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Hebrews 5:2-12

Hebrews 5:1-14 The Message (MSG)

Every high priest selected to represent men and women before God and offer sacrifices for their sins should be able to deal gently with their failings, since he knows what it’s like from his own experience. But that also means that he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as the peoples’. No one elects himself to this honored position. He’s called to it by God, as Aaron was. Neither did Christ presume to set himself up as high priest, but was set apart by the One who said to him, “You’re my Son; today I celebrate you!” In another place God declares, “You’re a priest forever in the royal order of Melchizedek.” While he lived on earth, anticipating death, Jesus cried out in pain and wept in sorrow as he offered up priestly prayers to God. Because he honored God, God answered him. Though he was God’s Son, he learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered, just as we do. Then, having arrived at the full stature of his maturity and having been announced by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who believingly obey him. I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you’ve picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby’s milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God’s ways; solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong.

Hebrews 5:2-12 Amplified Bible (AMP)

He is able to deal gently with the spiritually ignorant and misguided, since he is also subject to human weakness; and because of this [human weakness] he is required to offer sacrifices for sins, for himself as well as for the people. And besides, one does not appropriate for himself the honor [of being high priest], but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. So too Christ did not glorify Himself so as to be made a high priest, but He [was exalted and appointed by the One] who said to Him, “YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN (fathered) YOU [declared Your authority and rule over the nations]”; [Ps 2:7] just as He also says in another place, “YOU ARE A PRIEST [appointed] FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.” [Ps 110:4] In the days of His earthly life, Jesus offered up both [specific] petitions and [urgent] supplications [for that which He needed] with fervent crying and tears to the One who was [always] able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission toward God [His sinlessness and His unfailing determination to do the Father’s will]. Although He was a Son [who had never been disobedient to the Father], He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered. And having been made perfect [uniquely equipped and prepared as Savior and retaining His integrity amid opposition], He became the source of eternal salvation [an eternal inheritance] to all those who obey Him, [Is 45:17] being designated by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. [Ps 110:4] Concerning this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull and sluggish in [your spiritual] hearing and disinclined to listen. For though by this time you ought to be teachers [because of the time you have had to learn these truths], you actually need someone to teach you again the elementary principles of God’s word [from the beginning], and you have come to be continually in need of milk, not solid food.

Hebrews 5:2-12 New Living Translation (NLT)

And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs. And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” And in another passage God said to him, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.

Hebrews 5:2-12 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Since the High Priest is also one who is clothed in weakness, he humbles himself by showing compassion to those who are ignorant of God’s ways and stray from them. And for this reason, he has to not only present the sin offerings of others, but also to bring a sin offering for himself. And no one takes this honor upon himself by being self-appointed, but God is the one who calls each one, just as Aaron was called. So also, Christ was not self-appointed and did not glorify himself by becoming a high priest, but God called and glorified him! For the Father said to him, “You are my favored Son. Today I have fathered you.” And in another Scripture he says about this new priestly order, “You are a Priest like Melchizedek, a King-Priest forever!” During Christ’s days on earth he pleaded with God, praying with passion and with tearful agony that God would spare him from death. And because of his perfect devotion his prayer was answered and he was delivered. But even though he was a wonderful Son, he learned to listen and obey through all his sufferings. And after being proven perfect in this way he has now become the source of eternal salvation to all those who listen to him and obey. For God has designated him as the King-Priest who is over the priestly order of Melchizedek. We have much to say about this topic although it is difficult to explain, because you have become too dull and sluggish to understand. For you should already be professors instructing others by now; but instead, you need to be taught from the beginning the basics of God’s prophetic oracles! You’re like children still needing milk and not yet ready to digest solid food.