The Testimony of Yeshua

Hebrews 1: In ancient times Yehovah spoke with our ancestors in many portions and many forms thru the prophets. 2 But in these last days [1], He has spoken with us by His Son, who He appointed heir of all things [the universe]. Thru Him He created the worlds. 3 He brightly reflects His Fathers’ splendor and is essentially identical in His Being. He sustains the universe by the power of His Word. And He personally provided the purification to cover our sins, and sat down at the right hand side of His Majesty in the high places. 4 He is far superior to the spirit messengers, and He has inherited a name that is far superior to theirs.

5 To which of the spirit messengers did Yehovah ever say, “You are My SON, today I have become your Father”, or, “I’ll be His Father and He’ll be My Son?”

6 And when bringing the Firstborn into the world He said, “All of the spirit messengers of Yehovah must worship Him.”

7 But of the messengers He said, “He makes His messengers like wind [or spirit] and His servants like flames of fire [2].

8 But of the Son He said, “Your throne, O Yehovah, is for all eternity, and the scepter of Your Kingdom is a scepter of righteousness.

9 You’ve loved righteousness [3] and hated Torah breaking, so Yehovah, your Aloha, has anointed you with the oil of joy [4] far more than your fellow Israelites [5].

10 He also said, “In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the Heavens are the work of Your hands.

11 They’ll be put out of the way entirely, but you will remain forever, they’ll all wear out like clothing. 12 You’ll fold them up like a garment and they’ll be transformed—exchanged for another! [6] But you’ll remain as you are and your years will be endless.” 13 To which of the spirit messengers did He ever say, “Sit by My right hand side until I make Your enemies a footstool under Your feet?”

14 Aren’t they all spirits who serve Him—who are sent out to serve on behalf of those who will inherit eternal Life?

Hebrews 2: So we should be exceedingly cautious regarding what we have heard, so that we don’t fall away, 2 because if the message delivered thru spirit messengers was confirmed, and everyone who heard it deliberately violated it and received a just compensation [punishment], 3 then how will we escape if we spitefully disregard the message of eternal Life—the things that were first of all proclaimed by our Master Himself, and confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 while Yehovah joined in as a witness concerning them by signs, wonders, and by various miracles and by gifts of the 'special' spirit, distributed according to His will.

5 It isn’t the spirit messengers who will be assuming responsibility in the future world that we’re talking about. 6 As the Scriptures say, “What is the human race that you are aware of us, or a human son [1] that You would visit him?

7 You’ve made us [humans] slightly lower than Aloha [Quoted from Psalm 8:5-6] and crowned us with splendor and honor, by putting everything under ‘our’ control” [Lit: feet].” When giving control of everything [the universe] to us, You left nothing outside of our control. But we have yet to see everything under our control. 9 But now we see Someone who was made slightly inferior to the spirit messengers, ‘namely’ Yeshua Himself, crowned with majesty and honor, because He suffered death. Due to Yehovah’s mercy, He could ‘experience’ death for everyone [A].

Children in the Majestic Realm

10 It was appropriate that the One responsible for everything, who is the reason that everything exists, would bring many children into His majestic realm by means of the Pioneer of their eternal Life being perfected, by undergoing suffering. 11 The One who sets us apart, and those who are already set apart are all from one Father. So He isn’t ashamed to call them ‘brothers and sisters’.

12 As He said, “I’ll announce Your name to My brothers and sisters, I’ll praise you within the assembly.”

13 In addition, “I’ll confide in Him”, and, “Here I am with the children Yehovah has given Me!”

14 Since the children all shared a flesh and blood existence, He too shared in these very things, so that by His death, He could [ultimately] destroy the one who possessed the power of death, namely Satan, 15 and liberate those who were slaves all of their lives due to their fear of death. 16 He didn’t take on the nature of the spirit messengers, rather, He took on the ‘nature’ of a descendant of Abraham [2]. 17 So He had to be made like His brothers and sisters in every way to become a compassionate and faithful High Priest in everything pertaining to Yehovah, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Since He personally suffered and has been tested, He is able to help others who are being tested.

Hebrews 3: So, my 'special' Friends, we who have ‘been given’ an invitation from the Heavenly realm should remain focused on Yeshua Messiah, the envoy and High Priest who we declare, 2 who was faithful to the One who appointed Him, as Moses was with His [Yehovah’s] entire household. 3 This Man is worthy of much more honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has far more honor than the house itself. 4 Every house has a builder, but Yehovah [1] is the One who built everything! 5 Moses was a faithful servant with the entire household, attesting to the things that He would reveal in the future, 6 but the Messiah, as THE SON, is over His house, and we are His house if we hang on to the end of our lives with confidence and the triumph of anticipating Him [returning].

7 Because the 'special' spirit has said, “Today, if you hear HIS voice, 8 don’t be ‘hard headed’ and anger Him like the rebels did during the time of testing in the wilderness 9 where your ancestors tested Me and scrutinised My works for forty years. 10 So I was disgusted with that generation, and said, ‘These are people whose minds invariably go astray, and they haven’t learned My ways.’ 11 So I swore in My anger that they would never enter My place of rest.

12 See to it Friends that no wicked unbelieving mind is found in any of you, turning you away from the living Aloha. 13 But examine yourselves daily, until the day that is called THAT DAY, so that none of you will be hardened by the deceptiveness of sin. 14 We remain partners with the Messiah if we stay the course in our resolution from the beginning to the end. 15 As it says, “Today, if you hear His voice, don’t anger Him by being ‘hard headed’.”

16 But who was it who heard and angered Him? Wasn’t it virtually everyone who Moses led out of Egypt. 17 Who was He disgusted with for forty years, other than the ones who had sinned and whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And who did He swear would never enter His place of rest, but those who refused to believe? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because they didn’t believe!

Hebrews 4: Since the firm promise of entering His resting place is yet future, we should be afraid, because some of you could find yourselves left behind! 2 We have heard the Good News just as they did, but the message they heard didn’t benefit them because the people who heard it didn’t combine it with faith. 3 But those of us who have believed will enter the resting place. ‘Even tho’ He said, “As I have sworn in My anger, they won’t enter into My resting place” ‘because’ Yehovah’s workmanship has existed from the beginning of the world. 4 As he said about the Sabbath, “Aloha rested on the seventh day from all His works.” 5 Here again, He said, “They will never enter My resting place.” 6 So there was a certain place where everyone could have entered, but those who were the first to hear the Good News announcement didn’t enter because they couldn’t be persuaded. 7 So once again He appointed a specific day, after a long period of time. As was previously quoted from David, “Today, if you hear His voice don’t be ‘hard headed.’” 8 Now if Yeshua [1], the son of Nun [Aramaic] had given them rest, He wouldn’t have later spoken of another day. 9 So it is established that the people of Yehovah are to celebrate the Sabbath [2]. 10 Anyone who entered His rest [in the wilderness] ceased from their own undertakings [works], as Yehovah did from His. 11 So let’s strive to enter that resting place, so that we don’t fall dead like the others who weren’t persuaded.

12 The Word of Aloha [Yeshua here] is full of Life and active [Gr. “energes”], sharper than a two-edged sword, even severing between the consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] and the spirit, piercing between the joints and the marrow and the bones [Aramaic], and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of our minds. 13 There is no creature capable of hiding from Him. Everything is openly exposed for Him to see. He’s the One we must answer too.

14 So since we have such a great High Priest, Yeshua Messiah, Yehovah’s Son, who has ascended to Heaven, we should persevere in openly acknowledging Him. 15 We don’t have a High Priest who is unable to relate to our weaknesses, but one who was tempted in every possible way as we are, and still didn’t sin. 16 So we should approach the throne of His compassion with confidence, so that we can receive mercy and find His compassionate help in the time of affliction.

Hebrews 5: Every human high priest is appointed on behalf of the people in matters relating to Yehovah, so that he can present meal offerings and ze’bakim [sacrifices] for sins: 2 and he can humble himself [1] and sympathize with the ignorant and erring, because he himself is also ‘subject to’ weakness. 3 This is why he is required to offer zebakim, not only for the people, but also for himself. 4 No one takes this honor upon himself. Yehovah must call him by name, just as Aaron was. 5 Similarly, the Messiah didn’t take upon Himself the honor of becoming the High Priest, but the One who appointed Him told Him, “You are My Son. Today I have become your Father.” 6 In another passage [Psalm 110:4] He said, “You are a Priest forever who resembles [Aramaic] [2] Melchizedek”.

7 Also, during the time that He was a physical being, He offered up prayers and appeals with intense cries and tears to the One who was able to revive Him from death, and He was heard. 8 Even tho He was the Son, He still learned to be obedient by the fear [3] and sufferings He endured. 9 So once He was perfected, He became the source of our eternal Life for everyone who obeys Him. 10 He was designated by Yehovah the High Priest who resembles [Aramaic] Melchizedek.

11 Now, concerning Melchizedek, we have a lot to say that is difficult to explain, because you are hearing impaired! 12 By now you should be teachers due to all the time you spent learning. But now you need to be reeducated, beginning with the very first lines ‘of the first chapter’ of the Scriptures of Yehovah! You need milk rather than solid food. 13 Anyone who subsists on milk is unacquainted with the teachings of righteousness, because they are infants. 14 But solid food belongs to the mature, who due to practice have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Hebrews 6: So let’s go beyond the preliminary Word of the Messiah and move toward spiritual perfection. You don’t need to ‘begin again’ turning away from spiritually dead works and faith in Yehovah, 2 the doctrine of immersion [baptism], and the laying on of hand/s, and the resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 We will do this if Yehovah permits.

4 But those who have already descended into immersion [1] and have savored the gift from the Heavenly realm, and have received the 'special' spirit, 5 and have experienced the wonderful Word of Aloha and the powers of the age to come— 6 and then fell away [2] can’t be renewed a second time to a changed mind. That is like PERSONALLY crucifying Aloha’s Son all over again, and exposing Him to open shame.

7 The arable land that drinks in the rains that so frequently fall on it, producing valuable crops for those who farm it, are blessed by Yehovah. 8 But if it only produces thorns and briers it’s worthless and close to being cursed. It will end up being burned.

9 But Friends, even tho we say these things, we’re convinced that better things await you, things pertaining to eternal Life. 10 Yehovah isn’t unjust. He won’t forget your works and the love that you have displayed in His name, seeing that you have served and continue to serve the 'special ones' [saints]. 11 We want every one of you to continue to be diligent, to fully assure your expectations to the very end 12 so that you won’t ‘lose out’ [3], but instead zealously imitate those who, by their fidelity and patience have become heirs of the promises.

13 When Yehovah made the promise to Abraham, because there was no one greater than Himself to swear by, He swore by Himself, 14 and said, “Assuredly I’ll bless you and I’ll increasingly multiply your ‘descendants’.” 15 So he was patient and obtained the promise.

16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves. And every time a controversy occurs, an oath always puts an end to it. 17 So Yehovah, being quite willing to assure the heirs of the promises that His promises are irreversible, ‘confirmed’ it with an oath, 18 so that thru two unchangeable things (and it is impossible for Yehovah to lie), we who have fled to Him for refuge can have strong encouragement to hold on tightly to the promise set before us. 19 It’s like an anchor that holds our consciousness [psyche, Gr: psuche] firmly in place, a hope that enters the 'Special' Place behind the veil 20 where Yeshua has entered as our Forerunner for us, and has become a Priest forever who resembles [Aramaic] Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7: This Melchizedek was King of Salem and Priest of the Highest Aloha. He met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him. 2 Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything that he had with him. First of all, ‘Melchizedek’s’ name means “King of Righteousness”, and secondly, He is called Malek-Sholem, that is, “King of Peace”. 3 He had no father and mother written in the genealogies, no beginning of days and no end of life, resembling Aloha’s Son, 'Melchizedek's’ priesthood remains forever. 4 Now consider how great this king-priest was. Even the patriarch Abraham gave Him a tenth of the spoils from the top [best] of the heap [1] [Genesis 14:18-21]. 5 The descendants of Levi who accept the priesthood have a Torah statute allowing them to collect tithes from the people, that is, from their own brothers, ‘even tho’ they are also descendants of Abraham. 6 But this Man who isn’t listed in their genealogies received a tenth from Abraham and blessed the man who had received the promise. 7 Without any doubt the lesser man is blessed by the Greater. 8 'Now' mortal men receive the tithes, but 'in the prior case', the One who the Scriptures refer to [Melchizedek] is still alive! 9 We might say that even Levi, who received tithes, also paid a tithe thru Abraham 10 because he [Levi] hadn’t even been conceived by his father when he [Abraham] met Melchizedek.

11 So if perfection was attainable by means of the Levitical priesthood (because on that basis the people received the Torah), then why was another Priest still required who resembles [Aramaic] Melchizedek? Because he said, “He will be like Aaron.” 12 When a transfer in the priesthood takes place, then there must also be a transfer in the law. [2]. 13 The One we’re talking about was born into another tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. 14 It is apparent that our Master arose from Judah, from a tribe that Moses never said anything about concerning the priesthood. 15 This is even more evident from His saying that another Priest will arise who resembles Melchizedek, 16 who didn’t become a Priest due to a law based on ancestry, but due to the power of an indestructible Life. 17 He declared about Him: “You are a Priest forever who resembles [Aramaic] Melchizedek” [Psalm 110:4].

18 The change that was made in the previous statute was made because it was ineffective and because it was unprofitable. 19 The Torah alone perfected nothing, but bringing in a more excellent hope, IN ADDITION TO what has already been brought in [3] did. This is even better because it allows us to approach Yehovah.

20 He confirmed it to us with an oath. 21 They became priests without an oath, but He became one by an oath to the One who said to Him by David [4], “Yehovah has sworn, and won’t change His mind, ‘You are a Priest forever who resembles [Aramaic] Melchizedek.’” 22 By all of this, Yeshua became the sponsor of a more excellent covenant.

23 There were many priests because they were mortal. They weren’t allowed to live on. 24 But this Man, because He ‘lives’ forever, holds a permanent priesthood that will never be passed on to a successor. 25 He is capable of offering eternal Life to those who come to Yehovah thru Him, because He lives forever and intercedes for them.

26 This is the kind of Priest we need to stand before us, one pure, innocent and unstained, one separated from wickedness, and elevated higher than Heaven, 27 One who doesn’t need to offer daily ze’bakim [sacrifices] like the [Aaronic] high priests, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. He only did this once, when He offered Himself up. 28 The Torah appoints weak humans as priests, but the oath that came after the Torah was written, appoints the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

 

The Testimony of Yeshua was tweaked January 6, 2012