For when the ground soaks up rain that often falls on it and continues producing vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated, it receives a blessing from God.

Then, instead of being lazy, you will imitate those who are inheriting the promises through faith and patience.

so that by these two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to prove false, we who have taken refuge in him might be encouraged to seize the hope set before us.

The descendants of Levi who accept the priesthood have a commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their own brothers, even though they are also descendants of Abraham.

But this man, whose descent is not traced from them, collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the man who had received the promises.

One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham,

This point is even more obvious in that another priest who is like Melchizedek has appeared

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

Therefore, because he always lives to intercede for them, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him.

We need such a high priest one who is holy, innocent, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

For the Law appoints as high priests men who are weak, but the promised oath, which came after the Law, results in a Son who is eternally perfect.

Now the main point in what we are saying is this: we do have this kind of high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven

and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tent set up by the Lord and not by any human.

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are unclean purifies them physically,

how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead actions so that we may serve the living God!

This is why the Messiah is the mediator of a new covenant; so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance promised them, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the offenses committed under the first covenant.

For where there is a will, the death of the one who made it must be established.

For a will is in force only when somebody has died, since it never takes effect as long as the one who made it is alive.

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 the Law, being only a reflection of the blessings to come and not their substance, can never make perfect those who come near by the same sacrifices repeatedly offered year after year.

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Let us continue to hold firmly to the hope that we confess without wavering, for the one who made the promise is faithful.

Anyone who violates the Law of Moses dies without mercy "on the testimony of two or three witnesses."

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?

For we know the one who said, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will pay them back," and again, "The Lord will judge his people."

At times you were made a public spectacle by means of insults and persecutions, while at other times you associated with people who were treated this way.

For "in a very little while the one who is coming will return he will not delay;

Now, we do not belong to those who turn back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.

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.

Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently search for him.

By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who also inherited the same promise,

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.

For people who say such things make it clear that they are looking for a country of their own.

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

about whom it had been said, "It is through Isaac that descendants will be named for you."

By faith he left Egypt, without being afraid of the king's anger, and he persevered because he saw the one who is invisible.

By faith Rahab the prostitute did not die with those who were disobedient, because she had welcomed the spies with a greeting of peace.

fixing our attention on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of the faith, who, in view of the joy set before him, endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Think about the one who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you may not become tired and give up.

What you endure disciplines you: God is treating you as sons. Is there a son whom his father does not discipline?

Furthermore, we had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them for it. We should submit even more to the Father of our spirits and live, shouldn't we?

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, for those who have been trained by it, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.

No one should be immoral or godless like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.

to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to a judge who is the God of all, to the spirits of righteous people who have been made perfect,

See to it that you do not ignore the one who is speaking. For if the hearers did not escape when they ignored the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we turn away from the one who is from heaven!

Continue to remember those in prison as if you were in prison with them, as well as those who are mistreated, since they also are only mortal.

Let marriage be kept honorable in every way, and the marriage bed undefiled. For God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.

Remember your leaders, those who have spoken God's word to you. Think about the impact of their lives, and imitate their faith.

Stop being carried away by all kinds of unusual teachings, for it is good that the heart be strengthened by grace, not by food laws that have never helped those who follow them.

We have an altar, and those who serve in the tent have no right to eat at it.

Continue to follow and be submissive to your leaders, since they are watching over your souls as those who will have to give a word of explanation. By doing this, you will be letting them carry out their duties joyfully, and not with grief, for that would be harmful for you.

Now may the God of peace, who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep,

Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who are from Italy greet you.

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to everyone generously without a rebuke, and it will be given to him.

But he must ask in faith, without any doubts, for the one who has doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

How blessed is the man who endures temptation! When he has passed the test, he will receive the victor's crown of life that God has promised to those who keep on loving him.

Every generous act of giving and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father who made the heavenly lights, in whom there is no inconsistency or shifting shadow.

Keep on being obedient to the word, and not merely being hearers who deceive themselves.

For if anyone hears the word but is not obedient to it, he is like a man who looks at himself in a mirror

But the one who looks at the perfect law of freedom and remains committed to it thereby demonstrating that he is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of what that law requires will be blessed in what he does.

A religion that is pure and stainless according to God the Father is this: to take care of orphans and widows who are suffering, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Listen, my dear brothers! God has chosen the poor in the world to become rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who keep on loving him, has he not?

But you have humiliated the man who is poor. Are not rich people the ones who oppress you and drag you into court?

Are not they the ones who blaspheme the noble Name by which you have been called?

For the one who said, "Never commit adultery," also said, "Never murder." Now if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you become a violator of the Law.

You must make it your habit to speak and act like people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty.

For the one who has shown no mercy will be judged without mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more severely than others.

With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in God's likeness.

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his noble conduct that his actions are done humbly and wisely.

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge the one who can save and destroy. So who are you to judge your neighbor?

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town, stay there a year, conduct business, and make money."

Therefore, anyone who knows what is right but fails to do it is guilty of sin.

Look! The wages that you kept back from the workers who harvested your fields are shouting out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of the Heavenly Armies.

You have condemned and murdered the one who is righteous, even though he did not rebel against you.

As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord.

We consider those who endured to be blessed. You have heard about Job's endurance and have seen the purpose of the Lord that the Lord is compassionate and merciful.

And the prayer offered in faith will save the person who is sick. The Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.

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.

Instead, be holy in every aspect of your life, just as the one who called you is holy.

If you call "Father" the one who judges everyone impartially according to what they have done, you must live in reverent fear as long as you are strangers in a strange land.

Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God.

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

This is why it says in Scripture: "Look! I am laying a chosen, precious cornerstone in Zion. The one who believes in him will never be ashamed."

Therefore he is precious to you who believe, but to those who do not believe, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people to be his very own and to proclaim the wonderful deeds of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

or to governors who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

You household servants must submit yourselves to your masters out of respect, not only to those who are kind and fair, but also to those who are unjust.

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.

After all, this is how holy women who set their hope on God used to make themselves beautiful in the past. They submitted themselves to their husbands,

"For the person who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

For the Lord watches the righteous, and he pays attention to their prayers. But the Lord opposes those who do wrong."

Who will harm you if you are devoted to doing what is good?

Instead, exalt the Messiah" as Lord in your lives. Always be prepared to give a defense to everyone who asks you to explain the hope you have.

But do this gently and respectfully, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak evil of your good conduct in the Messiah will be ashamed of slandering you.

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.

who has gone to heaven and is at the right hand of God, where angels, authorities, and powers have been made subject to him.

Therefore, since the Messiah suffered in a mortal body, you, too, must arm yourselves with the same determination, because the person who has suffered in a mortal body has stopped sinning,

They will give an account to the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead.