Hebrews 3:1

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, 1  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, 2 

Hebrews 4:14

Jesus Our Compassionate High Priest

4:14 Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.

Hebrews 8:6

8:6 But 3  now Jesus 4  has obtained a superior ministry, since 5  the covenant that he mediates is also better and is enacted 6  on better promises. 7 

Hebrews 12:24

12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator 8  of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does. 9 

Hebrews 13:21

13:21 equip you with every good thing to do his will, working in us 10  what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. 11  Amen.

1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

2 tn Grk “of our confession.”

3 sn The Greek text indicates a contrast between vv. 4-5 and v. 6 that is difficult to render in English: Jesus’ status in the old order of priests (vv. 4-5) versus his superior ministry (v. 6).

4 tn Grk “he”; in the translation the referent (Jesus) has been specified for clarity.

5 tn Grk “to the degree that.”

6 tn Grk “which is enacted.”

7 sn This linkage of the change in priesthood with a change in the law or the covenant goes back to Heb 7:12, 22 and is picked up again in Heb 9:6-15 and 10:1-18.

8 tn The Greek word μεσίτης (mesith", “mediator”) in this context does not imply that Jesus was a mediator in the contemporary sense of the word, i.e., he worked for compromise between opposing parties. Here the term describes his function as the one who was used by God to enact a new covenant which established a new relationship between God and his people, but entirely on God’s terms.

9 sn Abel’s shed blood cried out to the Lord for justice and judgment, but Jesus’ blood speaks of redemption and forgiveness, something better than Abel’s does (Gen 4:10; Heb 9:11-14; 11:4).

10 tc Some mss (C P Ψ 6 629* 630 1505 pm latt syh) read ὑμῖν (Jumin, “in you”) here, but ἡμῖν (Jhmin) has stronger external support (Ì46 א A Dvid K 0243 0285 33 81 104 326 365 629c 1175 1739 1881 pm syp co). It is also more likely that ἡμῖν would have been changed to ὑμῖν in light of the “you” which occurs at the beginning of the verse than vice versa.

11 tc ‡ Most mss (א A [C*] 0243 0285 33 1739 1881 Ï latt) include the words “and ever” here, but the shorter reading (supported by Ì46 C3 D Ψ 6 104 365 1505 al) is preferred on internal grounds. It seemed more likely that scribes would assimilate the wording to the common NT doxological expression “for ever and ever,” found especially in the Apocalypse (cf., e.g., 1 Tim 1:17; 2 Tim 4:18; Rev 4:9; 22:5) than to the “forever” of Heb 13:8. Nevertheless, a decision is difficult here. NA27 places the phrase in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.