By how much worse punishment do ye think he will deserve who has trampled the Son of God, and who considered profane the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and who treated the Spirit of grace contemptuously?

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

partly while all men wondered and gazed at you for the shame and tribulation that was done unto you, and partly while ye became companions of them which so passed their time.

For you had pity on those who were in prison, and had joy in the loss of your property, in the knowledge that you still had a better property and one which you would keep for ever.

Cast not away therefore your boldness, which hath great recompense of reward.

We are not which withdraw ourselves unto damnation, but pertain to faith, to the winning of the soul.

Faith is a sure confidence of things which are hoped for, and a certainty of things which are not seen.

By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear.

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh.

By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land, as in a strange land, living in tents [as nomads] with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise.

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

Through faith Sarah also received strength to be with child, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful which had promised.

wherefore also there sprang of one, and him as good as dead,'so many as the stars of heaven in multitude, and as the sand, which is by the sea-shore, innumerable.

And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return.

By faith Abraham offered up Isaac, when he was tempted, and he offered him being his only begotten son, which had received the promises:

of which first-born it was said: In Isaac shall your posterity be called:

having reasoned that God [was] able even to raise [him] from the dead, from which he received him back also as a symbol.

because he deemed the reproaches which he might meet with in the service of the Christ to be greater riches than all the treasures of Egypt; for he fixed his gaze on the coming reward.

By faith he forsook Egypt, and feared not the fierceness of the king. For he endured, even as he had seen him which is invisible.

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

by faith they made the tour of Jericho for seven days, in consequence of which the walls fell down.

which through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained the promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

which the world was not worthy of: They wandered in wilderness, in mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Having our eyes fixed on Jesus, the guide and end of our faith, who went through the pains of the cross, not caring for the shame, because of the joy which was before him, and who has now taken his place at the right hand of God's seat of power.

and ye have forgotten the exhortation which reasoneth with you as with sons, My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art reproved of him;

For whom the Lord loves he corrects, and he chastises every son which he receives.

If ye endure correction, God treats you as sons; for who is the son which the father corrects not?

And if ye are without chastening, of which all have become participants, then ye are bastards, and not sons.

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

For those men indeed for a few days chastened us according to that which seemed good to them, but he for that which is advantageous, in order to be partakers of his holiness.

Now for the time being no discipline seems to be pleasant; it is painful; later on, however, to those who are trained by it, it yields the fruit of peace which grows from upright character.

For this cause let the hands which are hanging down be lifted up, and let the feeble knees be made strong,

and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.

Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord:

and that there be no fornicator, or unclean person, as Esau, which for one breakfast sold his birthright.

For ye have not come to a mountain being felt, and which burned with fire, and to darkness, and gloom, and a tempest,

and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them;

for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;

And so fearful was that which was made visible, that Moses said, I am terrified and trembling.

But you have come to the mountain of Zion, to the place of the living God, to the Jerusalem which is in heaven, and to an army of angels which may not be numbered,

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

And to Jesus by whom the new agreement has been made between God and man, and to the sign of the blood which says better things than Abel's blood.

See that you give ear to his voice which comes to you. For if those whose ears were shut to the voice which came to them on earth did not go free from punishment, what chance have we of going free if we give no attention to him whose voice comes from heaven?

And this word , Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.

Therefore, receiving an immovable kingdom, we may have grace, through which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and awe.

Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

Be free from the love of money and pleased with the things which you have; for he himself has said, I will be with you at all times.

Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

Be not carried away by various and foreign doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established with grace, not with foods by which those who walked were not benefited.

We have an altar from which they have no right to eat, those officiating at the tabernacle.

than the sacrificers had to eat of the flesh of those beasts, which were burnt without the camp, and whose blood the highpriest carried into the sanctuary.

For we have not here an abiding city, but we seek after the city which is to come.

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

Confide in your guides, and be respectful: that they who are vigilant, as being accountable for your souls, may discharge themselves with cheerfulness, and not with anxiety, which would be to your prejudice.

May God, who gives us peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, who through the blood by which He ratified the everlasting covenant, is now the Great Shepherd of the sheep,

make you perfect in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

But, brothers, take kindly the words which I have said for your profit; for I have not sent you a long letter.

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

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men indifferently and casteth no man in the teeth; and it shall be given him.

Let him make his request in faith, doubting nothing; for he who has doubt in his heart is like the waves of the sea, which are troubled by the driving of the wind.

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been approved, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to them that love him.

a man is instigated, and drawn into the snare by his own vicious passions, which once indulg'd, are productive of sin,

every thing that is valuable, every gift that leads to perfection is deriv'd from heaven, it descends from that original light, which knows no change, no shadow, or decline:

Of his purpose he gave us being, by his true word, so that we might be, in a sense, the first-fruits of all the things which he had made.

For the wrath of man worketh not that which is righteous before God.

Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

But he who goes on looking into the true law which makes him free, being not a hearer without memory but a doer putting it into effect, this man will have a blessing on his acts.

The religion which is holy and free from evil in the eyes of our God and Father is this: to take care of children who have no fathers and of widows who are in trouble, and to keep oneself untouched by the world.

My brothers, do not hold [views regarding] the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ [i.e., as tenets of Christianity] which show favoritism toward [certain] persons.

Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?

But ye have despised the poor. Are not the rich they which oppress you: and they which draw you before judges?

Do not they blaspheme the honorable name by which ye are called?

If you are keeping the royal law, which says, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thou dost thyself, you are doing well.

Let your words and your acts be those of men who are to be judged by the law which makes free.

And one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warm and full of food; but you do not give them the things of which their bodies have need, what profit is there in this?

and the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the friend of God.

you see how manageable horses are made by the application of a bit, which makes them take what motion we please.

Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

And the tongue is a fire: the world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the wheel of nature, and is set on fire by hell.

Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him show by his noble living that his good deeds are done in humility, which wisdom prompts.

Such wisdom is not that which is descending from on high, but is earthly, sensual, demonlike.

But the wisdom which comes from on high is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, conciliatory, overflowing with mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without insincerity.

And the seed whose fruit is righteousness (spiritual maturity) is sown in peace by those who make peace [by actively encouraging goodwill between individuals].

What causes wars and quarrels among you? Is it not your different desires which are ever at war within your bodies? You desire things and cannot have them, and so you commit murder.

Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?

There is one law giver, which is able to save and to destroy. What art thou that judgest another man?

Come now, you who say, "To-day or to-morrow we are going to such and such a city; we shall spend a year there trading and making money" ??14 you who know nothing about to-morrow! For what is your life? You are but a mist, which appears for a little and then vanishes.

although you do not have the slightest knowledge of tomorrow. What is the nature of your life? It is really nothing but a mist which appears for a little while and then disappears.

Go to now, you rich men! Weep aloud, howl for the miseries which are about to come upon you!

and your gold and silver by rust: that rust shall convict you: that rust shall corrode your flesh like a caustic, which you have treasur'd up against the last days.

Behold, the hire of the laborers who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth out: and the cries of them that reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.

Take, my brethren, the prophets: for an example of suffering adversity, and of long patience, which spake in the name of the Lord.

We say that those men who have gone through pain are happy: you have the story of Job and the troubles through which he went and have seen that the Lord was full of pity and mercy in the end.

And by the prayer of faith the man who is ill will be made well, and he will be lifted up by the Lord, and for any sin which he has done he will have forgiveness.

Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,