Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.
Parallel translations
- WEB Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.
- KJV Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
- NKJV Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
- NASB Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession.
- NLT So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Because we have a great high priest, Jesus the Son of God, who has entered heaven, we should hold firmly to our confession. Christ's exalted priesthood grounds our perseverance.
Overview
Resuming the priesthood theme, the author presents Jesus as the 'great high priest' who has 'passed through the heavens' into God's presence. His exalted, heavenly priesthood far surpasses the earthly priests of the old covenant. This is the basis for the exhortation to 'hold tightly to our confession' and not drift away.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Heb 9:24For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.
- Heb 12:2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Heb 10:23Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
- Heb 9:12He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.
- Heb 6:20where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.
- Eph 4:10He who descended is the very One who ascended above all the heavens, in order to fill all things.
- Heb 2:17For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people.
- Heb 8:1The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
- Rom 8:34Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.
- Heb 3:14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first.
- Heb 7:25–26Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.
- Heb 10:12But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.
- Heb 1:2–3But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.
- Heb 3:5–6Now Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be spoken later.
- Mark 16:19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
- Acts 1:11“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”
- Luke 24:51While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.
- Acts 3:21Heaven must take Him in until the time comes for the restoration of all things, which God announced long ago through His holy prophets.
- Heb 1:8But about the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
- Mark 1:1This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
- Heb 2:1We must pay closer attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
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Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 4:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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