It was on the basis of the levitical priesthood that the Law was given to the people of Israel. Now, if the work of the levitical priests had been perfect, there would have been no need for a different kind of priest to appear, one who is in the priestly order of Melchizedek, not of Aaron.

The whole point of what we are saying is that we have such a High Priest, who sits at the right of the throne of the Divine Majesty in heaven.

Those things, which are copies of the heavenly originals, had to be purified in that way. But the heavenly things themselves require much better sacrifices.

The Jewish high priest goes into the Most Holy Place every year with the blood of an animal. But Christ did not go in to offer himself many times,

Every Jewish priest performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times; but these sacrifices can never take away sins.

There he now waits until God puts his enemies as a footstool under his feet.

And the Holy Spirit also gives us his witness. First he says,

And then he says, "I will not remember their sins and evil deeds any longer."

We have, then, my friends, complete freedom to go into the Most Holy Place by means of the death of Jesus.

We have a great priest in charge of the house of God.

It was only right that God, who creates and preserves all things, should make Jesus perfect through suffering, in order to bring many children to share his glory. For Jesus is the one who leads them to salvation.

Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and then to enter his glory?"

and said to them, "This is what is written: the Messiah must suffer and must rise from death three days later,

Our High Priest is not one who cannot feel sympathy for our weaknesses. On the contrary, we have a High Priest who was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin.

Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.

"Make an ornament of pure gold and engrave on it 'Dedicated to the LORD.'

He was placed in a grave with those who are evil, he was buried with the rich, even though he had never committed a crime or ever told a lie."

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God.

Pilate said to them the third time, "But what crime has he committed? I cannot find anything he has done to deserve death! I will have him whipped and set him free."

Ours, however, is only right, because we are getting what we deserve for what we did; but he has done no wrong."

The army officer saw what had happened, and he praised God, saying, "Certainly he was a good man!"

And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him."

I cannot talk with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me,

He was holy and good, but you rejected him, and instead you asked Pilate to do you the favor of turning loose a murderer.

For indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together in this city with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Jesus, your holy Servant, whom you made Messiah.

Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made him share our sin in order that in union with him we might share the righteousness of God.

it was the costly sacrifice of Christ, who was like a lamb without defect or flaw.

He committed no sin, and no one ever heard a lie come from his lips.

And Christ himself is the means by which our sins are forgiven, and not our sins only, but also the sins of everyone.

You know that Christ appeared in order to take away sins, and that there is no sin in him.

"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: "This is the message from the one who is holy and true. He has the key that belonged to David, and when he opens a door, no one can close it, and when he closes it, no one can open it.

He reflects the brightness of God's glory and is the exact likeness of God's own being, sustaining the universe with his powerful word. After achieving forgiveness for the sins of all human beings, he sat down in heaven at the right side of God, the Supreme Power.

Let us, then, hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we have a great High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God---Jesus, the Son of God.

The whole point of what we are saying is that we have such a High Priest, who sits at the right of the throne of the Divine Majesty in heaven.

Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God's throne.

He goes up to the heights, taking many captives with him; he receives gifts from rebellious people. The LORD God will live there.

He knew very well that the Jewish authorities had handed Jesus over to him because they were jealous.

After the Lord Jesus had talked with them, he was taken up to heaven and sat at the right side of God.

which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world.

God put all things under Christ's feet and gave him to the church as supreme Lord over all things.

As the scripture says, "When he went up to the very heights, he took many captives with him; he gave gifts to people."

So the one who came down is the same one who went up, above and beyond the heavens, to fill the whole universe with his presence.

For this reason God raised him to the highest place above and gave him the name that is greater than any other name.

and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

who has gone to heaven and is at the right side of God, ruling over all angels and heavenly authorities and powers.

When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, "Don't be afraid! I am the first and the last.

I am the living one! I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I have authority over death and the world of the dead.