Focused Passage

Hebrews 8:1-6

The Heavenly High Priest and the Better Covenant

Hebrews 8 declares the main point of the priestly argument: Jesus is the enthroned heavenly high priest who serves in the true sanctuary and mediates the better covenant promised by God.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 The 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,

2 and who ministers in the sanctuary and true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.

3 And since every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, it was necessary for this One also to have something to offer.

4 Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer gifts according to the law.

5 The place where they serve is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

6 Now, however, Jesus has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant He mediates is better and is founded on better promises.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction [The] point Κεφάλαιον G2774 Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular of ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition what τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Plural we are saying [is this] λεγομένοις G3004 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Neuter Plural We do have ἔχομεν G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural such τοιοῦτον G5108 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular a high priest ἀρχιερέα G749 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular who ὃς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular sat down ἐκάθισεν G2523 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular at ἐν G1722 Preposition [the] right hand δεξιᾷ G1188 Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular throne θρόνου G2362 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular Majesty Μεγαλωσύνης G3172 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition - τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural heaven οὐρανοῖς G3772 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural
Verse 2

Original words

[and who] ministers λειτουργὸς G3011 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular in the τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural sanctuary ἁγίων G40 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular true ἀληθινῆς G228 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular tabernacle σκηνῆς G4633 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - ἣν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Feminine Singular set up ἔπηξεν G4078 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular by the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Lord Κύριος G2962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular not οὐκ G3756 Adverb by man ἄνθρωπος G444 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 3

Original words

And since γὰρ G1063 Conjunction every Πᾶς G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular high priest ἀρχιερεὺς G749 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular is appointed καθίσταται G2525 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular to εἰς G1519 Preposition - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular offer προσφέρειν G4374 Verb - Present Infinitive Active both τε G5037 Conjunction gifts δῶρά G1435 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction sacrifices θυσίας G2378 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural [it was] ὅθεν G3606 Conjunction necessary ἀναγκαῖον G316 Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular [for] this One τοῦτον G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular also καὶ G2532 Conjunction to have ἔχειν G2192 Verb - Present Infinitive Active something τι G5100 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular - G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular to offer προσενέγκῃ G4374 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 4

Original words

Now οὖν G3767 Conjunction . . . μὲν G3303 Conjunction if εἰ G1487 Conjunction He were ἦν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition earth γῆς G1093 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular vvv οὐδ’ G3761 Adverb vvv ἂν G302 Particle He would not be ἦν G1510 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a priest ἱερεύς G2409 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular since there are already ὄντων G1510 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural [priests] τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural who offer προσφερόντων G4374 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Plural - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural gifts δῶρα G1435 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural according to κατὰ G2596 Preposition [the] law νόμον G3551 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Verse 5

Original words

[The place where] οἵτινες G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural they serve λατρεύουσιν G3000 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural [is] a copy ὑποδείγματι G5262 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction shadow σκιᾷ G4639 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular of what τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural is in heaven ἐπουρανίων G2032 Adjective - Genitive Neuter Plural This is why καθὼς G2531 Adverb Moses Μωϋσῆς G3475 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular was warned κεχρημάτισται G5537 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular when he was about μέλλων G3195 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular to build ἐπιτελεῖν G2005 Verb - Present Infinitive Active the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular tabernacle σκηνήν G4633 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - γάρ G1063 Conjunction - φησίν G5346 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular See to it that Ὅρα G3708 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular you make Ποιήσεις G4160 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular everything πάντα G3956 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural according to κατὰ G2596 Preposition the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular pattern τύπον G5179 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular - τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular shown δειχθέντα G1166 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Accusative Masculine Singular you σοι G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular on ἐν G1722 Preposition the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Singular mountain ὄρει G3735 Noun - Dative Neuter Singular

BSB notes

  • Exodus 25:40; see also Exodus 26:30.
Verse 6

Original words

Now Νυνὶ* G3570 Adverb however δὲ G1161 Conjunction [Jesus] has received τέτυχεν G5177 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a much ὅσῳ G3745 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Dative Neuter Singular more excellent διαφορωτέρας G1313 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular - Comparative ministry λειτουργίας G3009 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular just as καὶ G2532 Conjunction the covenant διαθήκης G1242 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular vvv ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular He mediates μεσίτης G3316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular is better κρείττονός G2909 Adjective - Genitive Feminine Singular - Comparative [and] ἥτις G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular is founded νενομοθέτηται G3549 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition better κρείττοσιν G2909 Adjective - Dative Feminine Plural - Comparative promises ἐπαγγελίαις G1860 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.