and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.

And to whom did he swear they would never enter into his rest, except those who were disobedient?

For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my anger, 'They will never enter my rest!'" And yet God's works were accomplished from the foundation of the world.

And the others who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them from continuing in office,

Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.

It contained the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered entirely with gold. In this ark were the golden urn containing the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

And above the ark were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Now is not the time to speak of these things in detail.

This was a symbol for the time then present, when gifts and sacrifices were offered that could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper.

But remember the former days when you endured a harsh conflict of suffering after you were enlightened.

At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and afflictions, and at other times you came to share with others who were treated in that way.

By faith we understand that the worlds were set in order at God's command, so that the visible has its origin in the invisible.

By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise.

So in fact children were fathered by one man -- and this one as good as dead -- like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sand on the seashore.

These all died in faith without receiving the things promised, but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth.

By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king's edict.

He regarded abuse suffered for Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on the reward.

By faith they crossed the Red Sea as if on dry ground, but when the Egyptians tried it, they were swallowed up.

and women received back their dead raised to life. But others were tortured, not accepting release, to obtain resurrection to a better life.

They were stoned, sawed apart, murdered with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated

And these all were commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised.

Remember those in prison as though you were in prison with them, and those ill-treated as though you too felt their torment.