I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:

Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day -- and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on his appearing.

in hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the ages began.

An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, with faithful children who cannot be charged with dissipation or rebellion.

He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching and correct those who speak against it.

who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught.

and not pay attention to Jewish myths and commands of people who reject the truth.

All is pure to those who are pure. But to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

Older women likewise are to exhibit behavior fitting for those who are holy, not slandering, not slaves to excessive drinking, but teaching what is good.

He gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, who are eager to do good.

whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior.

This saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. These things are good and beneficial for all people.

Everyone with me greets you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

who was formerly useless to you, but is now useful to you and me.

I have sent him (who is my very heart) back to you.

in these last days he has spoken to us in a son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he created the world.

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who will inherit salvation?

how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was first communicated through the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him,

but we see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by God's grace he would experience death on behalf of everyone.

For it was fitting for him, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

For indeed he who makes holy and those being made holy all have the same origin, and so he is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters,

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil),

and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.

For since he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess,

who is faithful to the one who appointed him, as Moses was also in God's house.

For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses' leadership?

And against whom was God provoked for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?

And to whom did he swear they would never enter into his rest, except those who were disobedient?

For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with those who heard it in faith.

For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my anger, 'They will never enter my rest!'" And yet God's works were accomplished from the foundation of the world.

Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience.

For the one who enters God's rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works.

And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.

Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.

For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.

He is able to deal compassionately with those who are ignorant and erring, since he also is subject to weakness,

So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming high priest, but the one who glorified him was God, who said to him, "You are my Son! Today I have fathered you,"

During his earthly life Christ offered both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion.

And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant.

For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit,

For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God.

so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.

so that we who have found refuge in him may find strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us through two unchangeable things, since it is impossible for God to lie.

And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen, although they too are descendants of Abraham.

But Melchizedek who does not share their ancestry collected a tithe from Abraham and blessed the one who possessed the promise.

and in one case tithes are received by mortal men, while in the other by him who is affirmed to be alive.

And it could be said that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid a tithe through Abraham.

who has become a priest not by a legal regulation about physical descent but by the power of an indestructible life.

but Jesus did so with a sworn affirmation by the one who said to him, "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever'" --

And the others who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them from continuing in office,

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

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

Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.

For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow sprinkled on those who are defiled consecrated them and provided ritual purity,

how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.

And so he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance he has promised, since he died to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant.

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

For a will takes effect only at death, since it carries no force while the one who made it is alive.

so also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation.

For the law possesses a shadow of the good things to come but not the reality itself, and is therefore completely unable, by the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, to perfect those who come to worship.

For by one offering he has perfected for all time those who are made holy.

And let us hold unwaveringly to the hope that we confess, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy.

Someone who rejected the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

How much greater punishment do you think that person deserves who has contempt for the Son of God, and profanes the blood of the covenant that made him holy, and insults the Spirit of grace?

For we know the one who said, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people."

At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and afflictions, and at other times you came to share with others who were treated in that way.

For just a little longer and he who is coming will arrive and not delay.

But we are not among those who shrink back and thus perish, but are among those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise.

By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old, he received the ability to procreate, because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy.

For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.

By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king's anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one who is invisible.

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up.

And see to it that no one becomes an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.

and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words such that those who heard begged to hear no more.

and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect,

Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven?

Remember your leaders, who spoke God's message to you; reflect on the outcome of their lives and imitate their faith.

Do not be carried away by all sorts of strange teachings. For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not ritual meals, which have never benefited those who participated in them.

We have an altar that those who serve in the tabernacle have no right to eat from.

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

equip you with every good thing to do his will, working in us what is pleasing before him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him.

But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind.

Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him.

All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.

For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror.

But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out -- he will be blessed in what he does.

do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, "You sit here in a good place," and to the poor person, "You stand over there," or "Sit on the floor"?

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

For the one who obeys the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.

For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law.

Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom.

For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment.

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct he should show his works done in the gentleness that wisdom brings.

And the fruit that consists of righteousness is planted in peace among those who make peace.