The Supremacy of the Son

(Colossians 1:15–23)

{On many} past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to [our] fathers through the prophets. 2 But in these last days He has spoken to us by [His] Son,[fn] whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.[fn]

[The Son] is [the] radiance of [God’s] glory and [the] exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by vvv His powerful word. [After] He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at [the] right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 [So] He became as far superior to the angels as [the] name He has inherited [is] excellent beyond theirs. 5 For to which of the angels vvv did [God] ever say:

“You are My Son;

today I have become Your Father

[Or] again:

“I will be His Father,

and He will be My Son”[fn]?

And again, when [God] brings [His] firstborn into the world, He says:

“{Let} all God’s angels worship Him.”[fn]

Now about the angels He says:

“He makes His angels winds,

His servants flames of fire.”[fn]

But about the Son [He says]:

“Your throne, O God, [endures] forever vvv and ever,

and justice [is] the scepter of Your kingdom.

You have loved righteousness

and hated wickedness;

therefore God, Your God, has anointed You

above Your companions with [the] oil of joy.”[fn]

And:

“In [the] beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth,

and the heavens are [the] work of Your hands.

They will perish, but You remain;

vvv they will all wear out like a garment.

You will roll them up like a robe;

like a garment[fn] they will be changed;

but You remain the same,

and Your years vvv will never end.”[fn]

Yet to which of the angels vvv did [God] ever say:

“Sit at My right hand

until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet”[fn]?

Are not [the angels][fn] ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? 2 

Salvation Confirmed

We must vvv pay closer attention, therefore to what we have heard, vvv vvv so that we do not drift away. 2 For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every transgression and disobedience received [its] just punishment, 3 how vvv shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?

[ This salvation ] was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard [Him], 4 [and] was affirmed by God through signs, wonders, various miracles, and {gifts} of [the] Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.

Jesus like His Brothers

For [it is] not to angels that He has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But somewhere it is testified in these words:

“What is man that You are mindful of him,

or [the] son of man that You care for him?

You made him a little lower[fn] than [the] angels;

You crowned him with glory and honor[fn]

[and] placed everything under his feet.”[fn]

[When God] subjected all things to him, He left nothing outside of his control Yet at present vvv we do not see everything subject to him. 9 But we see Jesus, who vvv was made a little lower than [the] angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by [the] grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting for [God], for whom and through whom all things [exist], to make the author[fn] of their salvation {perfect} through suffering. 11 For both the [One who] sanctifies and those who are sanctified [are] of the same [family]. So vvv [Jesus] is not ashamed to call them brothers. 12 He says:

“I will proclaim Your name to My brothers;

I will sing Your praises in [the] assembly.”[fn]

And again:

“I will put [My] trust in Him.”[fn]

And [once] again:

“Here [am] I, and the children God has given Me.”[fn]

Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in [their] [humanity], so that by [His] death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who all [their] lives were held in slavery by [their] fear of death.

For surely [it is] not [the] angels He helps, but [the] descendants of Abraham. 17 For this reason He had to be made like [His] brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest [in service] to God, in order to make atonement[fn] for the sins of the people. 18 Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. 3 

Jesus Our Apostle and High Priest

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in [the] heavenly calling, set your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. 2 He was faithful to the [One who] appointed Him, just as Moses [was faithful] in all [God’s] house.[fn]

For [Jesus] has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, just as the builder [of a house] has greater honor than the house [itself]. 4 And every house is built by someone, but God [is] the builder of everything.

Now Moses [was] faithful as a servant in all [God’s] house,[fn] vvv testifying to what would be spoken later. 6 But Christ [is faithful] as [the] Son over [God’s] house. [And] we are [His] house, if we hold firmly[fn] to [our] confidence and the hope [of which] we boast.

Do Not Harden Your Hearts

(Psalm 95:1–11)

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you hear His voice,

[do] not harden your hearts,

as [you did] in the rebellion,

in the day of testing in the wilderness,

where your fathers tested [and] tried [Me],

and for forty years saw My works.

Therefore I was angry with that generation,

and I said,

‘Their hearts {are} always going astray,

and vvv they have not known My ways.’

So I swore on oath in My anger,

‘vvv They shall never enter My rest.’ ”[fn]

The Peril of Unbelief

See to it, brothers, [that] vvv [none] of you has a wicked heart of unbelief vvv vvv that turns away from [the] living God. 13 But exhort one another vvv daily, as long as it is called today, so that vvv none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to [the] end the assurance [we had] at first. 15 As it has been said:

“Today, if you hear His voice,

{do} not harden your hearts,

as [you did] in the rebellion.”[fn]

For who were the ones who heard [and] rebelled? [Were they] not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was [God] angry for forty years? [Was it] not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear [that they] vvv would never enter His rest? [Was it] not to those who disobeyed? 19 [So] we see that [it was] because of [their] unbelief vvv that they were unable to enter. 4 

The Sabbath Rest

(Genesis 2:1–3, Exodus 16:22–30)

Therefore, [ while ] the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be deemed to have fallen short [of it]. 2 For we also received the good news just as they [did]; but the message they heard vvv was of no value to them, vvv since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended [it].[fn]

Now [we] who have believed enter [that] rest. [As for the others, ] it is just as [God] has said:

“So I swore on oath in My anger,

‘vvv They shall never enter My rest.’ ”[fn]

And yet [His] works have been finished since [the] foundation of [the] world. 4 For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh [day] in this manner:“And on the seventh day God rested from all His works.”[fn] 5 And again, [as He says] in [the passage above]: vvv“They shall never enter My rest.”

Since, then, it remains [for] some to enter [His rest], and [since] those who formerly heard the good news vvv did not enter because of [their] disobedience, 7 vvv [God] again designated a certain day [as]“Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated:“Today, if you hear His voice, {do} not harden your hearts.”[fn]

For if Joshua had given them rest vvv vvv [God] would not have spoken later about another day. 9 There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For whoever enters [God’s] rest also rests from his [own] work, just as God [did] from [His] 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by [following] the same pattern of disobedience.

The Living Word

(2 Timothy 3:10–17)

For the word of God [is] living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges [the] thoughts and intentions of [the] heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from [God’s] sight everything [is] uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we [must give] account.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. 15 For vvv we do not have a high priest vvv who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but [we have] one who was tempted in every way that [we are], [yet was] without sin. 16 vvv Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help [us] in [our] time of need. 5 

The Perfect High Priest

(Psalm 110:1–7)

Every high priest is appointed vvv from among men to represent [them] in matters relating to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and misguided, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 That is why he is obligated to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for [the sins of] the people.

No one takes [this] honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron [was]. 5 So also Christ {did} not take upon Himself the glory of becoming a high priest, but [He was called] by the [One who] said to Him:

“You are My Son;

today I have become Your Father

And in another [passage] [God] says:

“You [are] a priest vvv vvv forever

in the order of Melchizedek.”[fn]

During the days of [Jesus’] earthly [life], He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the [One who] could save Him from death, and He was heard because of [His] reverence. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became [the] source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him 10 [and] was designated by God [as] high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Milk and Solid Food

(1 Corinthians 3:1–9)

We [have] much to say about [this], [but it is] hard to explain because you are dull of hearing. 12 Although by [this] time you ought to be teachers, you need [someone] to reteach you the basic principles of God’s word.[fn] vvv vvv You need milk, not solid food!

For everyone who lives on milk is [still] an infant, inexperienced in [the] message of righteousness. 14 But solid food is [for the] mature, who by constant use have trained [their] senses to distinguish good [from] evil. 6 

A Call to Maturity

Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ [and] go on to maturity, not laying again [the] foundation of repentance from dead works,[fn] and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms,[fn] [the] laying on of hands, [the] resurrection of [the] dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if God permits.

[It is] impossible for those who vvv have once been enlightened, [who] have tasted the heavenly gift, [who] have shared in [the] Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted [the] goodness [of the] word of God and [the] powers [of the] coming age — 6 and then have fallen away — to be restored to repentance, because they themselves are crucifying the Son of God {all over again} and subjecting [Him] to open shame.

For land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is tended receives [the] blessing of God. 8 But [land that] produces thorns and thistles [is] worthless, and [its] curse is imminent. [In] the end vvv it will be burned.

Even though we speak like this, beloved, we are convinced of better [things] in your [case]— [things that] accompany salvation. 10 For God [is] not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown for His name as you have ministered to the saints and continue to [do so].

We want each of you to show [this] same diligence to [the very] end, in order {to make} [your] hope sure. 12 Then vvv you will not be sluggish, but vvv will imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

God’s Unchangeable Promise

[When] God made His promise to Abraham, since He had no one greater to swear by, He swore by Himself, 14 saying,“{I will} surely vvv bless you and multiply your [descendants].”[fn] 15 And so [Abraham], after waiting patiently, obtained the promise.

Men swear by [someone] greater [than themselves], and [their] oath serves as a confirmation to end all argument. 17 vvv So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed [it] with an oath. 18 Thus by two unchangeable things in which [it is] impossible [for] God to lie we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before [us] may be strongly encouraged.

We have [this hope] as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner [sanctuary] [behind] the curtain, 20 where Jesus [our] forerunner has entered vvv on our behalf. He has become a high priest vvv vvv forever in the order of Melchizedek. 7 

Melchizedek and Abraham

(Genesis 14:17–24)

This Melchizedek [was] king of Salem [and] priest of God Most High.[fn] He met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham apportioned to [him] a tenth of everything. First, [his name] means“king of righteousness.” Then also,“king of Salem” means“king of peace.” 3 Without father [or] mother [or] genealogy, without beginning of days [or] end of life, like the Son of God, he remains a priest for all time.

Consider how great [Melchizedek was]: Even the patriarch Abraham gave [him] a tenth of the plunder. 5 Now the law vvv commands the vvv vvv sons of Levi who become priests to collect a tenth from the people — that is, from their brothers — though they [too] are descended from Abraham. 6 But [Melchizedek], vvv who did not trace his descent from [Levi], collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. 7 And vvv vvv indisputably, the lesser is blessed by the greater.

vvv vvv In the case [of the Levites], mortal men collect the tenth; but in the case [of Melchizedek], it is affirmed that he lives on. 9 And so vvv to speak, Levi, who collects [the] tenth, paid [the] tenth through Abraham. 10 For when Melchizedek met Abraham, [Levi] was still in the loin of [his] ancestor.

A Superior Priesthood

Now if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood ( for on this basis the people received [the] law), why [was there] still need [for] another priest to appear — [one] in the order of Melchizedek and not in the order of Aaron? 12 For [when] the priesthood is changed, [the] law vvv must be changed as well.

[He] of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. 14 For [it is] clear that our Lord descended from Judah, a tribe as to which Moses said nothing about priests.

And [ this point ] is even more clear if another priest like Melchizedek appears, 16 one who has become [a priest] not by a law of succession but by [the] power of an indestructible life. 17 For it is testified

“You [are] a priest vvv vvv forever

in the order of Melchizedek.”[fn]

So the former commandment is set aside because it [was] weak and useless 19 ( for the law made nothing perfect and a better hope [is] introduced, by which we draw near to God.

And none of this [happened] without an oath. For [others] became priests without an oath, 21 but [Jesus became a priest] with an oath by the [One who] said to Him:

“[The] Lord has sworn and vvv will not change His mind:

‘You [are] a priest vvv vvv forever.’ ”[fn]

Because of this [oath], Jesus has become [the] guarantee of a better covenant.

Now there have been many [other] priests, since death prevented them from continuing [in office]. 24 But because [Jesus] lives vvv vvv forever, He has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore He is able to save vvv vvv completely[fn] those who draw near to God through Him, [since He] always lives to intercede for them.

Such a high priest truly befits us — [One who is] holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 [Unlike] the [other] high priests, [He] does not need to offer vvv daily sacrifices, first for [His] own sins and then for [the sins] of the people; He [sacrificed for sin] once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which [came] after the law, [appointed] [the] Son, who has been made perfect vvv vvv forever. 8 

Christ’s Eternal Priesthood

[The] point of what we are saying [is this]: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at [the] right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 [and who] ministers in the sanctuary and true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. 3 And since every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, [it was] necessary [for] this One also to have something to offer.

Now if He were on earth, vvv vvv He would not be a priest, since there are already [priests] who offer gifts according to [the] law. 5 [The place where] they serve [is] a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle“See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”[fn]

The New Covenant

(Jeremiah 31:26–40)

Now, however, [Jesus] has received a much more excellent ministry, just as the covenant vvv He mediates is better [and] is founded on better promises. 7 For if that first [ covenant ] had been without fault, no place vvv would have been sought for a second. 8 [But] [God] found fault with [the people] [and] said:

“Behold, [the] days are coming, declares [the] Lord,

[when] I will make a new covenant

with the house of Israel

and with the house of Judah.

[It will] not be like the covenant

I made with their fathers

vvv when I took them by the hand

to lead them out of [the] land of Egypt,

because they vvv did not abide by My covenant,

and I disregarded them, declares [the] Lord.

For this [is] the covenant I will make

with the house of Israel

after those days,

declares [the] Lord.

I will put My laws in their minds

and inscribe them on their hearts.

And I will be vvv their God,

and they will be My people.

No longer {will} each one teach his neighbor [or] his brother,

saying,‘Know the Lord,’

because vvv they will all know Me,

from [the] least of them to [the] greatest.

For I will vvv forgive their iniquities

and will remember their sins no more.”[fn]

By speaking of a new [covenant],[fn] He has made the first one {obsolete}; and what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear. 9 

The Earthly Tabernacle

(Exodus 40:1–33, Acts 7:44–47)

vvv Now the first [ covenant ][fn] had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was prepared. In [its] first [room] [were] the lampstand, the table, and the consecrated bread.[fn] This was called [the] Holy [Place]. 3 Behind the second curtain [was] a room called [the] Most Holy Place 4 containing [the] golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. Inside [the ark] [were the] gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above [the ark] [were the] cherubim of glory, overshadowing the mercy seat.[fn] vvv [But] we cannot discuss vvv [these things] in detail now.

[When] everything had been prepared in this way, the priests entered regularly into the first room to perform [their] sacred duties. 7 But only the high priest [entered] the second [room], [and then] only once a year, [and] never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the vvv vvv sins the people had committed in ignorance.

By this [arrangement] the Holy Spirit was showing [that] the way into the [Most] Holy Place[fn] {had} not yet been disclosed {as long as} the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 [It is] an illustration for the present time, because [the] gifts and sacrifices being offered vvv were unable to cleanse [the] conscience of the worshiper. 10 [ They consist ] only in food and drink and special washings — external regulations imposed until [the] time of reform.

Redemption through His Blood

But [when] Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come,[fn] [He went through] the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands [and is] not [a part] of this creation. 12 [He did not enter] by [the] blood of goats and calves, but He entered the [Most] Holy Place once for all by [His] own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.

For if the blood of goats and bulls and [the] ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify [them] so that [their] bodies are clean, 14 how much more {will} the blood of Christ, who through [the] eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our[fn] consciences from works of death, so that we may serve [the] living God!

Therefore [Christ] is [the] mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem [them] from the transgressions [committed] under the first covenant.

In the case of [a] will,[fn] [it is] necessary to establish [the] death of the [one who] made [it], 17 because a will [does not] take effect until the [one who] made [it] has died; vvv vvv it cannot be executed while he is still alive.

That is why {even} the first [covenant] vvv was not put into effect without blood. 19 For [when] Moses had proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats,[fn] along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, [and] sprinkled the scroll and all the people, 20 saying,“This [is] the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you [to keep].”[fn]

In the same way, he sprinkled with blood the tabernacle and all the vessels used in worship. 22 According to the law, in fact, nearly everything must be purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

So [it was] necessary [for] the copies vvv vvv [of] the heavenly things to be purified with these [sacrifices], but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but [He entered] heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.

Nor [did He enter heaven] to offer Himself again and again, as the high priest enters the [Most] Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 Otherwise, [Christ] would have had to suffer repeatedly since [the] foundation of [the] world. But now He has appeared once [for all] at [the] end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that [to face] judgment, 28 so also Christ was offered once to bear [the] sins of many; [and] He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, [but] to [bring] salvation to those who eagerly await Him. 10 

Christ’s Perfect Sacrifice

(Psalm 40:1–17)

For the law is only a shadow of the good things to come, not the realities themselves. It can never, by the same sacrifices vvv vvv offered vvv vvv year after year, make perfect those who draw near [ to worship ]. 2 [If it could] vvv would not the offerings have ceased For the worshipers would have been cleansed once [for all], [and] would no longer have felt the guilt of [their] sins.

Instead, those [sacrifices] [are] an annual reminder of sins, 4 because [it is] impossible [for the] blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when [Christ] came into the world, He said:

“Sacrifice and offering vvv You did not desire,

but a body You prepared for Me.

In burnt offerings and vvv sin [offerings] vvv

You took no delight.

Then I said,‘Here I am, it is written about Me in vvv [the] scroll:

I have come to do Your will, O God.’ ”[fn]

[ In the passage ] above He says“Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and vvv sin [offerings] vvv You did not desire, nor did You delight in [them]” ( [although] they are offered according to [the] law). 9 Then He adds,“Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second. 10 [And] by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

vvv Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But [when] this [Priest] had offered vvv vvv for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at [the] right hand of God. 13 vvv Since that time, He waits for His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet, 14 because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us {about this}. [First] He says:

“This [is] the covenant I will make with them

after those days, declares [the] Lord.

I will put My laws in their hearts

and inscribe them on their minds.”[fn]

[Then He adds]:

“Their sins and lawless acts

I will remember no more.”[fn]

And where these have been forgiven, an offering for sin [is] no longer [ needed ].

A Call to Persevere

(Jude 1:17–23)

Therefore, brothers, [since] we have confidence to enter the [Most] Holy Place[fn] by the blood of Jesus, 20 by [the] new and living way opened for us through the curtain of His body,[fn] 21 and [since we have] a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, {having} our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and [our] bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised [is] faithful. 24 And let us consider how to spur one another {on} to love and good deeds. 25 vvv Let us not neglect meeting together as some [have made a] habit, but let us encourage [one another], and all [the] more as you see the Day approaching.

[If] we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume [all] adversaries. 28 Anyone who rejected [the] law of Moses died without mercy on [the testimony of] two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished [who] has trampled on the Son of God, vvv profaned the blood of the covenant vvv that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?

For we know Him who said,“Vengeance [is] Mine; I will repay,”[fn] and again,“[The] Lord will judge His people.”[fn] 31 [It is] a fearful thing to fall into [the] hands of [the] living God.

Remember the early days that you were in the light.[fn] In [those days], you endured a great conflict in the face of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who [were] so treated. 34 You sympathized with those in prison and vvv joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you yourselves had a better and permanent possession.

So {do} not throw away your confidence; [it] holds a great reward. 36 You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. 37 For,

vvv“In just a little while,

He who is coming will come and vvv will not delay.

But My righteous one will live by faith;[fn]

and if he shrinks back,

I {will take} no pleasure in him.”[fn]

But we are not of [those who] shrink back [and] are destroyed, but of [those who have] faith [and] preserve [their] souls. 11 

Faith and Assurance

(Genesis 1:1–2, John 1:1–5)

Now faith is [the] assurance of what [we] hope for [and the] certainty of what vvv we do not see. 2 vvv vvv This is why the ancients were commended.

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command so that what is seen vvv was not made out of what was visible.

The Faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah

(Genesis 4–9)

By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain [did]. By [faith] he was commended as righteous [when] God gave approval to his gifts. And by [faith] vvv he still speaks, [even though] he is dead.

By faith Enoch was taken up[fn] [so that] vvv he did not see death: vvv He could not be found, because God had taken him away For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.

And without faith [it is] impossible to please [God]. For anyone who approaches [Him] must believe that He exists and [that] vvv He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By [faith] he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness [that] comes by faith.

The Faith of Abraham and Sarah

(Genesis 15–22, Romans 4:1–12)

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as [his] inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the promised land as {a stranger} in a foreign [country]. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who [were] heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder [is] God.

By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised. 12 And so from one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore

All these [people] died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw [them] and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of vvv vvv [the country] they had left, vvv they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead they were longing for a better [country], a heavenly [one]. Therefore God vvv is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac [ on the altar ]. He who had received the promises was ready to offer [his] one and only son,[fn] 18 even though [God] had said to him“Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”[fn] 19 [Abraham] reasoned that God could raise [the] dead, [and] in a sense, he did receive [Isaac] back from [death].

The Faith of Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph

(Genesis 27–50)

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future.

By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshiped [as he leaned] on the top of his staff.

By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the vvv Israelites and gave instructions about his bones.

The Faith of Moses

(Exodus 2–15, Acts 7:20–22)

By faith [Moses’] parents hid him for three months after his birth, because they saw [that he was] a beautiful child, and vvv they were unafraid of the vvv king’s edict.

By faith Moses, when he was grown, refused to be called [the] son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to suffer oppression with God’s people rather than to experience [the] fleeting enjoyment of sin. 26 vvv vvv He valued disgrace for Christ {above} the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to [his] reward.

By faith [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw [Him who is] invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer [of] the firstborn vvv would not touch [Israel’s own] [ firstborn ].

By faith [the people] passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; [but when] the Egyptians tried to follow,[fn] they were drowned.

The Faith of Many

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By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after [the people] had marched around them for seven days.

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies in peace, vvv did not perish with those who were disobedient.

And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, [and] gained what was promised; [who] shut [the] mouths of lions, 34 quenched [the] raging fire, [and] escaped [the] edge of [the] sword; [who] gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, [and] put foreign armies {to flight}.

Women received back their dead, vvv raised to life again. Others were tortured vvv [and] refused [their] release, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 [Still] others endured mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

They were stoned, they were sawed in two,[fn] they were put to death by [the] sword. They went around in sheepskins [and] goatskins destitute, oppressed, [and] mistreated. 38 The world was not worthy of [them]. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and [ hid in ] caves and holes in the ground.

These {were} all commended for [their] faith, vvv [yet] they did not receive what [was] promised. 40 God had planned something better for us, so that vvv together with us they would be made perfect. 12 

A Call to Endurance

(2 Timothy 2:1–13)

Therefore, [since] we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin [that] so easily entangles, [and] let us run with endurance the race set out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author[fn] and perfecter of [our] faith, who for the joy set before Him endured [the] cross, scorning [its] shame, and sat down at [the] right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that vvv you will not grow weary [and] lose heart

God Disciplines His Sons

In your struggle against sin, vvv you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:

“My son, {do} not take lightly [the] discipline of [the] Lord,

and [do not] lose heart [when] He rebukes you.

For [the] Lord disciplines the one He loves,

and He chastises every son He receives.”[fn]

Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son vvv is not disciplined [by his] father? 8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone vvv else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Furthermore we have all had vvv vvv earthly fathers who disciplined [us], and we respected [them]. {Should we} not much more submit to the Father of [our] spirits and live?

[Our fathers] disciplined [us] for vvv vvv a short time as they thought best, but [God disciplines us] for [our] good, so that we may share in His holiness. 11 vvv No discipline seems vvv enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness [and] peace[fn] to those who have been trained by it.

Therefore strengthen [your] limp hands and weak knees.[fn] 13 Make straight paths for your feet,[fn] so that the lame {may} not be disabled, but rather healed.

A Call to Holiness

(1 Peter 1:13–21)

Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, [and] that no root of bitterness[fn] springs up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 [See to it] that [no one is] sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. vvv He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought [the blessing] with tears.

An Unshakable Kingdom

(Exodus 20:18–21, Deuteronomy 5:22–33)

For vvv you have not come to [ a mountain that ] can be touched and [that][fn] is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm; 19 to a trumpet blast [or] to a voice that [made] [its] hearers beg that no further word be spoken 20 For vvv they could not bear what was commanded:“If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”[fn] 21 The sight was so terrifying [that] even Moses said,“I am trembling with fear.”[fn]

Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, [to the] city of [the] living God, [the] heavenly Jerusalem. [You have come] to myriads of angels 23 in joyful assembly, [to the] congregation of [the] firstborn, enrolled in heaven. [You have come] to God [the] Judge of all, to [the] spirits of [the] righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus [the] mediator of a new covenant, and to [the] sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than [the blood] of Abel.

See to it that vvv you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if [the people] {did} not escape when they refused Him who warned [them] on earth, how much less [will] we [escape] if we reject Him who [warns us] from heaven? 26 At that time [His] voice shook the earth, but now He has promised vvv“Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”[fn] 27 The [words] vvv“Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken — that is, created things — so that the vvv unshakable may remain.

Therefore, [since] we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, [and so] worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. 29 For our God [is a] consuming fire.”[fn] 13 

Brotherly Love

Continue in brotherly love. 2 {Do} not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some [people] have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those in prison as if you were bound with [them], [and] those who are mistreated as if you were vvv [suffering with them].

Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

Christ’s Unchanging Nature

vvv Keep your lives free from the love of money [and] be content with what you have, for [God] has said:

“Never vvv will I leave you,

vvv never vvv will I forsake you.”[fn]

So we say with confidence:

“[The] Lord [is] my helper; vvv I will not be afraid.

What {can} man do to me?”[fn]

Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of [their] way of life [and] imitate [their] faith. 8 Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today and vvv vvv forever.

{Do} not be carried away [by] all kinds [of] strange teachings, for [it is] good for the heart to be strengthened by grace [and] not by foods of no value to those devoted to [them]. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

[Although] the high priest brings the blood of animals into the Holy Place [as a sacrifice] for sin, the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12 And so Jesus {also} suffered outside the [city] gate, to sanctify the people by [His] own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to Him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace He [bore]. 14 For here vvv we do not have a permanent city, but we are looking for the [city] that is to come.

Sacrifice, Obedience, and Prayer

Through [Jesus], therefore, let us continually offer to God [a] sacrifice of praise, [the] fruit of lips that confess His name. 16 And {do} not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Obey your leaders and submit [to them], for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them [to lead] with joy and not [with] grief, for that [would be] of no advantage to you.

Pray for us; we are convinced that we have a clear conscience [and] desire to live honorably in every way. 19 And I especially urge you to [pray] that I may be restored to you soon.

Benediction and Farewell

Now {may} the God of peace, who through [the] blood of [the] eternal covenant brought back from [the] dead our Lord Jesus, [that] great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with every good {thing}[fn] to do His will. [And] may He accomplish in us[fn] what [is] pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom [be] glory vvv vvv forever [and] ever. Amen.

I urge you, brothers, to bear with [my] word of exhortation, for I have {only} written to you vvv briefly.

Be aware [that] our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with [him] {to see} you.

Greet all your leaders and all the saints.

Those from Italy send you greetings

Grace [be] with all of you.[fn]