Hebrews 5

1 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.

Every high priest, taken from among the people, is appointed as their representative in their relations with God, to offer both gifts and sacrifices in expiation of sins.

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

And he is able to sympathise with the ignorant and deluded, since he is himself subject to weakness,

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

and is therefore bound to offer sacrifices for sins, not only for the people, but equally so for himself.

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

Nor does anyone take that high office on themselves, until they have been called to do so by God, as Aaron was.

5 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.”

In the same way, even the Christ did not take the honour of the high priesthood on himself, but he was appointed by him who said to him – “You are my Son; this day I have become your Father”;

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

and on another occasion also – “You are a priest for all time of the order of Melchizedek.” (aiōn g165)

7 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.

Jesus, in the days of his earthly life, offered prayers and supplications, with earnest cries and with tears, to him who was able to save him from death; and he was heard because of his devout submission.

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

Son though he was, he learned obedience from his sufferings;

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

and, being made perfect, he became to all those who obey him the source of eternal salvation, (aiōnios g166)

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

while God himself pronounced him a high priest of the order of Melchizedek.

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

Now on this subject I have much to say, but it is difficult to explain it to you, because you have shown yourselves so slow to learn.

12 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!

For whereas, considering the time that has elapsed, you ought to be teaching others, you still need someone to teach you the alphabet of the divine revelation, and need again to be fed with milk instead of with “solid food.”

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

For everyone who still has to take milk knows nothing of the teaching of righteousness; they are a mere infant.

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

But solid food is for Christians of mature faith – those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish right from wrong.