And you will fold them up like a robe, and they will be changed like an article of clothing. But you will stay the same and your years will never end."

So, for this reason, He had to become like His brothers in every way [i.e., except that He never sinned], so that He could become a merciful and faithful Head Priest in things related to God's [service], [and] that He could provide a means of purifying [Lev. 16:30] for people's sins [i.e., make atonement for them].

do not have a stubborn heart like you did when you provoked [God] during the time you tested [His patience] in the desert,

As it has been said [Psa. 95:7], "Today, if you hear His [i.e., God's] voice, do not have a stubborn heart like you did when you provoked [God]."

For certainly enough time has elapsed so that [by now] you ought to be teachers, [but instead] you are in need of having someone teach you again the basic principles of God's message. You have become people who need "milk" and not "solid food." [Note: The fundamental truths of Christianity are here figuratively spoken of as "milk," while the more advanced teaching, such as Christ's priesthood being like Melchizedek's, is called "solid food"].

He was without a father, or mother or a list of ancestors [i.e., there was no record of his family tree] and no [record of his] birth or death. Like the Son of God, he [appeared to] remain a priest perpetually.

And this is even clearer if another priest like Melchizedek arises,

He does not need to offer up [animal] sacrifices every day like those head priests did [Note: The head priest here is represented as being in charge of the daily sacrifices offered by the other priests], first for His own sins and then for the people's sins. For He did this once for all time when He offered up Himself [on the cross].

[It will] not be like the Agreement that I made with their forefathers on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the country of Egypt. For they did not [continue to] keep my Agreement, so I did not regard them [as acceptable], says the Lord.

Above it were the cherubim [Note: These were winged, angelic-like, golden figurines] spread out over the [Chest] covering, where sins were [symbolically] forgiven. But we cannot now speak of these things in detail.

Nor was it necessary for Him to offer Himself [to God] often, like the head priest does, who enters the Holy of Holies year after year with blood that belongs to others [i.e., the blood of animal sacrifices].

But we are not like those people who turn back and are destroyed, but like those who have faith [in God] and obtain the salvation of their souls.

But if you do not receive [such] discipline, like all of us do, then you are illegitimate children and not true children.

and that no one becomes immoral or ungodly, like Esau, who sold his right to the firstborn son's inheritance for a single meal.

But he should ask in faith, without doubting, because the person who doubts [that he will receive wisdom] is like an ocean wave that is driven and tossed by the wind.

And the wealthy person [should be happy] that he is humbled [by God], because he will pass away like a flower [blossoming] from grass.

For if anyone is [only] a listener to the word and does not practice it, he is like a person who sees his natural face in a mirror,

and [then after] he sees himself, [he] goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

And the tongue is [like] a fire [i.e., like that spark]. [For] the tongue, as a part of the body, is [like] the world of evil. It corrupts the entire life [of a person] and inflames the course of nature itself [i.e., it affects a person throughout his whole earthly existence], and is ignited by hell itself [i.e., the evil produced by the fiery tongue has hell as its source and destiny].

[For actually] you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. What is your life? For you are [like] a mist that appears briefly and then vanishes.

It was revealed to these prophets that you people, not they, were the ones being ministered to in the matters now being announced to you by those who preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit, who was sent from heaven. [This message contained] things which angels would like to look into.

For all forms of flesh are similar to grass, and all the splendor of [a person's] flesh is like the flower [which blossoms] from the grass. [But as with] grass, [a person's flesh] withers, and its flower [i.e., his splendor] falls off.

[So], like newly born babies, you should desire the genuine, spiritual milk [i.e., God's word. See Heb. 5:12-13], so that by it you may grow toward [final] salvation,

And you yourselves are also like living stones, being constructed into a spiritual house. For you are like holy priests who offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

For you people were wandering away like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Be sensible and alert; your enemy the devil is prowling around like a roaring [i.e., hungry] lion looking for someone to [kill and] eat.

However, these people are like unreasonable, ignorant creatures of instinct, born as animals which are [to be] caught and destroyed. They speak out against things about which they are ignorant. In [the process of] destroying others, they will certainly be destroyed themselves.

They suffer wrong themselves for doing wrong to other people. They consider it [especially] pleasurable to carry on their drunken revellings, [even] during the daytime. They become blots and blemishes [i.e., like spoiled food] in your fellowship meal, as they revel in their deceitful behavior.

They strayed away [from God] by taking the wrong road like Balaam, the son of Bosor did, who loved the reward for doing wrong.

Such people are like springs that give no water and clouds driven by the winds. [Only] the blackest darkness awaits them.

It has happened to them like the true proverb [says], "The dog [throws up, and then] goes back and eats its own vomit," and "The hog that was all cleaned up [goes back] to wallowing in the mud."

But do not forget this one thing, my dearly loved ones, that as the Lord [counts time], one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day.

The Lord is not slow about keeping His promise, like some people are, but is [simply] being patient with you, since He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but He wants everyone to repent [i.e., change their hearts and lives].

Since all these things are [certain] to be destroyed, what kind of persons should you be, [if not like those] living holy lives, and in a godly manner,

But, if we live in the light [of righteousness] just like God [constantly] lives in the light [of righteousness], we can truly share a relationship with one another and [can know that] the blood of Jesus, God's Son, continues to cleanse [our spirits] from all of our sins.

Dearly loved ones, we are God's children now, but it has not yet been revealed [to us] what we will be [in the future life, Luke 20:34-36]. But, we do know this, however, that when Jesus is revealed [i.e., at His second coming], we will be like Him [I Cor. 15:49], for we will see what He really looks like!

And every person who has set his hope on this [i.e., of being like Jesus], will live [as] purely [as possible], just as He [i.e., Jesus Himself] is pure.

It is too bad for these people, for they have followed the example of Cain [the murderer]; for the sake of money they have rushed into the [same] error as Balaam committed [See Num. 25:1-5; 31:16]; they [will] perish [spiritually] for having rebelled [against God] like Korah did. [See Num. 16:1-3, 31-35].

These people are like rotten spots [contaminating the food] at your love feasts, while they gorge themselves without fear [i.e., unashamed of their selfish indulgence]. [Note: This passage may mean "like selfish shepherds, looking out only for themselves, they eat the grain set out for the animals"]. They are like clouds that blow over without producing rain; [they are like] trees in the fall that do not produce any fruit and have been uprooted, [thus] being dead twice [i.e., fruitless and rootless].

[They are like] raging ocean waves, whose shameful actions bubble up like foam. [They are like] shooting stars [whose light quickly goes out], for whom total darkness has been reserved forever.

I was in [i.e., under the influence of] the Holy Spirit on the Lord's day [i.e., Sunday], when I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet,

and in the middle of the lampstands I saw someone [who looked] like a son of man [i.e., Jesus. See verses 17-18]. He was dressed in a robe that reached down to His feet and He had a golden sash around His chest.

And His head and hair [i.e., probably meaning the hairs of His head] were as white as wool, or as snow, and His eyes were like flaming fire.

And His feet were like shiny brass, [glowing] as when it is being refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of much rushing water.

"And write [this] to the angel of the church at Thyatira: These are the words of the Son of God, who has eyes like flaming fire and feet like shiny brass:

at this point]. [His authority will be] like that which I have received from my Father.

The person who has victory [in the Christian life] will be dressed like that, in white clothing, and I will not blot out his name from the book of life. And I will confess his name in front of my Father and His angels.

After [seeing all] these things, I looked, and there in heaven I saw [a vision of] an open door, and the voice I had first heard speaking to me like [the sound of] a trumpet [See 1:10], said, "Come up here [i.e., to heaven], and I will show you the things which must happen after these things [i.e., the things just revealed]."

And He who was seated [on it] appeared like jasper [i.e., possibly diamond. See 21:11] and carnelian [i.e., possibly a brilliant red stone], and there was a rainbow, resembling an emerald, surrounding the throne.

And the first being was like a lion, the second one was like a calf, the third one had the face of a man and the fourth one was like a flying eagle.

Then I saw a Lamb, looking like it had been killed. He was standing in the center of the throne, surrounded by the four living beings and the [twenty-four] elders. He has seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God [i.e., the Holy Spirit. See 1:4], sent throughout the entire earth.

And they sang a new song [which went like this]: "You deserve to take the book and break the seals on it, for you were killed and, with your blood, you purchased people for God from every tribe and language and race and nation,

And I heard what sounded like a voice coming from among the four living beings, saying, "A quart [measure] of wheat sells for a day's pay [Note: This amount would be $60-$84 in 1994, based on one day of a farm laborer's wages. See Matt. 20:2]; three quart measures of barley sell for a day's pay; but do not damage the [olive] oil and wine [i.e., the orchards and vineyards].

And a white robe was given to each one of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the [full] number of their fellow servants and their brothers would be killed like they were.

And the stars in the sky fell to earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when shaken by a strong wind.

And the sky disappeared like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

[When] the second angel sounded its trumpet [I saw] what seemed like a huge mountain, ablaze with fire, being thrown into the ocean. And one third of the ocean turned to blood,

[When] the third angel sounded its trumpet [I saw] a huge star, like a flaming torch, falling from heaven. It fell on one third of the rivers and on the springs of water.

And the fallen star opened the shaft leading to the deep pit and smoke drifted up from the shaft like smoke from a huge furnace. And the sun and the sky were darkened by the smoke from the shaft.

And locusts swarmed down out of the smoke to earth and they were given power like scorpions on earth have.

And the locusts were not given the power to kill these people, but [only] to torture them for five months. And the torment they would inflict was like a scorpion stinging a person.

And the locusts looked like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads [they wore] what appeared to be golden crowns, and their faces looked like the faces of human beings.

And they had hair like women and teeth like lions.

Their chests were covered with armor plate made of iron, and their wings sounded like the noise of many horse-drawn chariots rushing to battle.

And they had tails like scorpions with stingers, and in their tails they had the power to inflict harm upon people for five months.

And this is how the horses and their riders looked in the vision: They had on their chests fire[-red], [smoke-]blue and sulphur[-yellow] armor plate, and the horses' heads were like lions' heads. And fire, smoke and sulphur proceeded out of their mouths.

For the power of the horses [to kill] is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like snakes that have heads with which to harm people.

And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was covered by a cloud and there was a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire.

and he called out in a loud voice, like a roaring lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders responded to the voice [of the angel]. [Note: These "seven thunders" have not been previously mentioned].

Then there was given to me a measuring stick that looked like a [tree] branch. I was told [Note: Neither the giver nor the speaker are identified], "Get up and measure the Temple of God, and the Altar and [count] those who worship there,

And the beast I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like a bear's, and his mouth like a lion's. And the dragon gave him his power, his throne and his great authority.

And one of the beast's heads looked like it had been fatally wounded, but the wound healed and the entire world was amazed and followed after him.

And they [all] worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast?" and "Who is able to wage war against him?"

Then I saw another [i.e., a second] beast coming up from the earth. He had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.

And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of much rushing water, and like the sound of loud thunder. And the sound I heard was like people playing their harps.

And I looked, and there in front of me I saw a white cloud, and on the cloud was seated someone who looked like the Son of man [See Dan. 7:13]. He had a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.

Then the second [angel] poured out his bowl into the ocean, making it turn into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the ocean died.

And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs; [one was] coming out of the mouth of the dragon, [one] out of the mouth of the beast, and [one] out of the mouth of the false prophet.

[Note: At this point the Lord's voice breaks into John's vision]. ("Look, I am coming like a thief. That person is happy who stays alert and is dressed [properly], so he does not appear naked and have to be shamefully exposed").

After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voices of a huge crowd in heaven, shouting, "Hallelujah [which means, "Praise God"]! Salvation and splendor and power belong to our God.

Then I heard what sounded like the voices of a huge crowd, and the sound of much rushing water, and great rolling thunder. They shouted, "Hallelujah! For the Lord, our God Almighty rules.

And His eyes are [like] blazing fire, and on His head are many crowns, and He has a name written [on Him] which is known only by Him.