The sins of some men are notorious, leading as it were to their condemnation; and some more artful they follow after.

For the love of money is a root of all evil: and some whose hearts were fixed on it have been turned away from the faith, and been wounded with unnumbered sorrows.

Be fighting the good fight of the faith; take for yourself the life eternal, for which you were marked out, and of which you gave witness in the eyes of all.

Hence I would remind you to rekindle the divine gift which you received when my hands were laid upon you;

The Lord grant that he may find mercy at His hands on that day. And you very well know yourself how great were the services he rendered me at Ephesus.

for the sake of which I am suffering hardships even to the extent of wearing chains as though I were a criminal. But God's message is not in chains.

Just as Jannes and Jambres [the court magicians of Egypt] opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, unqualified and worthless [as teachers] in regard to the faith.

but they will be stop'd in their career; for they shall be expos'd to the world for impostors, as those magicians were.

But you, Timothy, were a close observer of my teaching, my conduct, my purposes, my faith, my forbearance, my love, and my patient endurance,

Expulsions, sufferings, which were to me in Antioch, in Iconium, in Lystra; what expulsions I endured: and the Lord delivered me from all.

But continue thou in what thou learned and were convinced of, knowing from whom thou learned them.

And that from the time when you were a child, you have had knowledge of the holy Writings, which are able to make you wise to salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus.

but manifested his word in the times which were suitable for it by the preaching with which I was intrusted, according to the command of our Saviour God,

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge;

For once we too were without understanding, disobedient, misled, habitual slaves to all sorts of passions and pleasures, spending our lives in malice and envy.

But when the goodness and lovingkindness of God our Saviour were brought to light,

As soon as I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis [Note: Since there were several places by this name, its exact location is unknown], because I plan to spend the winter there.

[Now] I am sending him back to you in person, [as though he were] part of my very self.

But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

Perhaps for this reason you were separated from him for an hour, in order that you might have him back forever,

If therefore you regard me as a comrade, receive him as if he were I myself.

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].

Many were the forms and fashions in which God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets,

and, as though they were a mantle Thou wilt roll them up; yes, like a garment, and they will undergo change. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will never come to an end."

Because of this we ought to give more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest we might slip away.

Since then the children were made subject to a state of mortality, so he himself likewise was subject to the same condition: that through death he might destroy him that 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.

And Moses was indeed faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of the things that were going to be spoken,

for we were receiv'd into the communion of Christ, upon condition of inviolably maintaining the hope we had at the beginning even unto the end,

For who were they that heard and yet provoked him? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under the leadership of Moses?

And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies were scattered in the desert?

And to whom did he swear were not going to enter into his rest, if not to those who were disobedient?

And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief.

For we have had the good news told to us as well as they, but the message heard did them no good, because they were not by faith made one with those who heeded it.

For those of us who have belief come into his rest; even as he has said, As I said in my oath when I was angry, They may not come into my rest: though the works were done from the time of the making of the world.

Since then it still remains that some are being admitted to it and that those who first had the good news told to them were not admitted because of disobedience,

he pointed out another time in the words, which were spoken by David, a long time after their going into Canaan, in the passage just now quoted, "today since ye hear his voice, harden not your hearts."

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and who tasted of the heavenly gift, and who became partakers of Holy Spirit,

In order that, not slothful, ye may become, but imitators of them who, through faith and patience, were becoming heirs of the promises.

His words were-- 'I will assuredly bless thee and increase thy numbers.'

So that when it was God's desire to make it specially clear to those who by his word were to have the heritage, that his purpose was fixed, he made it more certain with an oath;

but he who was not of their pedigree, received tithes from Abraham, and blessed him to whom the promises were made.

Now if there were perfection through the Levitical priesthood, (and it was under it that the people received the Law) why was it still necessary for another kind of priest to arise, after the order of Melchizedek, instead of being reckoned according to the order of Aaron?

For he unto whom these things were spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one ministers at the altar:

Besides those priests were establish'd without any oath: but this with an oath,

for the Levitical priests were appointed without His taking an oath, but He with His oath, when He said to Him: "The Lord took oath and will not change, You are a priest forever" --

The [former successive line of] priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were each prevented by death from continuing [perpetually in office];

as those high priests of the law were, to offer up daily sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people: having done this once for all, by offering up himself.

For certainly if he were on earth, he would not even be a priest, there being the priests who offer the gifts according to the law,

for if that first were faultless, a place would not have been sought for a second.

For there was a tabernacle prepared, the first, wherein were the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the Holy place.

containing the golden incense altar and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which [were] a golden jar containing the manna and the rod of Aaron that budded and the tablets of the covenant.

And above it were cherubim of glory overshadowing the place of forgiveness, about which things it is not now to speak in detail.

Such then were the arrangements. Into the outer tent the priests enter continually in the performance of their duties;

Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

only in matters relating to meats and drinks, and divers baptisms, meer external rites which were to subsist only till the time of reformation.

But Christ having come, a chief priest of the good times that were to come, with a greater and a more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation,

For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling those who were defiled, sanctifies for the purification of the flesh,

And for this cause he is the mediator of a new covenant, that a death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they that have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

For when all the commandments were read of Moses unto all the people, he took the blood of calves, and of goats, with water and purple wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

And in the same way he also sprinkled with the blood the Tabernacle and all the things that were used in public worship.

Therefore it was necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves were purified with better sacrifices than these.

For Christ is not entered into holy places made with hands, which were but types of the true ones; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

For the law of Moses was [only] a foreshadow of the good things that [were] to come [i.e., in the Messianic age], not the exact image of those things. It can never, by the same sacrifices, continually offered year after year, make [morally] perfect those who draw near [to God in worship].

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.

whereas their annual sacrifices were accompanied with an anniversary commemoration of their sins.

In whole burnt offerings, and for sin thou were not pleased.

saying above, Sacrifice and offering and whole burnt offerings and for sin thou did not desire, nor were thou pleased with things that are offered according to the law.

Every other priest stands officiating day after day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices, though they were powerless ever to remove people's sins.

How much worse then, think you, will be the punishment deserved by those who have trampled underfoot the Son of God, who have treated the blood that rendered the Covenant valid--the very blood by which they were purified--as of no account, and who have outraged the Spirit of Love?

But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were enlightened, ye endured a great conflict of sufferings;

partly, being made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, becoming partakers with them that were so used.

For ye both had compassion on them that were in bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of you possessions, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one.

For by this the ancients were well reported.

By faith we understand that the worlds were created, beautifully coordinated, and now exist, at God's command; so the things that we see did not develop out of mere matter.

By faith Noah, being moved by the fear of God, made ready an ark for the salvation of his family, because God had given him news of things which were not seen at the time; and through it the world was judged by him, and he got for his heritage the righteousness which is by faith.

By faith he made his temporary home in the land that God had promised him, although a land inhabited by others, living merely in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were to share the promise with him.

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.

And if they had been thinking of that country from which they departed [as their true home], they would have had [a continuing] opportunity to return.

But in reality they were aspiring for a better country, I mean, a heavenly one. This is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

'Twas by faith that Abraham, when put to the trial, offered up Isaac: HE offered up his darling son, to whose posterity the promises were to be made good:

By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things that were going to happen.

By [having] faith, when Joseph was about to die, he mentioned the Israelites' departure [from Egypt] and gave [them] instructions concerning his bones [i.e., that they were to take them back to Palestine. See Gen. 50:25].

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a goodly child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

He regarded abuse suffered for Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for his eyes were fixed on the reward.

By faith he left Egypt, because he was not afraid of the king's anger, for he persevered as though he were actually seeing Him who is unseen.

By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were swallowed up.

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

By faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that were disobedient, having received the spies with peace.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me if I were to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and [all] the prophets,

quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens.

Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

And others were tested by being laughed at or by blows, and even with chains and prisons:

they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated

Tho' these were all celebrated for their faith, they did not receive the reward that was promised:

for God had provided for them and us something better, so that apart from us they were not to attain to full blessedness.

Weigh well the example of him who had to endure such opposition from 'men who were sinning against themselves,' so that you should not grow weary or faint-hearted.

but if you were exempted from that discipline which others are subject to, then are you bastards, and not sons.