Hebrews 5

1 For every high priest, having been taken from among men, is appointed on behalf of men toward the things which pertain to God, so that he may offer gifts and sacrifices on behalf of 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 he is able to commiserate with those who are ignorant and who wander astray, because he himself is also encompassed by infirmity.

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

3 And because of this, he also must make such offerings for sins even for himself, in the same manner as for the people.

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

4 Neither does anyone take up this honor himself, but rather he who is called by God, just as 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 Thus, even Christ did not glorify himself, so as to become High Priest, but instead, it was God who said to him: “You are my Son. Today I have begotten you.”

In the same way, even the Christ did not take the honor 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 And similarly, he says in another place: “You are a priest forever, according to 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 It is Christ who, in the days of his flesh, with a strong cry and tears, offered prayers and supplications to the One who was able to save him from death, and who was heard because of his reverence.

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 And although, certainly, he is the Son of God, he learned obedience by the things that he suffered.

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

9 And having reached his consummation, he was made, for all who are obedient to him, the cause of eternal salvation, (aiōnios g166)

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

10 having been called by God to be the High Priest, according to the order of Melchizedek.

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

11 Our message about him is great, and difficult to explain when speaking, because you have been made feeble when listening.

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 For even though it is the time when you ought to be teachers, you are still lacking, so that you must be taught the things that are the basic elements of the Word of God, and so you have been made like those who are in need of milk, and not 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 For anyone who is still feeding on milk is still unskillful in the Word of Justice; for he is like an infant.

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

14 But solid food is for those who are mature, for those who, by practice, have sharpened their mind, so as to discern good from evil.

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