Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

who have gone astray from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and upset the faith of some.

Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know that they produce quarrels.

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress.

treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

In the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and the books, especially the parchments.

But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might straighten out what was left unfinished, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you,

he must hold firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to refute those who contradict it.

This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the faith

to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.

and not to steal, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in everything they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,

who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, zealous for good deeds.

so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

This is a trustworthy saying; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God may be careful to devote themselves to good deeds. These things are excellent and profitable for men.

Warn a man who is factious once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him,

knowing that such a man is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Do your best to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing.

Our people must also learn to devote themselves to good deeds, so that they may help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing that is ours in Christ.

I would have been glad to keep him with me, so that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel;

but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will.

Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, that you might have him back for ever,

no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, as a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.

I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will pay it backnot to mention that you owe me even your own self.

Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For it is not to angels that he subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking.

But there is a place where someone has testified, "What is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man that you care for him?

You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor,

and put everything in subjection under his feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. As it is, we do not yet see everything subject to him.

But we see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.

For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

For surely it is not with angels that he is concerned, but with the descendants of Abraham.

Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

Yet Jesus has been counted worthy of as much more glory than Moses as the builder of a house has more honor than the house.

Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later,

Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their hearts; and they have not known my ways.'

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

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

So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall never enter my rest,'" although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

For land which drinks the rain that often falls upon it, and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God.

Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are confident of better things in your case, things that accompany salvation.

so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Men swear by one greater than themselves, and in all their disputes the oath is final for confirmation.

so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner sanctuary behind the curtain,

And to him Abraham gave a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.

And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, though these also are descended from Abraham.

In this case tithes are received by mortal men, but in that case by one of whom it is witnessed that he lives on.

One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,

For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary; for when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was instructed by God, saying, "See that you make everything according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain."

But as it is, he has obtained a ministry which is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no place sought for a second.

not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not continue in my covenant, and so I paid no heed to them, says the Lord.

This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

having the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, which contained a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the holy place had not yet been disclosed as long as the outer tabernacle was still standing.

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, he entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation.

For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Nor was it that he should offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood not his own.

And just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment,

And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

waiting from that time until his enemies be made a stool for his feet.

"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,"

by a new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, his flesh,

For you had compassion on the prisoners, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.

For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.

By faith Abel offered God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his gifts. And through faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God had taken him. For before he was taken he was attested as having pleased God.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, for anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from a distance, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

For people who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.

And if they had been thinking of that country from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return.

But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

He considered that God was able to raise men even from the dead; from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

He considered abuse suffered for the Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his reward.

Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.

because God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

It is for discipline that you endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?