I exhort then, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men;

including kings and all who are in high station, in order that we may live peaceful and tranquil lives with all godliness and gravity.

It is needful also that he bear a good character with people outside the Church, lest he fall into reproach or a snare of the Devil.

But, for fear I may be hindered, I now write, so that you may have rules to guide you in dealing with God's household. For this is what the Church of the ever-living God is, and it is the pillar and foundation-stone of the truth.

And, beyond controversy, great is the mystery of our religion-- that Christ appeared in human form, and His claims justified by the Spirit, was seen by angels and proclaimed among Gentile nations, was believed on in the world, and received up again into glory.

Now the Spirit expressly declares that in later times some will fall away from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons;

For everything that God has created is good, and nothing is to be cast aside, if only it is received with thanksgiving.

Habitually practise these duties, and be absorbed in them; so that your growing proficiency in them may be evident to all.

Be on your guard as to yourself and your teaching. Persevere in these things; for by doing this you will make certain your own salvation and that of your hearers.

Never administer a sharp reprimand to a man older than yourself; but entreat him as if he were your father, and the younger men as brothers;

Press these facts upon them, so that they may live lives free from reproach.

But if a man makes no provision for those dependent on him, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is behaving worse than an unbeliever.

And at the same time they also learn to be idle as they go round from house to house; and they are not only idle, but are gossips also and busybodies, speaking of things that ought not to be spoken of.

If a believing woman has widows dependent on her, she should relieve their wants, and save the Church from being burdened--so that the Church may relieve the widows who are really in need.

Those who persist in sin reprove in the presence of all, so that it may also be a warning to the rest.

So also the right actions of some are evident to the world, and those that are not cannot remain for ever out of sight.

Let all who are under the yoke of slavery hold their own masters to be deserving of honour, so that the name of God and the Christian teaching may not be spoken against.

So teach and exhort. If any one is a teacher of any other kind of doctrine, and refuses assent to wholesome instructions--those of our Lord Jesus Christ--and the teaching that harmonizes with true godliness,

and persistent wranglings on the part of people whose intellects are disordered and they themselves blinded to all knowledge of the truth; who imagine that godliness means gain.

that you keep God's commandments stainlessly and without reproach till the Appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Impress on those who are rich in the present age that they must not be haughty nor set their hopes on riches--that unstable foundation--but on God who provides us richly with all things for our enjoyment.

storing up for themselves that which shall be a solid foundation for the future, that they may lay hold of the Life which is life indeed.

I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience--as my forefathers did--that night and day I unceasingly remember you in my prayers,

being always mindful of your tears, and longing to see you that I may be filled with joy.

That indeed is the reason why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know in whom my trust reposes, and I am confident that He has it in His power to keep what I have entrusted to Him safe until that day.

That precious treasure which is in your charge, guard through the Holy Spirit who has His home in our hearts.

Of this you are aware, that all the Christians in Roman Asia have deserted me: and among them Phygelus and Hermogenes.

You then, my child, must be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

All that you have been taught by me in the hearing of many witnesses, you must hand on to trusty men who shall themselves, in turn, be competent to instruct others also.

Every one who serves as a soldier keeps himself from becoming entangled in the world's business--so that he may satisfy the officer who enlisted him.

Never forget that Jesus Christ has risen from among the dead and is a descendant of David, as is declared in the Good News which I preach.

For this reason I endure all things for the sake of God's own people; so that they also may obtain salvation--even the salvation which is in Christ Jesus--and with it eternal glory.

and their teaching will spread like a running sore. Hymenaeus and Philetus are men of that stamp.

In the matter of the truth they have gone astray, saying that the Resurrection is already past, and so they are overthrowing the faith of some.

But avoid foolish discussions with ignorant men, knowing--as you do--that these lead to quarrels;

He must speak in a gentle tone when correcting the errors of opponents, in the hope that God will at last give them repentance, for them to come to a full knowledge of the truth

But they will have no further success; for their folly will be as clearly manifest to all men, as that of the opponents of Moses came to be.

and that from infancy you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise to obtain salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

so that the man of God may himself be complete and may be perfectly equipped for every good work.

From this time onward there is reserved 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 love the thought of His Appearing.

The Lord, however, stood by me and filled me with inward strength, that through me the Message might be fully proclaimed and that all the Gentiles might hear it; and I was rescued from the lion's jaws.

I have left you behind in Crete in order that you may set right the things which still require attention, and appoint Elders in every town, as I directed you to do;

holding fast to the faithful Message which he has received, so that he may be well qualified both to encourage others with sound teaching and to reply successfully to opponents.

For there are many that spurn authority--idle, talkative and deceitful persons, who, for the most part, are adherents of the Circumcision.

This testimony is true. Therefore sternly denounce them, that they may be robust in their faith,

But as for you, you must speak in a manner that befits wholesome teaching.

industrious in their homes, kind, submissive to their husbands, so that the Christian teaching may not be exposed to reproach.

and healthy language which no one can censure, so that our opponents may feel ashamed at having nothing evil to say against us.

Remind people that they must submit to the rulers who are in authority over them; that they must obey the magistrates, be prepared for every right action,

in order that having been declared righteous through His grace we might become heirs to the Life of the Ages in fulfilment of our hopes.

This is a faithful saying, and on these various points I would have you insist strenuously, in order that those who have their faith fixed on God may be careful to set an example of good actions. For these are not only good in themselves, but are also useful to mankind.

for, as you know, a man of that description has turned aside from the right path and is a sinner self-condemned.

Help Zenas the lawyer forward on his journey with special care, and Apollos, so that they may have all they require.

And let our people too learn to set a good example in following honest occupations for the supply of their necessities, so that they may not live useless lives.

praying as I do, that their participation in your faith may result in others fully recognizing all the right affection that is in us toward Christ.

it is for love's sake that--instead of that--although I am none other than Paul the aged, and am now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus,

Only I wished to do nothing without your consent, so that his kind action of yours might not be done under pressure, but might be a voluntary one.

For perhaps it was for this reason he was parted from you for a time, that you might receive him back wholly and for ever yours;

no longer as a slave, but as something better than a slave--a brother peculiarly dear to me, and even dearer to you, both as a servant and as a fellow Christian.

I Paul write this with my own hand--I will pay you in full. (I say nothing of the fact that you owe me even your own self.)

I write to you in the full confidence that you will meet my wishes, for I know you will do even more than I say.

And at the same time provide accommodation for me; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be permitted to come to you.

having become as far superior to the angels as the Name He possesses by inheritance is more excellent than theirs.

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 not all angels spirits that serve Him--whom He sends out to render service for the benefit of those who, before long, will inherit salvation?

how shall *we* escape if we are indifferent to a salvation as great as that now offered to us? This, after having first of all been announced by the Lord Himself, had its truth made sure to us by those who heard Him,

It is not to angels that God has assigned the sovereignty of that coming world, of which we speak.

But Jesus--who was made a little inferior to the angels in order that through God's grace He might taste death for every human being--we already see wearing a crown of glory and honour because of His having suffered death.

For it was fitting that He for whom, and through whom, all things exist, after He had brought many sons to glory, should perfect by suffering the Prince Leader who had saved them.

Since then the children referred to are all alike sharers in perishable human nature, He Himself also, in the same way, took on Him a share of it, in order that through death He might render powerless him who had authority over death, that is, the Devil,

For assuredly it is not to angels that He is continually reaching a helping hand, but it is to the descendants of Abraham.

And for this purpose it was necessary that in all respects He should be made to resemble His brothers, so that He might become a compassionate and faithful High Priest in things relating to God, in order to atone for the sins of the people.

For Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, in so far as he who has built a house has higher honour than the house itself.

but Christ was faithful as a Son having authority over God's house, and we are that house, if we hold firm to the End the boldness and the hope which we boast of as ours.

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

Therefore I was greatly grieved with that generation, and I said, 'They are ever going astray in heart, and have not learnt to know My paths.'

see to it, brethren, that there is never in any one of you--as perhaps there may be--a sinful and unbelieving heart, manifesting itself in revolt from the ever-living God.

On the contrary encourage one another, day after day, so long as To-day lasts, so that not one of you may be hardened through the deceitful character of sin.

seeing that the warning still comes to us, "To-day, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as your forefathers did in the time of the provocation."

For who were they that heard, and yet provoked God? Was it not the whole of the people who had come out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses?

And to whom did He swear that they should not be admitted to His rest, if it was not to those who were disobedient?

And so we see that it was owing to lack of faith that they could not be admitted.

Since, then, it is still true that some will be admitted to that rest, and that because of disobedience those who formerly had Good News proclaimed to them were not admitted,

It follows that there still remains a sabbath rest for the people of God.

Let it then be our earnest endeavour to be admitted to that rest, so that no one may perish through following the same example of unbelief.

For God's Message is full of life and power, and is keener than the sharpest two-edged sword. It pierces even to the severance of soul from spirit, and penetrates between the joints and the marrow, and it can discern the secret thoughts and purposes of the heart.

Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our times of need.

Concerning Him we have much to say, and much that it would be difficult to make clear to you, since you have become so dull of apprehension.

Such persons are mere babes. But solid food is for adults--that is, for those who through constant practice have their spiritual faculties carefully trained to distinguish good from evil.

For land which has drunk in the rain that often falls upon it, and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sakes, indeed, it is tilled, has a share in God's blessing.

For God is not unjust so that He is unmindful of your labour and of the love which you have manifested towards Himself in having rendered services to His people and in still rendering them.

so that you may not become half-hearted, but be imitators of those who through faith and patient endurance are now heirs to the promises.

For men swear by what is greater than themselves; and with them an oath in confirmation of a statement always puts an end to a dispute.

He added an oath, in order that, through two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for Him to prove false, we may possess mighty encouragement--we who, for safety, have hastened to lay hold of the hope set before us.

That hope we have as an anchor of the soul--an anchor that can neither break nor drag. It passes in behind the veil,

to whom also Abraham presented a tenth part of all--being first, as his name signifies, King of righteousness, and secondly King of Salem, that is, King of peace:

And those of the descendants of Levi who receive the priesthood are authorized by the Law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brethren, though these have sprung from Abraham.

Moreover here frail mortal men receive tithes: there one receives them about whom there is evidence that he is alive.

He, however, to whom that prophecy refers is associated with a different tribe, not one member of which has anything to do with the altar.

For it is undeniable that our Lord sprang from Judah, a tribe of which Moses said nothing in connection with priests.