For perhaps it was for this reason that he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever,

not as a slave [only], but more than a slave, as a dearly loved brother. [He is that] to me especially, but how much more to you, both in a physical way [i.e., by continuing to serve as your slave] and in [the fellowship of] the Lord [i.e., now also as your brother in Christ].

And if he has wronged you at all, or is owing you anything, charge that to me.

I, Paul, write it with my own hand, I will pay it in full -- not to mention the fact that you owe me your very self besides.

Yes, brother, that I may have your help in the Lord, refresh my heart in the Lord.

I write you in perfect confidence in your compliance with my wish, because I am sure that you will do even more than I ask.

And have a guest-room ready for me, too, for I hope that through your prayers I shall have the gracious privilege of coming to you.

along with [John] Mark [Note: This shows that Mark was now back in the good graces of Paul. See Acts 15:36-40], Aristarchus, Demas [Note: This man later deserted Paul. See II Tim. 4:10] and Luke, who are [also] my fellow-workers. [Note: These men, unlike Epaphras who was imprisoned with Paul, were free to minister for Christ there in Rome].

It was bit by bit and in many different ways that God in olden times spoke to our forefathers through the prophets,

but in these days at the end he has spoken to us by a Son ??a Son whom he appointed heir of the universe, as it was by him that he created the world.

He is as much superior to the angels as the name that he has inherited surpasses theirs.

But God said [this] about the angels [Psa. 104:4 LXX], "He [i.e., God] makes His angels to be [like] winds and His servants [like] flames of fire." [Note: The idea is probably that angels obediently serve God's purpose similar to the way wind and lightening do].

You have loved right and hated wrong! That is why God, your God, has anointed you with exhilarating oil beyond all your comrades."

It is also of His Son that God says, "Thou, O Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Thy hands.

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?

Because of this we ought to give more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest we might slip away.

For if the word uttered through angels stood firm, so that every transgression and act of disobedience met with its just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?

how can we escape, if we pay no attention at all to a salvation that is so great? This is so because it was first proclaimed by the Lord Himself, and then it was proved to us to be valid by the very men who heard Him themselves,

For it was not to angels that He gave authority over that world to be, of which we are speaking.

For someone somewhere has solemnly said: "What is man that you should think of him, or the Son of Man that you should care for Him?

Thou hast made him only a little lower that the angels; With glory and honor hast thou crowned him; And hast set him to govern the works of thy hands;

You have put all things under His feet!" Now when He gave Him authority over everything, He did not leave a single thing that was not put under His authority. But as yet we do not see everything actually under His authority,

but we do see Jesus, who was made inferior to the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by God's favor He might experience death for every human being.

For it was fitting for God [that is, an act worthy of His divine nature] that He, for whose sake are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the author and founder of their salvation perfect through suffering [bringing to maturity the human experience necessary for Him to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest].

For, both he that maketh holy, and they who are being made holy, are, all, of One; For which cause, he is not ashamed to be calling them, brethren,

And again, I will be a man who has trusted in him. And again, Behold, I and the children that God has given me.

Since then the children mentioned share our mortal nature, He too took on Himself a full share of the same, in order that He by His death might put a stop to the power of him who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

and [that He] might free all those who through [the haunting] fear of death were held in slavery throughout their lives.

For of course it is not angels but descendants of Abraham that He is to help.

Therefore He had to be made like His brothers, so that He could be a sympathetic High Priest, as well as a faithful one, in things relating to God, in order to atone for the people's sins.

For inasmuch as He has suffered Himself by being tempted, He is able to give immediate help to any that are tempted.

Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

For, of more glory than Moses, hath, this one been counted worthy - by as much as more honour than, the house, hath, he that prepared it;

For, every house, is prepared by someone, - but, he that hath prepared all things, is, God.

And Moses was indeed faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of the things that were going to be spoken,

but Christ as a Son set over the house of God was faithful; and we are that house, if we keep up our courage and the joy that hope inspires to the very end.

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks!

Do not harden your hearts as your forefathers provoked me by doing, As in that time of trial in the desert,

where your forefathers so sorely tried My patience and saw all that I did during forty years.

Therefore I was angry with that generation, and said, They are always led astray in their heart, and they did not know my ways.

so I swear in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest."

See to it, my brothers, that no wicked, unbelieving heart is found in any of you, as shown by your turning away from the ever-living God,

but day by day, as long as "Today" shall last, continue to encourage one another, so that not one of you may be hardened by sin's deceiving ways,

For we have become companions of the Messiah if we hold firmly until the end the reality that we had at the start.

in that it is said, To-day if ye will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation;

For who was it that heard and yet provoked Him? Was it not all who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

To whom did He take oath that they should not be admitted to His rest, if it was not to those who disobeyed Him?

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

So let us fear that when the promise for us to be admitted to His rest is still remaining valid some one of you may be found to have missed it.

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

For those who believe enter into that rest, just as he said, So I swore in my wrath, They will not enter into my rest, although the works occurred from the foundation of the world.

Again, in that passage He says, They will never enter My rest.

Since then it still remains that some are being admitted to it and that those who first had the good news told to them were not admitted because of disobedience,

He again sets a definite day, [a new] “Today,” [providing another opportunity to enter that rest by] saying through David after so long a time, just as has been said before [in the words already quoted],

“Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”

For, if, unto them, Joshua had given rest, it had not in that case, concerning another day, been speaking, after, these things.

So that there is still a Sabbath-keeping for the people of God.

For, he that hath entered into his rest, He too, hath rested from his works, just as, from his own, God, rested .

Let us therefore be diligent to enter into that rest, so that not any man may fall by the same example of disobedience.

For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore come near with boldness to the throne of grace, so that we may take mercy, and may find grace for timely help.

For every high priest taken from men is appointed for men in things toward God, so that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

For that reason he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for those of the people.

And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

Thus, also the Christ, glorified not himself to become a high-priest, but he that spake unto him - My Son, art, thou, I, this day, have begotten thee;

Who, in the days of his flesh, having offered up, both supplications and entreaties unto him that was able to save him out of death, with mighty outcries and tears, and been hearkened to by reason of his devoutness,

although being a Son, he learned obedience from the things that he suffered.

And, being made perfect, became, to all them that obey him, Author of salvation age-abiding;

Concerning him I have much to say, and much that is hard to make clear to you, because you have grown dull of hearing.

For although you ought to be teachers of others because you have been Christians so long, you actually need someone to teach you over and over again the very elements of the truths that God has given us, and you have gotten into such a state that you are in constant need of milk instead of solid food.

For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

But solid food is for adults, that is, for those who by constant practise have their faculties trained to discriminate between good and evil.

So then let us once for all quit the elementary teaching about Christ and continue progressing toward maturity; let us stop relaying a foundation of repentance from works that mean only death, and of faith in God,

for it is impossible that those,

For it is not possible that they which were once lighted, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were become partakers of the holy ghost,

and have known by experience the truth of the divine promises, and the miracles of the age that was to come; it is impossible,

For the soil that has drunk the rain often coming upon it, and bringing forth vegetation useful for those by whom also it is cultivated, partakes of a blessing from God.

but if it persistently produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

But we are persuaded better things about you, beloved, and things that have salvation, even though we speak this way.

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and the labor of love that ye showed toward his name, having served the sanctified, and who are serving.

And we desire each one of you to continue to show the same earnestness to the very end, that you may enjoy your hope to the fullest,

so that ye may not become lazy, but imitators of those who, through faith and longsuffering, inherit the promises.

Saying, Be certain that I will give you my blessing, and make your numbers very great.

And so, having patiently waited, he realized the promise [in the miraculous birth of Isaac, as a pledge of what was to come from God].

Men verily swear by him that is greater than themselves; And an oath to confirm the thing, is among them an end of all strife.

So that when it was God's desire to make it specially clear to those who by his word were to have the heritage, that his purpose was fixed, he made it more certain with an oath;

So that by two immutable events, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have strong encouragement, having fled for refuge to seize the hope being openly displayed.

Which we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and that enters into the interior of the veil,

whither the forerunner is for us entered in, I mean Jesus that is made a high priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.

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).

and it was to him that Abraham apportioned a tithe of all the spoil. He was first, as his name signifies, King of righteousness, and then King of Salem, that is, King of Peace;

Now see how great this man must have been that even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of his spoils.

Now indeed those of the sons of Levi who receive the priesthood have commandment to collect tithes from the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, although having come out of the loins of Abraham.

But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

Now beyond any contradiction, it is always the inferior that is blessed by the superior.

And here indeed, men who die receive tithes, but there, he who is testified about that he lives.