By whom some families have been completely overturned; who take money for teaching things which are not right; these will have to be stopped.

These people claim to know God [as Savior], but they deny Him by their actions, so they are detestable and disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

These things speak and exhort and rebuke with every command. Let no man disregard thee.

It is a message to be trusted, and I want you to be emphatic about these things, so that those who believe in God may be careful to take the lead in doing good. These things are right and render service to mankind.

But hold yourself aloof from foolish controversies, pedigrees, strife, and wrangles about the law, for these are fruitless and futile.

Have our people learn to make it their business to do good, so as to meet these pressing demands and not live unfruitful lives.

yes, I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whose father I have become while wearing these chains.

I would have liked to keep him with me, to wait on me in your stead while I wear these chains for the good news,

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].

God, who formerly spoke in many portions and in many ways to the fathers by the prophets, spoke to us in these last days by a Son,

but in these latter days He has spoken to us through a Son, whom He had appointed lawful owner of everything, and through whom He had made the worlds.

these shall perish, and Thou dost remain, and all, as a garment, shall become old,

Are not all these ministering spirits, having been sent forth unto ministration for the sake of those who are about to inherit salvation?

You made him a little bit lower than the angels [i.e., a little less exalted]. [Note: Although these Psalms passages referred to mankind, they are here applied to Jesus. See verse 9]. You crowned him with splendor and honor {{some ancient manuscripts add "and placed him as ruler over what you made"}}.

Therefore, since [these His] children share in flesh and blood [the physical nature of mankind], He Himself in a similar manner also shared in the same [physical nature, but without sin], so that through [experiencing] death He might make powerless (ineffective, impotent) him who had the power of death—that is, the devil—

And he might liberate these, as many as throughout all their lifetime were deserving of bondage, with a specter of death.

wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, Always do they go astray in heart, and these have not known My ways;

For we who have believed enter into rest, just as he has said, "As I swore in my anger, '{They will never enter} into my rest.'" And yet these works have been accomplished from the foundation of the world.

for, in a passage referring to the seventh day, you will find these words-- 'God rested upon the seventh day after all his work.'

For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken about another day after these things.

of teaching about washings (ritual purifications), the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. [These are all important matters in which you should have been proficient long ago.]

For it is impossible - as to these who have been, once for all, illuminated, who have tasted also of the heavenly free-gift, and have been made, partners, in a Holy Spirit,

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.

Now those of the sons of Levi who are appointed to the priesthood, are authorized by the Law to take tithes of the people, that is, of their brothers, and that too, although these are descended from Abraham.

Without question [then], the lesser [of these two persons] is blessed by the greater one.

For he of whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, from which no man has attended to the altar.

And by as much as [this was] not without an oath (for these on the one hand {have become priests} without an oath,

for these men hold office without any oath having been taken, but He holds it attested by an oath from Him who said to Him, "The Lord has sworn and will not recall His words, Thou art a Priest for ever" --

who has no day by day need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices, first of all for his own [personal] sins and then for those of the people, because He [met all the requirements and] did this once for all when He offered up Himself [as a willing sacrifice].

They serve as a pattern and foreshadowing of [what has its true existence and reality in] the heavenly things (sanctuary). For when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was warned by God, saying, “See that you make it all [exactly] according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.”

"For this is the covenant which I will covenant with the house of Israel, After these days," says the Lord; "I will put my laws into their minds, And upon their hearts will I write them; And I will be their God, And they shall be my people;

while above it, overshadowing the mercy-seat, were the cherubim of glory. But I must not speak about these in detail.

Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests go in continually into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the services;

For they [the gifts, sacrifices, and ceremonies] deal only with [clean and unclean] food and drink and various ritual washings, [mere] external regulations for the body imposed [to help the worshipers] until the time of reformation [that is, the time of the new order when Christ will establish the reality of what these things foreshadow—a better covenant].

saying, “This is the blood of the covenant [that seals and ratifies the agreement] which God ordained and commanded [me to deliver to] you.”

It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices which are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who draw near.

For if it were otherwise, would not these sacrifices have stopped being offered? For the worshipers, having once [for all time] been cleansed, would no longer have a consciousness of sin.

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

When he said above, "You did not desire, nor did you take pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law),

This is the covenant which I will covenant unto them after these days, saith the Lord, - Giving my laws upon their hearts, upon their understandings also, will I inscribe them,

Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

but a certain terrible expectation of judgment, and a burning indignation, ready to devour these enemies.

And therefore from one man, and these things having become deadened, were begotten as the stars of the heaven for multitude, and as the sand of the seashore, countless.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

For, they who such things as these are saying, make it clear that, of a paternal home they are in quest;

And these all, having had witness borne to them through their faith, received not the promise,

because God had us in mind and had something better for us, so that they [these men and women of authentic faith] would not be made perfect [that is, completed in Him] apart from us.

It is for your training that you undergo these things; God is acting to you as a father does to his sons; for what son does not have punishment from his father?

And the sight [of all these things] was so terrifying that Moses said [See Deut. 9:19], "I tremble with fear."

But you [Christians] have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. [Note: These terms describe people who have entered a spiritual relationship with God as part of the church]. [You have come] to a praise gathering of innumerable angels [Note: Christians are here pictured as assembled in worship of God, along with angels],

Now the words, "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken --- that is, the created universe --- so that those things which cannot be shaken will remain. [Note: These "things" have been variously interpreted to be eternal truth, the heavenly kingdom, the new heavens and earth, etc.].

For of the beasts whose blood is brought into the holy things for sin by the high priest, the bodies of these are burned outside the camp.

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

Be obedient to those leading you, and be subject, for these do watch for your souls, as about to give account, that with joy they may do this, and not sighing, for this is unprofitable to you.

But I urge you, brothers [and sisters], listen to these words of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.

out of the same mouth cometh forth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

Where do conflicts, where do wrangles come from, in your midst? Is it not from these passions of yours that war among your members?

But now you are glorying in these insolent boastings of yours; all such glorying is evil.

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.

Look, the wages you have fraudulently refused to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out [against you]. And the cries of these harvest hands have reached the ears of the Lord of [heavenly] armies [i.e., Almighty God].

[This is being written by] Jesus' apostle Peter, to God's people who are scattered throughout the countries of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. [Note: These places are located in present-day Turkey].

These people have been [specially] selected, and [their acceptance was] pre-planned by God the Father, and they were set apart through [the work of] the Holy Spirit. This resulted in their obedience and sprinkling [Note: This is a figurative reference to the Old Testament practice of cleansing, See Exodus 24:7-8] by the blood of Jesus Christ. May God's unearned favor and peace be continually upon you.

These are in order that the test of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable and yet is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor, at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

searching for what, or what kind of time the Spirit of Christ in them indicated, predicting the sufferings in Christ, and the glories after these things.

To whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto you, did they minister these things, which now have been announced unto you through them that preached the gospel unto you by the Holy Spirit sent forth from heaven; which things angel desire to look into.

Who was marked out by God before the making of the world, but was caused to be seen in these last times for you,

and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence. These stumble at the word through unbelief, unto which also they were appointed.

And these were the ornaments of the holy women of the past, whose hope was in God, being ruled by their husbands:

See that you have a clear conscience, so that, although they speak of you as evil-doers, these libelers of your good Christian lives may be ashamed.

These people had disobeyed [Noah's preaching, See II Pet. 2:5] back when God's patience waited [for them to repent, See Gen. 6:3], during the days of Noah, when the ship was being constructed. It was by that means [i.e., the ship floating them to safety through the Flood waters] that a few persons, eight of them, were saved [from destruction] through water.

In these things they are surprised, that you are not running with them into the same excess of riot, blaspheming.

These shall give an account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead.

By the hand of Silvanus, a faithful brother (in my opinion), I have written you these few lines of encouragement, to testify that this is what the true grace of God means. Stand in that grace.

whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in that world by lust.

so, even for this very purpose, uniting to these things all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;

For if these things are yours and abound, they make you to be not idle nor unfruitful unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For he that lacketh these things is blind, seeing only what is near, having forgotten the cleansing from his old sins.

Wherefore, brethren, give the more diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never stumble:

Wherefore I shall be ready always to put you in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and are established in the truth which is with you .

But I consider it the right thing to do, as long as I am in this "tent" [Note: This is an allusion to his still being alive], to stir up your memory [of these things],

Yea, I will give diligence that at every time ye may be able after my decease to call these things to remembrance.

for he received this honourable and glorious testimony from his father, when the voice broke out from the magnificent splendor, in these words, "this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased."

And we ourselves heard these words come from Heaven, when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

For these words did not ever come through the impulse of men: but the prophets had them from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit.

But there were false prophets, too, among the people, just as among you also there will be false teachers. These will secretly bring in destructive sects, denying even the Master who bought them, and bringing swift ruin upon themselves.

And many will follow their debauched lifestyles. Because of these false teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.

and, with delusive words, they will, through covetousness, make gain of you: the condemnation, long ago denounced against these, delays not, and their destruction does not slumber.

then [in light of the fact that all this is true, be sure that] the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and how to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,

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

But these, as creatures without reason, born mere animals to be taken and destroyed, railing in matters whereof they are ignorant, shall in their destroying surely be destroyed,

suffering wrong as the wage of wrong which they have done. These are men who count it pleasure to carouse in open daylight; they are spots and blemishes reveling in their deceit, even while they are feasting with you.

Their eyes, full of adultery, never stop sinning; they entice unstable people. They have trained their hearts for greed, these cursed children!

These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness hath been reserved.

[Although] these people promise "liberty," they themselves are slaves to corrupting influences, for people are slaves to whatever controls them.

For if, having escaped the defilements of the world by knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and, having been again entangled in these, they are overcome, the last things have become worse for them than the first.

This, already, beloved, is the second letter I am writing unto you; and, in these letters, I am stirring up - by way of calling to remembrance - your uncorrupted mind,

Above all things you are to know, that in these last times, impostors will appear, who will abandon themselves to their own sensual passions, whose cry will be,

But, these people intentionally forget that the heavens, which existed long ago, and the earth, which was formed out of water and by water, [were created] by the word of God.

Through these waters the world of that time perished when it was flooded.