Thus we see it was owing to unbelief that they could not enter.

Let us be eager then to enter that Rest, in case anyone falls into the same sort of disobedience.

So let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in the hour of need.

For land which absorbs the rain that often falls on it, and bears plants that are useful to those for whom it is tilled, receives a blessing from God;

Though I say this, beloved, I feel sure you will take the better course that means salvation.

It is my heart's desire that each of you would prove equally keen upon realizing your full hope to the very end,

so that instead of being slack you may imitate those who inherit the promises by their stedfast faith.

Thus it was that Abraham by his stedfastness obtained what he had been promised.

For as men swear by a greater than themselves, and as an oath means to them a guarantee that ends any dispute,

so that by these two solid facts (the Promise and the Oath), where it is impossible for God to be false, we refugees might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before us,

For Melchizedek, the king of Salem, a priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham on his return from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him ??2 who had a tenth part of everything assigned him by Abraham ??this Melchizedek is primarily a king of righteousness (that is the meaning of his name); then, besides that, king of Salem (which means, king of peace).

Those sons of Levi who receive the priestly office are indeed ordered by law to tithe the people (that is, their brothers), although the latter are descended from Abraham;

(And there is no question that it is the inferior who is blessed by the superior.)

Again, it is mortal men in the one case who receive tithes, while in the other it is one of whom the witness is that 'he lives.'

In fact, we might almost say that even Levi the receiver of tithes paid tithes through Abraham;

Further, if the Levitical priesthood had been the means of reaching perfection (for it was on the basis of that priesthood that the Law was enacted for the People), why was it still necessary for another sort of priest to emerge with the rank of Melchizedek, instead of simply with the rank of Aaron

for it is evident that our Lord sprang from Judah, and Moses never mentioned priesthood in connexion with that tribe.

one who has no need, like yonder high priests, day by day to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for those of the People ??he did that once for all in offering up himself.

(men who serve a mere outline and shadow of the heavenly ??as Moses was instructed, when he was about to execute the building of the tabernacle: see, God said, that you make everything on the pattern shown you upon the mountain).

As it is, however, the divine service he has obtained is superior, owing to the fact that he mediates a superior covenant, enacted with superior promises.

Whereas God does find fault with the people of that covenant, when he says: The day is coming, saith the Lord, when I will conclude a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be on the lines of the covenant I made with their fathers,

This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel when that day comes, saith the Lord; I will set my laws within their mind, inscribing them upon their hearts; I will be a God to them, and they shall be a People to me;

containing the golden altar of incense, and also the ark of the covenant covered all over with gold, which held the golden pot of manna, the rod of Aaron that once blossomed, and the tablets of the covenant;

By this the holy Spirit means that the way into the Holiest Presence was not disclosed so long as the first tent

since they relate merely to food and drink and a variety of ablutions ??outward regulations for the body, that only hold till the period of the New Order.

But when Christ arrived as the high priest of the bliss that was to be, he passed through the greater and more perfect tent which no hands had made (no part, that is to say, of the present order),

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkled on defiled persons, give them a holiness that bears on bodily purity,

He mediates a new covenant for this reason, that those who have been called may obtain the eternal inheritance they have been promised, now that a death has occurred which redeems them from the transgressions involved in the first covenant.

and saying, This is the blood of that covenant which is God's command for you.

In fact, one might almost say that by Law everything is cleansed with blood. No blood shed, no remission of sins!

Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, like the high priest entering the holy place every year with blood that was not his own: ??26 for in that case he would have had to suffer repeatedly, ever since the world was founded. Nay, once for all, at the end of the world, he has appeared with his self-sacrifice to abolish sin.

And just as it is appointed for men to die once and after that to be judged,

For as the Law has a mere shadow of the bliss that is to be, instead of representing the reality of that bliss, it never can perfect those who draw near with the same annual sacrifices that are perpetually offered.

And it is by this will that we are consecrated, because Jesus Christ once for all has offered up his body.

This is the covenant I will make with them when that day comes, saith the Lord, I will set my laws upon their hearts, inscribing them upon their minds, he adds,

by the fresh, living way which he has inaugurated for us through the veil (that is, through his flesh),

nothing but an awful outlook of doom, of that burning Wrath which will consume the foes of God.

for you did sympathize with the prisoners, and you took the confiscation of your own belongings cheerfully, conscious that elsewhere you had higher, you had lasting, possessions.

Now do not drop that confidence of yours; it carries with it a rich hope of reward.

Steady patience is what you need, so that after doing the will of God you may get what you have been promised.

It was for this that the men of old won their record.

It is by faith we understand that the world was fashioned by the word of God, and thus the visible was made out of the invisible.

It was by faith that Abel offered God a richer sacrifice than Cain did, and thus won from God the record of being 'just,' on the score of what he gave; he died, but by his faith he is speaking to us still.

It was by faith that Enoch was taken to heaven, so that he never died (he was not overtaken by death, for God had taken him away). For before he was taken to heaven, his record was that he had satisfied God;

and apart from faith it is impossible to satisfy him, for the man who draws near to God must believe that he exists and that he does reward those who seek him.

It was by faith that Noah, after being told by God what was still unseen, reverently constructed an ark to save his household; thus he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that follows faith.

It was by faith that Abraham obeyed his call to go forth to a place which he would receive as an inheritance; he went forth, although he did not know where he was to go.

It was by faith that he sojourned in the promised land, as in a foreign country, residing in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob who were co-heirs with him of the same promise;

It was by faith that even Sara got strength to conceive, bearing a son when she was past the age for it ??because she considered she could rely on Him who gave the promise.

but they really aspire to the better land in heaven. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God; he has prepared a City for them.)

It was by faith, when Abraham was put to the test, that he sacrificed Isaac, he was ready to sacrifice his only son, although he had received the promises

and had been told that it is through Isaac that your offspring shall be reckoned ??19 for he considered that God was able even to raise men from the dead. Hence he did get him back, by what was a parable of the resurrection.

It was by faith that Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in connexion with the future.

It was by faith that, when Jacob was dying, he blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bending in prayer over the head of his staff.

It was by faith that Joseph at his end thought about the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders about his own bones.

It was by faith that Moses was hidden for three months after birth by his parents, because they saw the child was beautiful, and had no fear of the royal decree.

It was by faith that Moses refused, when he had grown up, to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

It was by faith that he left Egypt, not from any fear of the king's wrath; like one who saw the King Invisible, he never flinched.

It was by faith that he celebrated the passover and performed the sprinkling by blood, so that the destroying angel might not touch Israel's first-born.

It was by faith that they crossed the Red Sea like dry land ??and when the Egyptians attempted it they were drowned.

It was by faith that the walls of Jericho collapsed, after being surrounded for only seven days.

It was by faith that Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, as she had welcomed the scouts peaceably.

Some were given back to their womankind, raised from the very dead; others were broken on the wheel, refusing to accept release, that they might obtain a better resurrection;

Compare him who steadily endured all that hostility from sinful men, so as to keep your own hearts from fainting and failing.

And have you forgotten the word of appeal that reasons with you as sons? ??My son, never make light of the Lord's discipline, never faint under his reproofs;

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for where is the son who is not disciplined by his father?

For while their discipline was only for a time, and inflicted at their pleasure, he disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his own holiness.

Aim at peace with all ??and at that consecration without which no one will ever see the Lord;

see to it that no one misses the grace of God, that no root of bitterness grows up to be a trouble by contaminating all the rest of you;

that no one turns to sexual vice or to a profane life as Esau did ??Esau, who for a single meal parted with his birthright.

(for they could not bear the command, If even a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned) ??21 indeed, so awful was the sight that Moses said, I am terrified and aghast.

See that you do not refuse to listen to His voice. For if they failed to escape, who refused to listen to their instructor upon earth, much less shall we escape, if we discard Him who speaks from heaven.

That phrase, once again, denotes the removal of what is shaken (as no more than created), to leave only what stands unshaken.

Therefore let us render thanks that we get an unshaken realm; and in this way let us worship God acceptably ??29 but with godly fear and awe, for our God is indeed a consuming fire.

So that we can say confidently, The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can men do to me?

Never let yourselves be carried away with a variety of novel doctrines; for the right thing is to have one's heart strengthened by grace, not by the eating of food ??that has never been any use to those who have had recourse to it.

And by him let us constantly offer praise to God as our sacrifice, that is, the fruit of lips that celebrate his Name.

Do not forget beneficence and charity, either; these are the kind of sacrifices that are acceptable to God.

I urge you to this all the more, that I may get back to you the sooner.

You must understand that [our] brother Timotheus is now free. If he comes soon, he and I will see you together.

sure that the sterling temper of your faith produces endurance;

only, let your endurance be a finished product, so that you may be finished and complete, with never a defect.

that man need not imagine he will get anything from God,

double-minded creature that he is, wavering at every turn.

It was his own will that we should be born by the Word of the truth, to be a kind of firstfruits among his creatures.

Be sure of that, my beloved brothers. Let everyone be quick to listen, slow to talk, slow to be angry ??20 for human anger does not promote divine righteousness;

Whereas he who gazes into the faultless law of freedom and remains in that position, proving himself to be no forgetful listener but an active agent, he will be blessed in his activity.

are you not drawing distinctions in your own minds and proving that you judge people with partiality?

if any of you says to them, "Depart in peace! Get warm, get food," without supplying their bodily needs, what use is that?

But will you understand, you senseless fellow, that faith without deeds is dead?

You observe it is by what he does that a man is justified, not simply by what he believes.

no man can tame the tongue ??plague of disorder that it is, full of deadly venom!

But if you are cherishing bitter jealousy and rivalry in your hearts, do not pride yourselves on that ??and be false to the truth.

That is not the wisdom which comes down from above, it is an earthly wisdom, sensuous, devilish;

Where do conflicts, where do wrangles come from, in your midst? Is it not from these passions of yours that war among your members?

(Wanton creatures! do you not know that the world's friendship means enmity to God? Whoever, then, chooses to be the world's friend, turns enemy to God.

You ought rather to say, "If the Lord will, we shall live to do this or that."

[follows 2:26] Whoever, then, knows what is right to do and does not do it, that is a sin for him.

See, we call the stedfast happy; you have heard of the stedfastness of Job, and you have seen the end of the Lord with him, seen that the Lord is very compassionate and pitiful.

So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed; the prayers of the righteous have a powerful effect.