---
title: "Hebrews 5 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/5/
description: "The office of a high priest. Christ is our high priest. Hebrews 5 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Hebrews 5

Hebrews 5 is chapter 5 of 13 in the Letter to the Hebrews. Here are all 14 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> The office of a high priest. Christ is our high priest.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Hebrews 5 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. For every high priest, having been taken from among men, is appointed on behalf of men toward the things which pertain to God, so that he may offer gifts and sacrifices on behalf of sins;
2. he is able to commiserate with those who are ignorant and who wander astray, because he himself is also encompassed by infirmity.
3. And because of this, he also must make such offerings for sins even for himself, in the same manner as for the people.
4. Neither does anyone take up this honor himself, but rather he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.
5. Thus, even Christ did not glorify himself, so as to become High Priest, but instead, it was God who said to him: “You are my Son. Today I have begotten you.”
6. And similarly, he says in another place: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”
7. It is Christ who, in the days of his flesh, with a strong cry and tears, offered prayers and supplications to the One who was able to save him from death, and who was heard because of his reverence.
8. And although, certainly, he is the Son of God, he learned obedience by the things that he suffered.
9. And having reached his consummation, he was made, for all who are obedient to him, the cause of eternal salvation,
10. having been called by God to be the High Priest, according to the order of Melchizedek.
11. Our message about him is great, and difficult to explain when speaking, because you have been made feeble when listening.
12. For even though it is the time when you ought to be teachers, you are still lacking, so that you must be taught the things that are the basic elements of the Word of God, and so you have been made like those who are in need of milk, and not of solid food.
13. For anyone who is still feeding on milk is still unskillful in the Word of Justice; for he is like an infant.
14. But solid food is for those who are mature, for those who, by practice, have sharpened their mind, so as to discern good from evil.

## Hebrews 5 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Omnis namque pontifex ex hominibus assumptus, pro hominibus constituitur in iis quæ sunt ad Deum, ut offerat dona, et sacrificia pro peccatis:
2. qui condolere possit iis qui ignorant et errant: quoniam et ipse circumdatus est infirmitate:
3. et propterea debet, quemadmodum pro populo, ita etiam et pro semetipso offerre pro peccatis.
4. Nec quisquam sumit sibi honorem, sed qui vocatur a Deo, tamquam Aaron.
5. Sic et Christus non semetipsum clarificavit ut pontifex fieret: sed qui locutus est ad eum: Filius meus es tu, ego hodie genui te.
6. Quemadmodum et in alio loco dicit: Tu es sacerdos in æternum, secundum ordinem Melchisedech.
7. Qui in diebus carnis suæ preces, supplicationesque ad eum qui possit illum salvum facere a morte cum clamore valido, et lacrimis offerens, exauditus est pro sua reverentia.
8. Et quidem cum esset Filius Dei, didicit ex iis, quæ passus est, obedientiam:
9. et consummatus, factus est omnibus obtemperantibus sibi, causa salutis æternæ,
10. appellatus a Deo pontifex juxta ordinem Melchisedech.
11. De quo nobis grandis sermo, et ininterpretabilis ad dicendum: quoniam imbecilles facti estis ad audiendum.
12. Etenim cum deberetis magistri esse propter tempus, rursum indigetis ut vos doceamini quæ sint elementa exordii sermonum Dei: et facti estis quibus lacte opus sit, non solido cibo.
13. Omnis enim, qui lactis est particeps, expers est sermonis justitiæ: parvulus enim est.
14. Perfectorum autem est solidus cibus: eorum, qui pro consuetudine exercitatos habent sensus ad discretionem boni ac mali.

## Catechism of the Catholic Church

Paragraph numbers and the Catechism's own section headings (never quoted); text at vatican.va.
- CCC ¶ 1539: The Sacrament of Holy Orders in the Economy of Salvation ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 1564: The Three Degrees of the Sacrament of Holy Orders ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 784: The Church - People of God, Body of Christ, Temple of the Holy Spirit ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 1540: The Sacrament of Holy Orders in the Economy of Salvation ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 1578: Who Can Receive This Sacrament? ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 1537: Why Is This Sacrament Called "Orders"? ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 609: Jesus Died Crucified ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 1009: Dying in Christ Jesus ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 2606: In the Fullness of Time ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 612: Jesus Died Crucified ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 2741: Filial Trust ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 2825: "Thy Will Be Done on Earth as It is in Heaven" ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 617: Jesus Died Crucified ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 1544: The Sacrament of Holy Orders in the Economy of Salvation ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))

## The saints

- “The priest is not a priest for himself; he is a priest for you.” — St. John Vianney, Catechism on the Priesthood, c. 1850 (On this theme: verse 1)

## Read at Mass (US)

- Mon, Jan 18, 2027: Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time — First Reading, Hebrews 5:1-10
- Sun, Mar 14, 2027: Fifth Sunday of Lent — Second Reading, Hebrews 5:7-9
- Fri, Mar 26, 2027: Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion — Second Reading, Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9
- Sun, Oct 24, 2027 (computed): Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time — Second Reading, Hebrews 5:1-6

1 more date through December 31, 2028, in the [liturgical calendar](https://blessbible.app/calendar/).

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).