For Christ hasn't entered into holy places made with hands, which are representations of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;

For the law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.

Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.'"

but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;

and having a great priest over the house of God,

Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,

How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.

By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.

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

Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

For he looked for the city which has the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.

choosing rather to share ill treatment with God's people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time;

They were stoned. They were sawn apart. They were tempted. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated

God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn't discipline?

For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it;

But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,

to the general assembly and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can't be shaken, let us have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

for our God is a consuming fire.

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled: but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

So that with good courage we say, "The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?"

Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.

Don't be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by food, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate.

Through him, then, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name.

But don't forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.

Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus,

make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.

Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

for the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God.

Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

and you pay special attention to him who wears the fine clothing, and say, "Sit here in a good place;" and you tell the poor man, "Stand there," or "Sit by my footstool;"

Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn't God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which he promised to those who love him?

What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?

and one of you tells them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled;" and yet you didn't give them the things the body needs, what good is it?

You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder.

and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness;" and he was called the friend of God.

With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Be subject therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

To him therefore who knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.

according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with his blood: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy became our father again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

who by the power of God are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

To them it was revealed, that not to themselves, but to you, they ministered these things, which now have been announced to you through those who preached the Good News to you by the Holy Spirit sent out from heaven; which things angels desire to look into.

who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.

having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which lives and remains forever.

but the Lord's word endures forever." This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.

coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.

You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:

who in time past were no people, but now are God's people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

having good behavior among the nations, so in that of which they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they see, glorify God in the day of visitation.

For this is the will of God, that by well-doing you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

as free, and not using your freedom for a cloak of wickedness, but as bondservants of God.

Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.

Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked.

For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God.

For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God.

but in the hidden person of the heart, in the incorruptible adornment of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God very precious.

For this is how the holy women before, who hoped in God also adorned themselves, being in subjection to their own husbands:

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

Let him turn away from evil, and do good. Let him seek peace, and pursue it.

Now who is he who will harm you, if you become imitators of that which is good?

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:

having a good conscience; that, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ.

For it is better, if it is God's will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil.

Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;

who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ship was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.

This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you -- not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.

For to this end the Good News was preached even to the dead, that they might be judged indeed as men in the flesh, but live as to God in the spirit.

As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms.

If anyone speaks, let it be as it were the very words of God. If anyone serves, let it be as of the strength which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.

But if one of you suffers for being a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this matter.

For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God. If it begins first with us, what will happen to those who don't obey the Good News of God?

Therefore let them also who suffer according to the will of God in doing good entrust their souls to him, as to a faithful Creator.

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly;

Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you clothe yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;

But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.