has to do with God. He offers gifts and sacrifices for their sins. 2Some people have gone astray without knowing it. He is able to deal gently with them. He can do that because he himself is weak. 3That’s why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins. He must also do it for the sins of the people. 4And no one can take this honor for himself. Instead, he receives it when he is appointed by God. That is just how it was for Aaron.
5It was the same for Christ. He did not take for himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.” (Psalm 2:7)
6In another place God said,
“You are a priest forever,
just like Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4)
7Jesus prayed while he lived on earth. He made his appeal with sincere cries and tears. He prayed to the God who could save him from death. God answered Jesus because he truly honored God. 8Jesus was God’s Son. But by suffering he learned what it means to obey. 9In this way he was made perfect. Eternal salvation comes from him. He saves all those who obey him. 10God appointed him to be the high priest, just like Melchizedek.
A Warning Against Falling Away
11We have a lot to say about this. But it is hard to make it clear to you. That’s because you are no longer trying to understand. 12By this time you should be teachers. But in fact, you need someone to teach you all over again. You need even the simple truths of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food. 13Anyone who lives on milk is still a baby. That person does not want to learn about living a godly life. 14Solid food is for those who are grown up. They have trained themselves to tell the difference between good and evil. That shows they have grown up.
1Veliki svećenik je čovjek odabran da zastupa ljude u njihovu odnosu prema Bogu. Prinosi Bogu njihove darove i žrtve za grijehe. 2Stoga što je čovjek, može suosjećati s ljudima koji griješe iz neznanja i sa zabludjelima jer je i sam podložan slabosti. 3Zato mora prinositi žrtve i za svoje grijehe i za grijehe drugih. 4Nitko ne može postati velikim svećenikom prisvajajući sebi tu čast. Na to ga mora pozvati Bog, baš kao što je pozvao i Arona.
5Tako ni Krist nije sam sebi dodijelio tu čast da bude Velikim svećenikom. Postavio ga je Bog koji je rekao:
“Ti si moj Sin,
danas sam ti postao Ocem.”5:5 Psalam 2:7.
6Drugom mu je prilikom Bog rekao:
“Ti si svećenik zauvijek
i po tome sličan Melkisedeku.”5:6 Psalam 110:4.
7Dok je Isus živio na zemlji, sa silnim je vapajima i suzama upućivao molitve Bogu, koji ga je mogao izbaviti od smrti. Bog ga je uslišio zbog njegova strahopoštovanja. 8Iako je bio Božji Sin, Isus se kroz patnju naučio poslušnosti. 9Postignuvši savršenstvo, postao je darovateljem vječnoga spasenja svima koji ga slušaju. 10I Bog ga je postavio da bude Velikim svećenikom sličan Melkisedeku.
Poziv na duhovni rast
11O tomu vam imam još mnogo toga reći, ali teško mi je to riječima protumačiti jer slabo slušate. 12Dugo ste već kršćani i morali biste već poučavati druge. Umjesto toga, trebate nekoga da vas ponovno pouči temeljnim stvarima koje početnik mora naučiti o Svetome pismu. Potrebno vam je mlijeko, a ne kruta hrana. 13Tko je još na mlijeku, nije napredovao u učenju o pravednosti jer je još dojenče. 14A kruta je hrana za zrele, za one koji su iskustvom izvježbali ćutila za razlikovanje dobra od zla te čine dobro.
