The Perfect High Priest

5 For every high priest ^(A)taken from among men is appointed on behalf of people in ^(B)things pertaining to God, in order to ^(C)offer both gifts and sacrifices ^(D)for sins; ^2 [a](E)he can deal gently with the ^(F)ignorant and ^(G)misguided, since he himself also is ^[b](H)clothed in weakness; ³ and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices ^(I)for sins for himself, ^(J)as well as for the people. ⁴ And ^(K)no one takes the honor for himself, but receives it when he is called by God, just ^(L)as Aaron also was.

⁵ So too Christ ^(M)did not glorify Himself in becoming a ^(N)high priest, but it was He who ^(O)said to Him,

⁶ just as He also says in another passage,

⁷ In the days of ^[c]His humanity, ^[d](S)He offered up both prayers and pleas with ^(T)loud crying and tears to the One ^(U)able to save Him ^[e]from death, and He ^[f]was heard because of His ^(V)devout behavior. ⁸ Although He was ^(W)a Son, He learned ^(X)obedience from the things which He suffered. ⁹ And having been ^(Y)perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him, ¹⁰ being designated by God as ^(Z)High Priest according to ^(AA)the order of Melchizedek.

¹¹ Concerning ^[g]him we have much to say, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become ^[h]poor listeners. ¹² For though ^[i]by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you ^(AB)the ^[j](AC)elementary principles of the ^(AD)actual words of God, and you have come to need ^(AE)milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an ^(AF)infant. ¹⁴ But solid food is for ^(AG)the mature, who because of practice have their senses ^(AH)trained to ^(AI)distinguish between good and evil.