We who have believed are entering that rest, just as he has said, "So in my anger I swore a solemn oath that they would never enter my rest,"

Again, he marketh out a certain day, To-day, in David, saying - after so long a time as this, - according as it hath been said before: - To-day, if, unto his voice, ye would hearken, do not harden your hearts.

For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day.

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.

And though by this time it would be right for you to be teachers, you still have need of someone to give you teaching about the first simple rules of God's revelation; you have become like babies who have need of milk, and not of solid food.

if those, I say, fell away, it would be impossible to bring them again to repentance; they would be crucifying the Son of God over again for themselves, and exposing him to open contempt.

And we desire that every one of you would shew the same diligence to acquire the full assurance of hope even unto the end:

that ye would not be sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience are inheriting the promises.

Since God wanted to show conclusively to those who would inherit the promise [i.e., Abraham and all of his spiritual descendants], how unchangeable His purpose was, He confirmed it with an oath.

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.

Now if anything final had been really accomplished through the Levitical priesthood, for even the giving of the Law was based upon it, what further need would there have been of appointing a different priest of the priesthood of Melchizedek, instead of choosing one of the priesthood of Aaron?

Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, seeing there are priests who offer the gifts according to the Law;

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

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.

since they deal only with food, drink, and various washings, which are required for the body until the time when things would be set right.

nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own.

(for in that case he would have needed to suffer repeatedly, ever since the foundation of the world;)but now, once for all, at the end of the ages, he has appeared to abolish sin, but the offering of himself.

Or else would not they have ceased to be offered, because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins?

For you had pity on those who were in prison, and had joy in the loss of your property, in the knowledge that you still had a better property and one which you would keep for ever.

By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he would not see death, and he was not found, because God took him away. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God.

but without faith it is impossible to please him; for whoever would approach God must have faith in his existence and in his willingness to reward those who try to find him.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.

By faith also that very Sarah, who was barren, received ability for the conception of seed, and past the usual time of life brought forth a child, because she accounted that he who promised it, would be true to his promise.

If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return.

By faith, Abraham, when tested, offered up Isaac, and, the only-begotten, would he have offered up, who the promises had accepted, -

By faith Joseph, when his end was near, said that the children of Israel would go out of Egypt; and gave orders about his bones.

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.

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, in order that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets;

And the women received their dead raised to life again. Others were racked, and would not be delivered, that they might receive a better resurrection.

since God had planned something better for us, so that they would not be perfected without us.

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

Looking carefully lest any man fall short, away from the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness sprouting up would cause trouble, and by this many may be defiled,

Ye know how that afterward when that he would have inherited the blessing, he was put by, and he found no means to come thereby again: no, though he desired it with tears.

Take care not to refuse to listen to him who is speaking. For if they could not escape because they would not listen to him who warned them here on earth, how much less can we, who reject him who is from heaven!

But he would yet once show the removal of the things shaken, as having been created, in order that the things unshaken may remain.

So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His contempt [the disgrace and shame that He had to suffer].

Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy, and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.

By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Would ye not have been led to make distinctions among yourselves, and have become judges with wicked reasonings?

and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, find warmth and food for yourselves," but at the same time you do not give the necessaries of the body, what good would that do them?

But would you like evidence, you empty fellow, that faith without works is useless?

you would not obtain it, because you wickedly request to have your passions gratified.

Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God.

But the right thing to say would be, If it is the Lord's pleasure and if we are still living, we will do this and that.

And if their prayer is [offered] by faith, [God] will heal the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up [from his sickbed]. And if he had sinned, he will be forgiven for them [Note: This may imply that the man's sickness was the result of some sin. In any event, his forgiveness would follow his repentance].

Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months!

Concerning this salvation, the prophets sought and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,

searching for who or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ, which was in them, pointed to, when he predicted the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that would follow them.

It was revealed to these prophets that you people, not they, were the ones being ministered to in the matters now being announced to you by those who preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit, who was sent from heaven. [This message contained] things which angels would like to look into.

[And it also says, Isa. 8:14, that He would be], "A stone that people would stumble over and a rock over which they would trip and fall." The way they stumble is by disobeying the Gospel message. They were destined [though not forced] to do this.

For what glory would there be, if committing faults, and being buffeted, ye suffered patiently? but if, when ye behave well, yet suffer, ye bear it patiently, this is graciously accepted of God.

[After all], this is what you were called to do, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps.

When He was spoken to with harsh insults, He did not reply in the same way. When He was made to suffer, He did not threaten [His tormentors], but instead entrusted Himself to God, [whom He knew] would make a righteous judgment [in the matter].

Jesus took upon Himself our sins [when] His body was placed upon the cross so that we, [through] dying to [i.e., giving up] the sinful life, would live for righteousness. You were healed [from your sins] by His being brutally treated.

For, "He who would love life, and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.

And who do you think would [try to] hurt you if you become enthusiastic for doing what is right?

Therefore, brothers, instead be diligent to make your calling and selection sure, for doing these things, ye would, no, not ever stumble.

Moreover, we possess the prophetic word as an altogether reliable thing. You do well if you pay attention to this as you would to a light shining in a murky place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and reduced them to ashes, thus holding them up as a warning to all who would live ungodly;

For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

This is the second letter I now write to you, my brethren, by which I would awaken your sincere attention,

The Lord is not slack to fulfill his promise as some men count slackness: but is patient to us ward and would have no man lost, but would receive all men to repentance.

expecting, and vehemently desiring the day of the Lord would come, when the heavens all on fire shall be dissolv'd, and the elements shall melt with intense heat.

Little children, it is the last hour; and as you were given word that the Antichrist would come, so now a number of Antichrists have come to you; and by this we are certain that it is the last hour.

They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.

These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

and every spirit that does not confess Jesus [acknowledging that He has come in the flesh, but would deny any of the Son’s true nature] is not of God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and is now already in the world.

besides, 'tis a commandment we have receiv'd from him, that he who would love God, must love his brother also.

If anyone sees his brother committing a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray that God would give him life. This applies to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not telling you to pray about that.

Little children (believers, dear ones), guard yourselves from idols—[false teachings, moral compromises, and anything that would take God’s place in your heart].

And now I beseech thee, lady, not as writing a new commandment to thee, but what we had from the beginning, that we would love each other.

Having many things to write unto you, I would not do it with paper and ink; but I hope to come unto you, and speak mouth to mouth, that our joy may be complete.

Therefore, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words. Not content with this, neither does he himself receive the brothers, and those who would, he forbids and throws out of the church.

I had many things to write; but I would not write to thee with ink and pen:

Beloved, having an earnest desire to write to you concerning the common salvation, I was under a necessity of writing to exhort you that ye would strive earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.

But I would remind you, though ye once knew this, that the Lord, though he delivered the people out of the land of Egypt, afterwards destroyed those who believed not.

for they assur'd you, there would be impostors in the last days, who would follow their own impious passions.

But I have a few things against you: You have there some who hold to the teaching of Balaam, the one who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so that they would eat food sacrificed to idols and practice immorality.

And I gave her time so that she would repent, and she did not want to repent of her fornication.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Would that you were either cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am about to spew you out of my mouth.

the twenty-four elders would fall down before him who sits on the throne, and would worship him who lives into the ages of the ages, and would cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

And another horse came out, fiery red, and it was granted to the one seated on it to take peace from the earth, and that they would slaughter one another, and a large sword was given to him.

And I heard what sounded like a voice coming from among the four living beings, saying, "A quart [measure] of wheat sells for a day's pay [Note: This amount would be $60-$84 in 1994, based on one day of a farm laborer's wages. See Matt. 20:2]; three quart measures of barley sell for a day's pay; but do not damage the [olive] oil and wine [i.e., the orchards and vineyards].

A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a little longer, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.

After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree.

And another agent came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer. And much incense was given to him, so that he would give with the prayers of all the sanctified upon the golden altar before the throne.

The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars; so that one third of them would be darkened, and the day would not shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way.

And it was granted to them that they should not kill them, but that they would be tormented five months, and their torment [is] like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a person.

And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they would not worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk.

And took his oath by him who is living for ever and ever, who made the heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there would be no more waiting:

but at the time when the seventh angel spoke, when he should blow his trumpet, then God's mysterious purpose, the good news of which he gave to his slaves the prophets, would be accomplished.

And if any man would do them damage, fire comes out of their mouth and puts an end to those who are working against them: and if any man has a desire to do them damage, in this way will he be put to death.

Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she *had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

And the woman was given the two wings of a large eagle so she could fly to her place in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, and times and half a time, from the presence of the snake [i.e., for three and one half years. See 11:2; 12:6].

And the serpent poured water from his mouth--a very river it seemed--after the woman, in the hope that she would be carried away by its flood.

And it exercises all the authority of the first beast before it. And it made the earth and those who dwell in it, so that they would worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.