Further, if he were still on earth, he would not be a priest at all, for there are priests enough provided to offer the gifts the Law prescribes??5 though the service they engage in is only a shadow and imitation of that in heaven. For when Moses was going to make the tent of worship he was warned, "Be sure to make it all just like the pattern you were shown on the mountain."

For if that first agreement had been perfect, there would have been no occasion for a second one.

Not like the one that I made with their forefathers, On the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out from the land of Egypt, For they would not abide by their agreement with me, So I paid no attention to them,' says the Lord.

'For this is the agreement that I will make with the house of Israel, In those later days,' says the Lord; 'I will put my laws into their minds, And write them on their hearts, And they will have me for their God, And I will have them for my people.

Even the first agreement provided regulations for worship, and a sanctuary that was fully equipped.

stood the gold incense-altar and the chest that contained the agreement, entirely covered with gold, with the gold jar in it that held the manna, and Aaron's staff that budded, and the tablets containing the agreement;

In all this the holy Spirit was seeking to show that there was no free access to the sanctuary while the outer tent was still standing.

And all this looked toward the present time and was symbolic of the fact that the mere offering of material gifts and sacrifices cannot inwardly qualify the worshiper to approach God,

But when Christ came, as the high priest of the better system under which we live, he went once for all, through that greater, more perfect tent of worship not made by human hands nor a part of our material creation, into the sanctuary,

And this is why he is the negotiator of a new agreement, in order that as someone has died to deliver them from the offenses committed under the old agreement, those who have been offered it may receive the unending inheritance they have been promised.

By such means, therefore, these things that were only copied from the originals in heaven had to be purified, but the heavenly originals themselves required far better sacrifices than these.

For it was not a sanctuary made by human hands and only copied after the true one that Christ entered, but he went into heaven itself, in order to appear now on our behalf in the very presence of God.

Nor does he go in to offer himself over and over again, like the high priest who enters the sanctuary year after year, taking with him blood that is not his own,

And just as men are destined to die once and after that to be judged,

For while the Law foreshadowed the blessings that were to come, it did not fully express them, and so the priests by offering the same sacrifices endlessly year after year cannot wholly free those who come to worship from their sins.

That is why the Christ, when he was coming into the world, said, "You have not wished sacrifice or offering, but you have provided a body for me.

And it is through his doing of God's will that we have been once for all purified from sin through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ in sacrifice.

from that time waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool.

For by that one sacrifice he has forever qualified those who are purified from sin to approach God.

" 'This is the agreement that I will make with them In those later days,' says the Lord, 'I will put my laws into their minds, And write them upon their hearts,' " he goes on,

by the new, living way which he has opened for us, through the curtain, that is, his physical nature,

Let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we profess, for he who has given us his promise may be trusted.

Let us not neglect meeting together as some do, but let us encourage one another, all the more as you can see that the great Day is coming nearer.

but only the dreadful prospect of judgment and that blazing indignation which is to devour God's enemies.

For we know who it is that has said, "Vengeance belongs to me! I will pay back!" and in another place, "The Lord will be the judge of his people!"

sometimes being actually exposed as a public spectacle to insults and violence, and sometimes showing yourselves ready to share the lot of those in that condition.

For you showed sympathy with those who were in prison, and you put up with it cheerfully when your property was taken from you, for you knew that you had in yourselves a greater possession that was lasting.

Faith means the assurance of what we hope for; it is our conviction about things that we cannot see.

For it was by it that the men of old gained God's approval.

It is faith that enables us to see that the universe was created at the command of God, so that the world we see did not simply arise out of matter.

Faith caused Enoch to be taken up from the earth without experiencing death; he could not be found, because God had taken him up. For before he was taken up there is evidence that he pleased God,

Faith led Noah, when he was warned by God of things no one then saw, in obedience to the warning to build an ark in which to save his family, and by such faith he condemned the world, and came to possess that uprightness which faith produces.

For he was looking forward to that city with the sure foundations, designed and built by God.

Faith made even Sarah herself able to have a child, although she was past the time of life for it, because she thought, that he who had made the promise would keep it.

All these people lived all their lives in faith, and died without receiving what had been promised; they only saw it far ahead and welcomed the sight of it, recognizing that they themselves were only foreigners and strangers here on earth.

For men who recognize that show that they are in search of a country of their own.

But, as it is, their aspirations are for a better, a heavenly country! That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city to receive them.

For he believed that God was able to raise men even from the dead, and from the dead he did indeed, to speak figuratively, receive him back.

Faith enabled Isaac to bequeath to Jacob and Esau blessings that were still to be.

Faith led Moses' parents to hide him for three months after his birth, because they saw that he was a beautiful child and they would not respect the edict of the king.

Faith made him institute the Passover and splash the blood upon the door-posts, to keep the angel that destroyed the firstborn from touching them.

Women had their dead restored to them by resurrection. Others endured torture, and refused to accept release, that they might rise again to the better life.

for God had resolved upon something still better for us, that they might not reach the fulfilment of their hopes except with us.

fixing our eyes upon Jesus, our leader and example in faith, who in place of the happiness that belonged to him, submitted to a cross, caring nothing for its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Think of the opposition that he encountered from those sinners against themselves, if you would not grow weary and faint-hearted.

For it is those whom the Lord loves that he disciplines, And he chastises every son that he acknowledges."

But if you have none of that discipline which all sons undergo, you are illegitimate children, and not true sons.

And keep your feet in straight paths, so that limbs that are lame may not be dislocated but instead be cured.

Try to be at peace with everyone, and strive for that consecration without which no one can see the Lord.

Be careful that no one fails to gain God's favor, or some poisonous root may come up to trouble and contaminate you all??16 some immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his very birthright for one single meal.

For it is no tangible blazing fire that you have come up to, no blackness and darkness and storm,

and so awful was the sight that Moses said, "I am aghast and appalled!"

to Jesus the negotiator of a new agreement, and to sprinkled blood that speaks more powerfully than even Abel's.

Now the words "But once more" indicate the final removal of all that is shaken, as only created, leaving only what is unshaken to be permanent.

Let us, therefore, be thankful that the kingdom given to us cannot be shaken, and so please God by worshiping him with reverence and awe;

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

Jesus Christ is the same today that he was yesterday, and he will be so forever.

Let us, therefore, go out to him, outside the camp, sharing the contempt that he endured,

for we have no permanent city here on earth, but we are in search of the city that is to come.

In his name let us continually offer praise as our sacrifice to God??he utterance of lips that glorify God's name.

But do not forget to be helpful and generous, for that is the kind of sacrifice that pleases God.

Obey your leaders and give way to them, for they are keeping watch in defense of your souls, as men accountable for the trust. Make their work a joy and not a grief, for that would be the worse for you.

I ask this of you more especially that I may be brought back to you the sooner.

You must know that our brother Timothy has been released from prison. If he comes here soon, we will see you together.

James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, sends greeting to the twelve tribes that are scattered over the world.

for you know that the testing of your faith leads to steadfastness,

and steadfastness must have full play, so that you may be fully and perfectly developed without any defects.

For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass, and the flowers wither, and all their beauty is gone. That is the way rich men will fade and die in the midst of their pursuits.

No one should think when he is tempted that his temptation comes from God, for God is incapable of being tempted by what is evil, and he does not tempt anyone.

When anyone is tempted, it is by his own desire that he is enticed and allured.

Of his own accord he brought us into being through the message of truth, so that we might be a kind of first-fruits among his creatures.

So strip yourselves of everything that soils you, and of every evil growth, and in a humble spirit let the message that has the power to save your souls be planted in your hearts.

For anyone who merely listens to the message without obeying it is like a man who looks in a mirror at the face that nature gave him,

But whoever looks at the faultless law that makes men free and keeps looking, so that he does not just listen and forget, but obeys and acts upon it, will be blessed in what he does.

A religious observance that is pure and stainless in the sight of God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their trouble, and keep one's self unstained by the world.

have you not wavered and shown that your judgments are guided by base motives?

Listen, my dear brothers. Has not God chosen the world's poor to be rich in faith, and to possess the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

You must talk and act like men who expect to be judged by the law that treats men as free.

But do you want proof, my senseless friend, that faith without good deeds amounts to nothing?

You see that in his case faith and good deeds worked together; faith found its highest expression in good deeds,

and so the Scripture came true that says, "Abraham had faith in God, and it was credited to him as uprightness, and he was called God's friend."

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

For we all make many mistakes. Anyone who never makes a mistake in what he says has a character that is fully developed and is able to control his whole body as well.

What wise, intelligent man is there among you? Let him show by his good life that what he does is done in the humility of wisdom.

The wisdom that is from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, considerate, willing to yield, full of compassion and good deeds, whole-hearted, straightforward.

You renegades! Do you not know that the friendship of the world means enmity with God? So whoever wishes to be the world's friend declares himself God's enemy.

This, instead of saying, "If it is the Lord's will, we shall live to do this or that."

Come now, you rich people! weep aloud and howl over the miseries that are going to overtake you!

So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be cured. An upright man can do a great deal by prayer when he tries.

Elijah was a man like us, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and for three years and six months there was no rain in the land.

you may be sure that whoever brings a sinner back from his misguided way will save the man's soul from death, and cover up a host of sins.

and you by God's power are being protected through faith to receive a salvation that is now ready to be disclosed at the last time.

they are to show that your faith when tested is found to be more precious than gold, which though it is perishable is tested with fire, and they will bring you praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

About this salvation the prophets who prophesied of the blessing that was destined for you made the most careful investigation,

trying to learn for what possible time the spirit of Christ within them in predicting the sufferings destined for Christ intended them and the glories that were to follow them.

It was disclosed to them that they were serving not themselves but you in dealing with these things, which have now been told you by those who through the holy Spirit sent from heaven brought you the good news; things into which angels long to look!

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, and with perfect calmness fix your hopes on the mercy that you are to experience when Jesus Christ is revealed.

for you know that you have not been ransomed with anything perishable like silver or gold, from the futile way of living in which you were brought up,

but with precious blood, like that of an unblemished, spotless lamb, the blood of Christ,

Now that by obeying the truth you have purified your souls for sincere love of the brotherhood, you must love one another intensely and heartily,