Hebrews 5

1 For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

Every high priest is chosen from the people and is appointed to work for the people as they relate to God. He presents to God both their gifts and sacrifices for their sins.

2 The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness.

The high priest understands how ignorant and deluded people feel because he also experiences the same kind of human weaknesses.

3 Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.

As a result he has to offer sacrifices for his sins as well as for those of the people.

4 Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was.

No one can take the position of high priest for himself; he must be chosen by God, just like Aaron was.

5 So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.”

In just the same way Christ did not honor himself by becoming high priest. It was God who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.”

6 As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” (aiōn g165)

In another verse, God says, “You are a priest forever, following the order of Melchizedek.” (aiōn g165)

7 He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,

Jesus, while he was here in human form, prayed and appealed with loud cries and tears to God, the one who was able to save him from death. Jesus was heard because of his respect for God.

8 though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered.

Even though he was God's Son, Jesus learned through suffering what obedience really means.

9 Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation, (aiōnios g166)

When his experience was complete, he became the source of eternal salvation to everyone who does what he says, (aiōnios g166)

10 named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

having been designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

11 About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.

We have much to say about Jesus, and it's hard to explain because you don't seem able to understand!

12 For although by this time you should be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the revelations of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food.

By now you should have had enough time to become teachers, but you need someone to teach you the fundamentals, the first principles of God's word. It's like you need to go back to baby milk instead of solid food!

13 For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.

Those who drink baby milk don't have the experience of living the right way—they're just babies.

14 But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

Solid food is for grown-ups—those who by always using their brains have learned to tell the difference between good and evil.