And again, when God sent the Firstborn One [i.e., Jesus. See Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:15, 18; Rev. 1:5] into the world, He said [Deut. 32:43 LXX], "And all of God's angels should worship Him."

But which one of the angels did God ever say [this] about [Psa. 110:1], "You should sit at my right side until I put your enemies [in full subjection] beneath your feet"?

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

Instead, someone has declared somewhere, "What is man that you should remember him, or the son of man that you should care for him?

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

For it was fitting for God [that is, an act worthy of His divine nature] that He, for whose sake are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the author and founder of their salvation perfect through suffering [bringing to maturity the human experience necessary for Him to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest].

And for this purpose it was necessary that in all respects He should be made to resemble His brothers, so that He might become a compassionate and faithful High Priest in things relating to God, in order to atone for the sins of the people.

And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a minister, to bear witness of those things which should be spoken afterward.

And Christ as a son over his house: whose house are we, if we should hold freedom of speech and the boast of hope firm to the end.

so that I sware in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest."

Take heed, brethren, that there be in none of you an evil heart, in unbelief, that he should depart from the living God:

In that it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, ye should not harden your hearts, as in the exasperation.

And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

For we who believe [that is, we who personally trust and confidently rely on God] enter that rest [so we have His inner peace now because we are confident in our salvation, and assured of His power], just as He has said,

“As I swore [an oath] in My wrath,
They shall not enter My rest,”

[this He said] although His works were completed from the foundation of the world [waiting for all who would believe].

Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience,

For if Joshua had given them the true rest, we should not afterwards hear God speaking of another still future day.

So, we should do our best to enter into that state of rest, so that no one fails [to do so] by following the same example of disobedience [i.e., as seen in the Israelites. See verses 2, 6].

Since then we [Christians] have [such] a great Head Priest, who has passed through the skies [i.e., ascended to heaven. See Acts 1:9], Jesus, the Son of God, we should remain true to our profession [of faith in Him].

So, we should approach, with confidence, God's throne of unearned favor, so we can receive mercy and obtain that favor to help us when we need it.

FOR, every high-priest taken from among men, is constituted on behalf of men for those services which relate to God, that he should offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

And because of this he should, as for the people, so also for himself, offer for sins.

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have again need that one should teach you what are the elements of the beginning of the oracles of God, and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food.

So, we should leave the basic principles of Christ's teaching and go on to maturity. [We should] not lay again a foundation of repentance [i.e., turning away] from deeds of death [i.e., acts that lead to spiritual death or that spring from a spiritually dead person], and of faith in God;

of teaching about washings (ritual purifications), the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. [These are all important matters in which you should have been proficient long ago.]

if they fall away, should be renewed again unto repentance: Forasmuch as they have, as concerning themselves, crucified the son of God afresh, making a mock of him.

But, should it be bringing forth thorns and briars, it is disapproved, and, unto cursing, nigh, - whose end is for burning.

For God is not unrighteous that he should forget your work and labour that proceedeth of love, which love showed in his name, which have ministered unto the saints, and yet minister.

But our great desire is that every one of you should be equally earnest to attain to a full conviction that our hope will be fulfilled, and that you should keep that hope to the end.

that by two unchangeable things, in which it was impossible that God should lie, we might have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us,

If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

and it is yet more abundantly evident, that there should arise another priest after the likeness of Melchisedec,

For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

For every high priest is constituted for the offering both of gifts and sacrifices; whence it is needful that this one also should have something which he may offer.

For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

And they should not teach each his neighbor, and each his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from their little even to their great ones.

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

since it was necessary that it should suffer often from the foundation of the world, but now once at the consummation of the world he has been manifested to destroy sins by the sacrifice of himself.

as then it is appointed that men should die but once, after which the judgment ensues;

For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

Then I said, 'Lo I come.' In the chiefest of the book it is written of me, that I should do thy will, o God."

But, this priest, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, which should serve for all time, 'took his seat at the right hand of God,'

waiting from that time onward until his enemies are made a footstool for His feet.

we should draw close [to God] with a sincere heart and a fully assured faith, having had our hearts sprinkled from a guilty conscience [See 9:13-14] and having had our bodies washed with clean water [i.e., in our immersion].

[So], we should hold on firmly to the profession of our hope [in God], without wavering from it, for God is faithful to His promises.

And we should consider how we can stir up one another to love [more] and to perform good deeds.

We should not neglect our assembling together [as a church], as some people are in the habit of doing, but we should encourage one another [spiritually], and [do it] all the more [diligently] as you see the day [of judgment] coming closer.

for it is necessary you should persevere, that after having perform'd what God has commanded, you may receive what he has promised.

But the righteous man will live from faith, and if he should withdraw, my soul is not pleased with him.

By faith we apprehend that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that that which is seen should not take its origin from things which appear.

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, that he should be called their God: for he has prepared for them a city.

Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell you about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.

God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a large crowd of spectators [Note: Christians are pictured here as being in a crowded arena, performing in the games], we should lay aside every [excessive] weight and sin that so easily entangle us, and with perseverance, we should run the race [of life] that lies before us.

We should fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and completer of the [or, "our"] faith. [Note: Jesus is here pictured as the one who completely fulfills the life of faith, or who provides us with the ability to live such a life]. [And] because He could look forward to joy, He endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right side of God's throne.

Consider therefore how that he endured such speaking against him of sinners, lest ye should be wearied and faint in your minds.

Furthermore, we had natural fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?

clear the way for your feet, lest that which is lame should be quite out of joint, instead of being redress'd."

looking to it, least there be any one falling short of the grace of God, least any root of bitterness springing up should be troublesome, and by it many be defiled:

No one should be immoral or godless like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.

And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

(for they were not able to bear what was enjoined: And if a beast should touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;

Therefore, we should be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken [i.e., the church. See Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:6, 9]. So, with reverence and awe, we should serve God in a way that pleases Him,

Marriage should be considered honorable among all people and its sexual responsibilities should be faithfully kept. For God will judge [and condemn] those people who are sexually immoral and who are sexually unfaithful to their mates.

Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

With teachings, manifold and strange, be not carried aside; for it is, noble, that, with gratitude, should, the heart, be getting confirmed, - not with matters of food, in which, they who are walking, have not been profited.

So, we should go out to Him, outside of the camp [Note: This probably signifies separating from the whole system of Judaism, as well as full commitment to Christ], bearing the abuse that He suffered.

[So], through Jesus then, we should continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the expression of our lips as we confess His name [to be our Lord].

[You should] obey your leaders [Note: This probably refers to church elders] and submit to their oversight, for they look out for [the welfare of] your souls as men who will give an accounting [for your spiritual progress]. [Be obedient], so that they will be able to do this joyfully and not with sorrow, for that would be unprofitable to you.

Know that our brother Timotheus is set at liberty; with whom, if he should come soon, I will see you.