--- title: "Hebrews: Summary & All 13 Chapters · Bless" url: https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/ description: "The Letter to the Hebrews, a homily on christ in 13 chapters. Bp. Challoner’s summary of all 13 chapters, and the full text free." --- New Testament # The Letter to the Hebrews The Letter to the Hebrews is the nineteenth of the 27 books of the New Testament: 13 chapters and 303 verses. [Start reading: Hebrews 1](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/1/) Chapters 1–13: [1](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/1/) … [13](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/13/) ## About Hebrews About Hebrews · Homily on Christ Hebrews is less a letter than a magnificent sermon on why there is no going back from Christ: greater than angels, than Moses, than the temple priesthood — the true high priest who entered the sanctuary once for all with his own blood. Its author is unknown; the ancient Church itself noted that God alone knows who wrote it, while long associating it with Paul's circle. It was written for believers, likely of Jewish background, tempted under pressure to drift from their confession, and it answers with warning, with the great roll call of faith, and with a call to endure. *Hebrews in Bless* | | | |---|---| | Testament | New Testament — book 19 of 27, 65 of 73 in the Bible | | Canon | Protocanonical (in every Christian canon) | | Chapters | 13 | | Verses | 303, as Bless numbers them | | Latin | Clementine Vulgate, every chapter | | Bp. Challoner | Summaries of all 13 chapters · 28 notes | | Catechism | 99 paragraphs cite it | Chapter by chapter ## All 13 chapters, *in brief.* Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text. 1. ### [Hebrews 1](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/1/) 14 verses God spoke of old by the prophets, but now by his Son, who is incomparably greater than the angels. 2. ### [Hebrews 2](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/2/) 18 verses The transgression of the precepts of the Son of God is far more condemnable than of those of the Old Testament given by angels. 3. ### [Hebrews 3](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/3/) 19 verses Christ is more excellent than Moses. Wherefore we must adhere to him by faith and obedience. 4. ### [Hebrews 4](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/4/) 16 verses The Christian's rest. We are to enter into it through Jesus Christ. 5. ### [Hebrews 5](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/5/) 14 verses The office of a high priest. Christ is our high priest. 6. ### [Hebrews 6](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/6/) 20 verses He warns them of the danger of falling by apostasy and exhorts them to patience and perseverance. 7. ### [Hebrews 7](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/7/) 28 verses The priesthood of Christ according to the order of Melchisedech excels the Levitical priesthood and puts an end both to that and to the law. 8. ### [Hebrews 8](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/8/) 13 verses More of the excellence of the priesthood of Christ and of the New Testament. 9. ### [Hebrews 9](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/9/) 28 verses The sacrifices of the law were far inferior to that of Christ. 10. ### [Hebrews 10](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/10/) 39 verses Because of the insufficiency of the sacrifices of the law, Christ our high priest shed his own blood for us, offering up once for all the sacrifice of our redemption. He exhorts them to perseverance. 11. ### [Hebrews 11](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/11/) 40 verses What faith is. Its wonderful fruits and efficacy demonstrated in the fathers. 12. ### [Hebrews 12](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/12/) 29 verses Exhortation to constancy under their crosses. The danger of abusing the graces of the New Testament. 13. ### [Hebrews 13](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/13/) 25 verses Divers admonitions and exhortations. Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries In the comments ## What the saints *said.* 11 quotations from 10 saints linked to passages of Hebrews in Bless. Each names the work it comes from. [St. Gregory the Great](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-gregory-the-great/) · on [Hebrews 4:12](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/4/#v12) On this theme > The Holy Scriptures grow with the one who reads them. Homilies on Ezekiel, I.7, c. 593 [St. John Vianney](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-john-vianney/) · on [Hebrews 5:1](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/5/#v1) On this theme > The priest is not a priest for himself; he is a priest for you. Catechism on the Priesthood, c. 1850 [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-augustine-of-hippo/) · on [Hebrews 6:19](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/6/#v19) On this theme > Hope has for its object only what is good, only what is future, and only what affects the one who hopes. Enchiridion, 8, c. 421 [St. Clement of Rome](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-clement-of-rome/) · on [Hebrews 9:14](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/9/#v14) On this theme > Let us fix our gaze on the blood of Christ and realize how precious it is to His Father, since it was poured out for our salvation and brought the grace of repentance to the whole world. Letter to the Corinthians, 7, c. 96 [St. Augustine of Hippo](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-augustine-of-hippo/) · on [Hebrews 11:1](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/11/#v1) On this theme > Understand so that you may believe; believe so that you may understand. Sermon 43, c. 400 [St. Thomas Aquinas](https://blessbible.app/saints/st-thomas-aquinas/) · on [Hebrews 11:1](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/11/#v1) Attributed > To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary; to one without faith, no explanation is possible. Popular saying, source unconfirmed ### 5 more, on the chapter pages - [Hebrews 11:3](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/11/#v3) St. Anselm - [Hebrews 12:1](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/12/#v1) St. Thérèse of Lisieux - [Hebrews 12:6](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/12/#v6) St. Thomas More - [Hebrews 13:2](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/13/#v2) St. Benedict of Nursia - [Hebrews 13:8](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/13/#v8) St. Teresa of Ávila Coming up ## Read at *Mass.* From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Hebrews is read at the principal Mass on 36 days in the US calendar. The next 8 readings: | Date | Celebration | Reading | Citation | |---|---|---|---| | [Fri, Dec 25, 2026](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2026/12/25/) | The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) | Second Reading | [Hebrews 1:1-6](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/1/) | | [Fri, Jan 1, 2027](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2027/01/01/) | Mary, the Holy Mother of God | Alleluia | [Hebrews 1:1-2](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/1/) | | [Sat, Jan 2, 2027](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2027/01/02/) | Sts. Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church | Alleluia | [Hebrews 1:1-2](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/1/) | | [Mon, Jan 11, 2027](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2027/01/11/) | Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | [Hebrews 1:1-6](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/1/) | | [Tue, Jan 12, 2027](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2027/01/12/) | Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | [Hebrews 2:5-12](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/2/) | | [Wed, Jan 13, 2027](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2027/01/13/) | Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | [Hebrews 2:14-18](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/2/) | | [Thu, Jan 14, 2027](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2027/01/14/) | Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | [Hebrews 3:7-14](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/3/) | | [Fri, Jan 15, 2027](https://blessbible.app/calendar/2027/01/15/) | Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time | First Reading | [Hebrews 4:1-5, 11](https://blessbible.app/bible/hebrews/4/) | 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. [Previous book The Letter to Philemon](https://blessbible.app/bible/philemon/) [Next book The Letter of James](https://blessbible.app/bible/james/)