so that by these two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to prove false, we who have taken refuge with Him may have encouragement strong enough to make us seize upon the hope that lies ahead of us.

With these arrangements completed in this way, the priests in conducting their official services regularly go into the outer part of the tent of worship;

So, on the one hand, the copies of the original things in heaven had to be purified with such sacrifices; but on the other hand, the original things themselves in heaven with better sacrifices than these.

On the other hand, through these sacrifices there is given a real reminder of their sins,

For when these are forgiven, there is no more need of an offering for sin.

These people all died victoriously as a result of their faith, although they did not receive the blessings promised; that is, because they really saw them in the far-off future and welcomed them, and so professed to be only foreigners and strangers here on earth.

Though all these people by their faith won God's approval, yet none of them received what He had promised,

And stop neglecting to do good and to be generous, for God is highly pleased with just such sacrifices as these.

your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will testify against you and devour your flesh like fire. You have stored up these things for the last days.

It was made known to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in their searching for these things that have already been told to you by those who through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven brought you the good news. The angels long to take a peep into these things.

It is through these that He has given us His precious and glorious promises, so that through them, after you have escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires, you may come to share in the divine nature.

For if you have these qualities and they continue to increase in you, they will make you neither idle nor unproductive in attaining a full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For whoever lacks these qualities is blind -- or short-sighted-- and forgetful of the cleansing that he has received from his former sins.

Therefore, brothers, be all the more in earnest to make certain to yourselves God's call and choice of you. For if you cultivate these qualities, you will never slip,

Therefore, I will always remind you of these things, although you know them and are firmly grounded in the truth that you already have.

Yes, I will be in earnest, so that every time you have occasion, after I have gone away, you may call these things to mind.

whereas angels who are far superior in strength and power to these beings bring no abusive accusation against them before the Lord.

These men, like irrational animals, mere creatures of instinct created to be caught and killed, abuse the things that they do not understand, and so by their corruption they will be destroyed, suffering wrong as punishment for their wrongdoing.

If all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what men you ought to be! What holy and pious lives you ought to lead,

and now we write these things to you to make our joy complete.

You are children of God, dear children, and you have conquered these men, because He who is in our hearts is greater than he who is in the world.

In just the same way these dreamers defile the body, discard authority, and deride the majesties.

But these persons abuse everything they do not understand, and they are going to be destroyed by the very things they know by instinct, like the irrational animals.

These persons are grumblers, ever complaining about their lot. They live to satisfy their evil passions, their lips boast arrogant things, and they flatter others for personal gain.

These are men who cause divisions; mere animals, destitute of any spiritual nature,

Then one of the elders addressed me and said, "Who are these people clothed in white robes, and where did they come from?"

I answered him, "You know, my lord." He said to me: "These are the people who are coming through the great persecution, who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

One-third of mankind was killed by these three plagues: the fire, smoke, and sulphur that kept pouring out of their mouths.

But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works their hands had done, so as to give up worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot either see or hear or move;

The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and celebrate with feasts and the sending of gifts to one another, because these two prophets had tormented the inhabitants of the earth.

These are the men who have not been defiled by relations with women, for they are as pure as virgins, These are the men who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been redeemed from among men as the first fruits for God and the Lamb,

so that men were severely scorched, but they only cursed the name of God who had authority over these plagues, and would not repent and give Him glory.

The businessmen who dealt in these things, who had grown rich from their business with her, will stand a long way off for fear of her torture, weeping and mourning,

Then he said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are they who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.' These," he said to me, "are the true words of God."

Then He who was seated on the throne said, "See! I am making everything new." He continued, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."

Whoever conquers will come into possession of these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son.

Then he said to me: "These words are trustworthy and true; the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show His slaves what must soon take place.

It is I, John, who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw them, I fell at the feet of the angel who was showing them to me, to worship him.