Hebrews 13:1–25
13 Let abrotherly love continue. 2 bDo not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing csome have unwittingly entertained angels. 3 dRemember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.
4 eMarriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; fbut fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, g“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say:
h“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?”
Concluding Religious Directions
7 Remember those who 1rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. 8 Jesus Christ is ithe same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Do not be carried 2about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might 3sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing jHis reproach. 14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. 15 kTherefore by Him let us continually offer lthe sacrifice of praise to God, that is, mthe fruit of our lips, 4giving thanks to His name. 16 nBut do not forget to do good and to share, for owith such sacrifices God is well pleased.
17 pObey those who 5rule over you, and be submissive, for qthey watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
18 rPray for us; for we are confident that we have sa good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. 19 But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Benediction, Final Exhortation, Farewell
20 Now may tthe God of peace uwho brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, vthat great Shepherd of the sheep, wthrough the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you 6complete in every good work to do His will, xworking in 7you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
22 And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words. 23 Know that our brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly.
24 Greet all those who 8rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.
Hebrews 4:1–5:14
4 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, alet us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, 1not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:
b“So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ”
although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: c“And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5 and again in this place: d“They shall not enter My rest.”
6 Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 7 again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:
e“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”
8 For if 2Joshua had fgiven them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. 10 For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.
The Word Discovers Our Condition
11 gLet us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is hliving and powerful, and isharper than any jtwo-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is ka discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 lAnd there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are mnaked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
14 Seeing then that we have a great nHigh Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, olet us hold fast our confession. 15 For pwe do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but qwas in all points tempted as we are, ryet without sin. 16 sLet us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Qualifications for High Priesthood
5 For every high priest taken from among men ais appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can 1have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to bweakness. 3 Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for chimself, to offer sacrifices for sins. 4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as dAaron was.
5 eSo also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:
f“You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.”
6 As He also says in another place:
g“You are a priest forever
According to the order of Melchizedek”;
7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had hoffered up prayers and supplications, iwith vehement cries and tears to Him jwho was able to save Him from death, and was heard kbecause of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned lobedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And mhaving been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest n“according to the order of Melchizedek,” 11 of whom owe have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become pdull of hearing.
12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the 2oracles of God; and you have come to need qmilk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is ra babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are 3of full age, that is, those who by reason of 4use have their senses exercised sto discern both good and evil.