He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was in all God's household,

Moses was faithful in all God's household as a servant who was to testify to what would be said later,

but the Messiah was faithful as the Son in charge of God's household, and we are his household if we hold on to our courage and the hope in which we rejoice.

even though they had seen my actions for 40 years. That is why I was indignant with that generation and said, "They are always going astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.'

Now who heard him and provoked him? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

And with whom was he angry for 40 years? Was it not with those who sinned and whose bodies fell dead in the wilderness?

And to whom did he swear that they would never enter his rest? It was to those who disobeyed him, was it not?

No one takes this honor upon himself but he is called to it by God, just as Aaron was.

In the same way, the Messiah did not take upon himself the glory of being a high priest. No, it was God who said to him, "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father."

As a mortal man, he offered up prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his devotion to God.

Son though he was, he learned obedience through his sufferings

Now this man Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, met Abraham and blessed him when he was returning from defeating the kings.

Just look at how great this man was! Even Abraham the patriarch himself gave him a tenth of what he had captured!

because Levi was still inside his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

Furthermore, it is obvious that our Lord was a descendant of Judah, and Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe.

who was appointed to be a priest, not on the basis of a genealogical registry, but rather on the power of an indestructible life.

Indeed, because it was weak and ineffective, the former commandment has been annulled,

They serve in a sanctuary that is a copy, a shadow of the heavenly one. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tent: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain."

For a tent was set up, and in the first part were the lamp stand, the table, and the bread of the Presence. This was called the Holy Place.

Behind the second curtain was the part of the tent called the Most Holy Place,

The Holy Spirit was indicating by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first part of the tent was still standing.

But when the Messiah came as a high priest of the good things that have come, he went through the greater and more perfect tent that was not made by human hands and that is not a part of this creation.

This is why even the first covenant was not put into effect without blood.

Thus it was necessary for these earthly copies of the things in heaven to be cleansed by these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves are made clean with better sacrifices than these.

so the Messiah was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people. And he will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly wait for him.

For this reason, the Scriptures say, when the Messiah was about to come into the world: "You did not want sacrifices and offerings, but you prepared a body for me.

How much more severe a punishment do you think that person deserves who tramples on God's Son, treats as common the blood of the covenant by which it was sanctified, and insults the Spirit of grace?

By faith we understand that time was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are invisible.

By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain did, and by faith he was declared to be righteous, since God himself accepted his offerings. And by faith he continues to speak, even though he is dead.

By faith Enoch was taken away without experiencing death. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he won approval as one who pleased God.

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.

because he was waiting for the city with permanent foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

By faith Sarah, even though she was old and barren, received the strength to conceive, because she was convinced that the one who had made the promise was faithful.

Abraham was as good as dead, yet from this one man came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac he who had received the promises was about to offer his unique son in sacrifice,

Abraham was certain that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did get Isaac back in this way.

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons "and worshipped while leaning on the top of his staff."

By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelis and gave them instructions about burying his bones.

By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after he was born, because they saw that he was a beautiful child and were not afraid of the king's order.

He thought that being insulted for the sake of the Messiah was of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

The world wasn't worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and from caves to holes in the ground.

All these people won approval for their faith but they did not receive what was promised,

For you know that afterwards, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he could not find any opportunity to repent, even though he begged to repent with tears.

For they could not endure the command that was given: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death."

Indeed, the sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear."

Our ancestor Abraham was justified by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar, wasn't he?

You see that his faith worked together with what he did, and by his actions his faith was made complete.

And so the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." And so he was called God's friend.

Likewise, Rahab the prostitute was justified through actions when she welcomed the messengers and sent them away on a different road, wasn't she?

Elijah was a person just like us, and he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, and rain never came to the land for three years and six months.

Even the prophets, who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours, carefully researched and investigated this salvation.

It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you in regard to the things that have now been announced to you by those who brought you the good news through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. These are things that even the angels desire to look into.

For you know that it was not with perishable things like silver or gold that you have been ransomed from the worthless way of life handed down to you by your ancestors,

On the one hand, he was foreknown before the creation of the world, but on the other hand, he was revealed at the end of time for your sake.

but the word of the Lord lasts forever." Now this word is the good news that was announced to you.

As you come to him, the living stone who was rejected by people but was chosen and precious in God's sight,

When he was insulted, he did not retaliate. When he suffered, he did not threaten. It was his habit to commit the matter to the one who judges fairly.

For the Messiah also suffered for sins once for all, an innocent person for the guilty, so that he could bring you to God. He was put to death in a mortal body but was brought to life by the Spirit,

who disobeyed long ago in the days of Noah, when God waited patiently while the ark was being built. In it a few, that is, eight persons, were saved by water.

Indeed, this is why the gospel was proclaimed even to those who have died, so that they could be judged in their mortal flesh like all humans and live in the spiritual realm like God.

and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man who was greatly distressed by the immoral conduct of lawless people

for as long as that righteous man lived among them, day after day he was being tortured in his righteous soul by what he saw and heard in their lawless actions

But he was rebuked for his offense. A donkey that normally cannot talk spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet's insanity.

It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and turn their backs on the holy commandment that was committed to them.

But they deliberately ignore the fact that long ago the heavens existed and the earth was formed by God's word out of water and with water,

by which the world at that time was deluged with water and destroyed.

This life was revealed to us, and we have seen it and testify about it. We declare to you this eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us.

They left us, but they were not part of us, for if they had been part of us, they would have stayed with us. Their leaving made it clear that none of them was really part of us.

You know that the Messiah was revealed to take away sins, and there is not any sin in him.

The person who practices sin belongs to the evil one, because the Devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason that the Son of God was revealed was to destroy what the Devil has been doing.

Do not be like Cain, who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because what he was doing was evil and his brother's actions were righteous.

This is how God's love was revealed among us: God sent his unique Son into the world so that we might live through him.

I was overjoyed to find some of your children living truthfully, just as the Father has commanded us.

I was overjoyed when some brothers arrived and testified about your truthfulness and how you live according to the truth

Dear friends, although I was eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write to you and urge you to continue your vigorous defense of the faith that was passed down to the saints once and for all.

From John to the seven churches in Asia. May grace and peace be yours from the one who is, who was, and who is coming, from the seven spirits who are in front of his throne,

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," declares the Lord God, "the one who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty."

I am John, your brother and partner in the oppression, kingdom, and patience that comes because of Jesus. I was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus.

Then I turned to see who was talking to me, and when I turned I saw seven gold lamp stands.

Among the lamp stands there was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash around his chest.

his feet were like glowing bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of raging waters.

In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword. His face was like the sun when it shines with full force.

the living one. I was dead but look! I am alive forever and ever! I have the keys of Death and Hades.

"To the messenger of the church in Smyrna, write: "The first and the last, who was dead and became alive, says this:

"I know where you live. Satan's throne is there. Yet you hold on to my name and have not denied your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed in your presence, where Satan lives.

Instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven with a person seated on the throne.

The person sitting there looked like jasper and carnelian, and there was a rainbow around the throne that looked like an emerald.

In front of the throne was something like a sea of glass as clear as crystal. In the center of the throne and on each side of the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.

The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like an ox, the third living creature had a face like a human, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and were full of eyes inside and out. Without stopping day or night they were saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming."

I began to cry bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.

They sang with a loud voice, "Worthy is the lamb who was slaughtered to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise!"

Then I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow, and a victor's crown had been given to him. He went out as a conqueror to conquer.

A second horse went out. It was fiery red, and its rider was given permission to take peace away from the earth and to make people slaughter one another. So he was given a large sword.

When the lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Go!" I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a scale in his hand.

I looked, and there was a pale green horse! Its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. They were given authority over one-fourth of the earth to kill people using wars, famines, plagues, and the wild animals of the earth.

Each of them was given a white robe. They were told to rest a little longer until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers was completed, who would be killed as they themselves had been.

Then I saw the lamb open the sixth seal. There was a powerful earthquake. The sun turned as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon turned as red as blood.

The sky vanished like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.

After these things, I looked, and there was a crowd so large that no one was able to count it! They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They were standing in front of the throne and the lamb and were wearing white robes, with palm branches in their hands.