The Book of Hebrews

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Superiority of the Son over Angels

God, having previously spoken to the patriarchs¹ in plentiful parts and plentiful ways by the prophets, ²
spoke to us in these last days by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the ages;
who being the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His substance; both upholding all things by the spoken word of power, and having accomplished the cleansing of sins through Himself, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
Having become so much greater than the angels, He has inherited a name that’s so much more excellent than theirs.
For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son; today I have fathered you.”?³ And again: “I will be a Father to Him, and He will be a Son to Me.”⁴
And again, when He brought the firstborn into the inhabited world He says: “And let all God’s angels worship Him.”⁵
And indeed, He says of the angels: “The One who made His angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.”⁶
But He says of the Son: “Your throne O God, lasts through the age of the age, and the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
“You ^loved righteousness and hated lawlessness.⁷ Because of this, God – your God – anointed you above your companions with the oil of ecstatic delight.”⁸
And “Lord, in the beginning you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands.
“They will perish but you remain; and all will grow old like a robe.
“And you will roll them up like a cloak and they will be changed like a robe, but you are the same and your years won’t cease.”⁹
But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet as a footstool.”¹⁰
Aren’t they all ministering spirits, being sent out for service for the sake of the men who are about to inherit salvation?

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Pay attention, lest we drift away

Because of this, it’s abundantly necessary for us to pay attention to the things we heard, lest we drift away at some time.
For if the word which was spoken through the angels was dependable, and deliberate sin and disobedience received just recompense,
how will we escape after having carelessly disregarded so great a salvation? (Which first began to be declared by the Lord) And having received it, it was confirmed for us by the men who heard.
God is testifying together with them in both signs and wonders, and various miracles, and distributions of the Holy Spirit according to His will.
For it wasn’t to angels that He subjected the world which is about to come, about which we speak.
But someone solemnly testified somewhere, saying: “What is man that you remember him; or a son of man that you care for him?“
“You made him lower than the angels for a short time, you crowned him with glory and honor [and you appointed him over the works of your hands.]“
“You made all things subject under his feet.”¹ For to subject all things to him, He left nothing not subject to him. But at present, we don’t yet see that all things have been subjected to him.
But having been made lower than the angels for a little while, we see that Jesus has been crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that He might taste death for everyone by God’s grace.

Jesus made like His brothers

For it was fitting for Him – because of whom are all things, and through whom are all things – to perfect the author of their salvation through suffering, having brought many sons to glory.
For both the One who makes them holy and the men who are made holy are all from One Father. For that reason He wasn’t ashamed to call them brothers,
saying: “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the midst of the assembly² I will sing hymns of praise to you.”³
And again: “I will have been trusting in Him.”⁴ And again: “Behold, I and the children who God gave to me.”⁵
Therefore, since the children have shared blood and flesh, He also similarly took part in the same, so through His death He might nullify the one who held the power of death (that is, the Accuser)
and might release those who were being bound in slavery through fear of death throughout their whole time to live.
For surely He doesn’t help angels, but He helps Abraham’s seed.
Therefore, He was obligated to be made like His brothers in all things, so He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the things pertaining to God, in order to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
For in that He Himself has suffered when He was tempted, He is able to come to the aid of the men who are tempted.

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Carefully consider Jesus

Therefore holy brothers – partakers of the heavenly calling – carefully consider the apostle and high priest of our confession: Jesus.
who’s being faithful to the One who appointed Him, just as Moses also was in his whole house.
For He has been deemed worthy of greater glory than Moses, for the One who built the house has much greater honor than the house itself.
For every house is built by someone, but the One who built all things is God.
And Moses was indeed faithful as a willing servant in his whole house for a testimony of the things which would be spoken.
But the Anointed is faithful as a Son over His house – whose house we are if we hold fast to our confidence and the boast of our hope, [firm until the end].
Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says: “If you heard His voice today,
“you shouldn’t harden your hearts in provocation as in the day of testing in the wilderness,
“where your fathers tested Me in a test, even though they saw My works for forty years.
“Therefore, I was grievously angry with that generation and I said: “They always go astray in their hearts, and they didn’t know My ways”.
“So I swore in My wrath: “They will not enter into My rest”.”¹

The danger of unbelief

Watch out brothers, lest at some time there will be an evil heart of unbelief in any of you to depart from the living God.
But encourage one another, each and every day, as long as that day is called today, so any of you won’t be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
For we have become partakers in the Anointed, if we hold fast from the beginning of our assurance, firm until the end.
As it’s said: “If you hear His voice today, you shouldn’t harden your hearts as in provocation.”²
For who provoked God after hearing? Wasn’t it all the men who came out of Egypt through Moses?
And who was He grievously angry at for forty years, if not the men who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness?
And who did He swear wasn’t to enter into His rest, if not the men who disobeyed?
And we see that they weren’t able to enter because of unbelief.

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God’s Rest

Therefore we should fear, lest any of you might seem to have fallen short while the promise to enter into His rest remains.
For we have heard the gospel being proclaimed just as they also did, but they didn’t profit in hearing the message, it not *being united with faith in the men who heard.
For we (the men who believed) enter into the rest, just as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath: “They will not enter into My rest.“¹ although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.
For He has spoken this way somewhere about the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.”²
And again in this passage, “They will not enter into My rest.”³
Therefore, since it remains for some to enter into it, and the men to whom the good news was formerly proclaimed didn’t enter in because of disobedience,
He again appoints a day “today” (saying it through David after so long a time) just as it has been previously said: “If you hear His voice, you shouldn’t harden your hearts.”⁴
For if Joshua had given them rest, He wouldn’t be speaking about another day after that day.
Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God.
For the man who entered into His rest has himself also rested from his works, just as God did from His own.
Therefore, we should be diligently zealous to enter into that rest so someone won’t fall into disobedient unbelief by the same example.
For the Word of God is living and effective, and He’s sharper than every double-edged sword; even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, and also of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart.
And no creature is hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and have been laid bare to His eyes, to whom we must give an account.
Therefore, having a great high priest who has passed through the heavens (Jesus, the Son of God) we should hold fast to the confession.
For we don’t have a high priest who isn’t able to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one tempted in all things the same way we are, yet without sin.
Therefore, we should approach the throne of grace with boldness, so we might receive mercy and might find grace for help in our time of need.

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Jesus our high priest

For every high priest taken from men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, so he might offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins,
while being able to gently and compassionately forbear¹ with the men who are ignorant and wandering astray, since he also is bound by weakness.
And because of this, just as he’s obligated to offer sacrifices for sins for the people, so he must also offer them for himself.
And no one takes the honor on himself, but he’s called by God, just as Aaron was.
So also, the Anointed didn’t glorify Himself by becoming a high priest, but He was glorified by the One who said: “You are My Son, today I have fathered you.”²
Just as He also says in another place: “You are a priest through the ages, according to the order of Melchizedek.”³
Who in the days of His flesh offered both prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to the One who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His reverent fear of God.⁴
Though being a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.
And having been perfected, He became the author of the salvation of ages to all the men who obey Him,
having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
About this, there’s much for us to say that’s hard to explain since you have become lazy in hearing.
For you ought to be teachers by this time, but again you have need of someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God from the beginning. And you have become like men having need of milk and not solid food.
For every man who partakes only of milk fails because of inexperience⁵ with the word of righteousness, for he’s an infant.
But solid food is for mature men; the men who through habitual practice have been strenuously training⁶ their perception for discernment of both good and evil.

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Press on to perfect maturity

Therefore, having left the elementary teaching of the Anointed, we should press on to perfect maturity, not again laying a foundation of repentance from dead works and faith in God,
of instruction on baptism, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and the judgement of ages.
And we will do this if God allows.
For it’s impossible for the men who were once enlightened – who tasted both the heavenly gift and became partakers of the Holy Spirit,
and tasted both God’s good word and the powers of the coming age
and then fell away – it’s impossible to restore them to repentance again; since they’re again crucifying the Son of God for themselves and publicly shaming Him.
For the land which drank the rain that often comes upon it and produces useful forage for those who tilled it partakes in a blessing from God.
But the land bearing thorns and thistles is worthless and near a curse, the end of which is burning.
But beloved, we are *convinced of better things concerning you, and of you having salvation, even though we speak like this.
For God isn’t unjust, so as to overlook your work and the ^love that you showed toward His name, having served the saints and still serving them.
Now we yearn for each of you to show the same diligent zeal toward the full assurance of the hope until the end,
so you might not become dull, but might become imitators of the men who through faith and patience are inheriting the promises.

God promises are sure

For having made the promise to Abraham – since God had no one greater to swear by – He swore by Himself,
saying: “Surely I will bless your blessing, and I will multiply your multiplying.”¹
And having patiently endured in this way, he obtained the promise.
For men swear an oath by one who’s greater, and confirmation of the oath brings every dispute of theirs to an end.
In this way – being abundantly determined to prove the unchangeableness of His plan to the heirs – God guaranteed it with an oath,
so that through two unchangeable matters in which it’s impossible for God to lie, we – the men who fled to Him for refuge – might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope which is set before us,
which we have like an anchor of the soul; both firm and steadfast, even entering into the inner veil,²
where our forerunner – Jesus – entered for our sake, having become a high priest through the ages according to the order of Melchizedek.

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A priest like Melchizedek

For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, the man who met with Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,
with whom Abraham also shared a tenth of all. Indeed, when translated his name first means: “king of righteousness”, and then also “king of Salem”, that is “king of peace”.
Without father, without mother, without genealogy; having neither beginning of days nor end of life. But having been made like the Son of God, he remains a priest continuously.
Look at how great this man was, to whom even Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the best spoils of war.
And indeed, the men of the sons of Levi – after receiving the office of priest – have a command to take a tenth from the people according to the law, (that is, from their brothers) though both have come from Abraham’s loins.
But the man who doesn’t trace his ancestry from them has collected a tenth from Abraham, and has blessed the man who has the promises.
And beyond all contention, the lesser is blessed by the greater.
And indeed, dying men receive tithes here; but there it’s testified that he lives.
And, so to speak, even Levi (the man who received tithes) has paid tithes through Abraham,
for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met with him.
Therefore, if perfection was indeed through the Levitical priesthood – for the people have received it under the law – why was there still need for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not to be called according to the order of Aaron?
For in the priesthood being changed; a change of law also happens by necessity.
For the One about whom these things were spoken *belongs to another tribe, from which no one has attended the altar.
For it’s obvious that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe about which Moses said nothing concerning priests.
And it’s still more abundantly evident if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek,
who hasn’t become a priest according to a fleshly commandment in the law, but according to the power of indestructible life.
For it testifies that: “You are a priest through the ages, according to the order of Melchizedek.”¹
For indeed, a nullification of the preceding commandment happens because it’s weak and useless,
for the law perfected nothing, but it’s an introduction to a better hope, through which we draw near to God.
And accordingly it wasn’t without an oath; for indeed, other men have become priests without an oath.
But He swore with an oath by the One who said to Him: “The Lord swore with an oath and won’t change His mind; you are a priest through the ages.”²
Accordingly, Jesus also has become the guarantee of a much better covenant.
And indeed, many men who have become priests are prevented from continuing because of death.
But because He remains through the ages, He has a permanent priesthood.
For which reason, He is also able to save the men who approach God through Him to the utmost, always living to intercede on their behalf.
For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest; holy, innocent, and undefiled; *separated from sinners and having become higher than the heavens,
who doesn’t need to offer sacrifices every day as the high priests do – first for his own sin and then for the sins of the people – for He did this once for all in having offered Himself.
For the law appoints high priests for men who have weakness; but the word of the oath that’s after the law is a Son who has been perfected into the age.

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The priesthood of the Anointed

Now, the sum of the things we say is this: we have such a high priest who sat down at the right hand of the throne of Majesty in the heavens;
an official minister in the holy places and in the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, not man.
For every high priest is appointed in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices, so it’s necessary for this One to also have something that he might offer.
Therefore if He were on earth, He wouldn’t even be a priest since there are the men who offer the gifts according to the law,
who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses – being about to complete the tabernacle – has been divinely admonished; for it says: “See to it that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.”¹
But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, insomuch as He’s also mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted as law² upon better promises.

The Old and New Covenants

For if that first covenant had been faultless, a place for the second wouldn’t have been sought.
For finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming says the Lord, and I will bring a new covenant to fulfillment³ with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah;
“Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took their hand in Mine to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they didn’t remain in My covenant and I disregarded them says, the Lord.”
“Because this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; putting My laws into their minds and I will write them on their hearts. And I will be God to them, and they will be a people for Me.
“And each man definitely won’t teach his neighbor or each man teach his brother saying: ‘Know the Lord’, because all will know Me; from the least of them to the greatest,
“because I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and I definitely won’t remember their sins anymore.”⁴
By saying “a new covenant“, He has declared the first obsolete; and the covenant which grows old and ages is near disappearing.

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The earthly temple

So indeed, even the first covenant had both regulations for sacred service and an earthly Holy Place.
For a tabernacle was constructed, in which the first room had both the lampstand and the table, and also the consecrated bread; that room is called the ‘Holy Place‘
Then behind the second veil was a tabernacle room which is called the ‘Holy of Holies’,
having the golden altar of incense and the Ark of the Covenant, which has been covered with gold on all sides, in which was the gold jar holding the manna, and the staff of Aaron which budded, and the tablets of the covenant.
And above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, about which now isn’t the time to speak of in detail.
And with these things having been constructed, the priests indeed enter into the first tabernacle room all through the year when performing the sacred services.
But into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, and not without bringing blood, which he offers for himself and the sins of the people committed in ignorance.
By this, the Holy Spirit is revealing that the way into the Holy of Holies hasn’t been made known while the tabernacle’s first room still has standing,
which is a parable for the season that *is present, in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, though not being able to perfect the conscience of the man who ministers.
It’s only in foods, and drinks, and various washings, and fleshly ordinances until the season of reformation is put into place.
But the Anointed appeared as high priest of the good things which came through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands. It’s not of this creation,
nor through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood He entered once for all into the Holy of Holies, having obtained the repurchase price¹ of ages.
For if sprinkling the blood of goats, and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer on the men who have been defiled makes them holy for the purification of the flesh,
how much more will the blood of the Anointed – who through the Spirit of Ages offered Himself to God unblemished – purify our conscience from dead works in order to serve the living God?
And because of this, He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that by His death which happened for a repurchase payment² from missteps³ under the first covenant, so the men who *are called might receive the inheritance of ages.
For where there’s a covenant, it’s necessary to establish the death of man who made it.
For a covenant is upheld after death, since it isn’t ever in force while the man who made it lives.
Therefore, not even the first covenant was *inaugurated without blood.
For when every commandment in the Law of Moses was spoken to all the people, then having taken the blood of calves and goats with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, he sprinkled it on both the book itself and all the people,
saying: “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded for you.”⁴
And he likewise sprinkled the tabernacle, and also all the vessels of ministry with blood.
And almost everything is purified by blood according to the law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
Therefore, it’s indeed necessary for the copies of things in the heavens to be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves were purified with better sacrifices than those.
For the Anointed didn’t enter into the Holy Places made by hands (which are copies of the true ones) but into heaven itself; to appear now in the presence of God for our sake.
And not so He might offer Himself frequently, just as the high priest enters into the Holy of Holies every year with the blood of another.
Otherwise, it would be necessary for Him to have suffered frequently from the foundation of the world. But now, once at the culmination of the ages, He has been revealed for the annulment of sin through His sacrifice.
And as it’s appointed to men once to die and after this is judgement,
so also the Anointed – having been offered once to bear the sins of many – will appear a second time without sin to the men who eagerly await for salvation.

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The Anointed’s Sacrifice

For the law – having a shadow of the good things which are to come, but not the form of those matters – is never able to perfect the men who approach every year with the same sacrifices that they offer continuously.
Otherwise wouldn’t they have ceased being offered? Because then the men who minister wouldn’t still have sins on their conscience once they have been cleansed.
But in them there’s a reminder of sins every year.
For it’s impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
Therefore, entering into the world He says: “You didn’t desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for Me.
“You weren’t pleased by burnt offerings and offerings concerning sin.
“Then I said: “Behold I come–” in the scroll of the book it has been written about Me: “–to do your will O’ God.” ¹
Saying above “Sacrifices, and offerings, and burnt offerings, and offerings concerning sin you didn’t desire nor were pleased“² which are offered according to the law.
Then it *says: “Behold, I come to do your will.”³ He takes away the first so He might establish the second.
By that will, we have been made holy once for all through the offering of the body of Jesus the Anointed.
And indeed, every priest *stands ministering every day, frequently offering sacrifices which are never able to take way sins.
But this One, having offered a sacrifice for sins into perpetuity, sat down at the right hand of God,
from then on waiting until His enemies are placed as a footstool for His feet.⁴
For by one offering, He has perfected into perpetuity the men who are made holy.
And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for afterward He has said:
“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord; putting My laws into their hearts and I will write them on their mind.”⁵
“And their sins and their disregard for My commands⁶ I definitely won’t remember any longer.”⁷
And where there’s forgiveness of these, there’s no longer an offering concerning sin.

Approach with a sincere heart

Therefore brothers, having the confidence for entrance into the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus,
by which He inaugurated a new and living way through the veil (that is, His flesh)
and having a great priest over the house of God,
we should approach with a sincere heart in the full assurance of faith; having been *sprinkled clean in our hearts from an evil conscience, and having been *washed in body with pure water.
We should hold fast to the confession of our hope firmly, for the One who promised is faithful.
And we should consider one another as a provocation for ^love and good works,
not abandoning the assembling of ourselves together – as is the habit of some – but admonishing one another, and much more as you see the day drawing near.
For if we are voluntarily sinning after we’ve received the full knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice concerning sins remains,
but a terrifying expectation of judgement and the zeal of a fire that’s about to consume the adversaries.⁸
Anyone who broke the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
How much worse a punishment do you think will be deserved by the man who trampled the Son of God underfoot, and considered the blood of the covenant by which he was made holy contemptibly mundane,⁹ and insulted the Spirit of grace?
For we *know the One who said: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay.”¹⁰ And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”¹¹
It’s terrifying to fall into the hands of the living God.

Remember and be bold

But remember the former days, in which you endured the sufferings of a great conflict after having been enlightened,
being truly made a spectacle in this by both slanders and tribulations. But in this, you became comrades with the other men who are treated this way,
for you both sympathized with the prisoners and welcomed the plundering of what you possessed with joy, knowing yourselves to have a better possession, and a lasting one.
Therefore you shouldn’t cast aside your boldness, which has a great reward.
For you have need of endurance, so that after having done the will of God, you might obtain the promise.
“For yet in a very little while, the One who is coming will come and will not delay.”
“But My righteous will live by faith“¹² and if he shrinks back, My soul takes no pleasure in him.
But we aren’t shrinking back into ruin, but have faith for the preservation of the soul.

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Faith

And faith is the assurance of what’s hoped for; the convincing evidence of matters not seen,
for by this the elders were commended.
By faith we understand the ages to have been prepared by the spoken word of God, so what is seen hasn’t been made from the things which are visible.
By faith Abel offered a better sacrifice to God than Cain, because of which he was testified to be righteous by God testifying of his gifts, and through it he still speaks though having died.
By faith Enoch was transferred up (to not see death) and he wasn’t found because God transferred him.¹ For before the transference, he *is reported to have pleased God.
(But without faith, it’s impossible to please God. For it’s necessary for the man who approaches God to believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of the men who diligently seek Him.)
By faith Noah – having been reverently fearful after having been divinely instructed about things not yet seen – prepared an ark for his household’s salvation, by which he condemned the world and became an heir according the righteousness of faith.
By faith, Abraham obeyed after being called to depart into a place that he was going to receive for an inheritance, and he departed not knowing where he would go.
By faith he lived as a foreigner in the land of promise like it belonged to another, having lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the fellow heirs of the same promise.
For he was awaiting the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
By faith, even [barren] Sarah herself received strength for conception of seed, even despite the season of old age, since she considered the One who promised faithful.
And therefore, from one man (even him *regarded as near dead) were born descendants like the stars of heaven in multitude, and as countless as the sand by the shore of the sea.²
All these men died in faith, not having received the promises, but only having seen and having welcomed them from afar, and having confessed that they are foreigners and wanderers on the land.
For the men who say such things openly declare that they seek a homeland.
And indeed, if they were remembering that place from which they left, they always had the opportunity to return.
But now, they yearn for a better homeland; that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God isn’t ashamed of them, to be called their God. For He indeed prepared a city for them.
By faith Abraham *offered up Isaac while being tested. The man who welcomed the promises was even offering his only genuine heir,
he to whom it was said: “Your seed will be called through Isaac“³
Having reasoned that God was even able to raise him from the dead, from which he also did receive him back in a figurative sense.⁴
By faith Isaac also blessed Jacob and Esau concerning what was coming.
By faith while dying, Jacob blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped while leaning on his staff.
By faith while dying, Joseph made mention concerning the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
By faith, Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after having been born, because they saw that the child was beautiful and didn’t fear the decree of the king.
By faith, Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter after having grown,
having chosen to endure adversity with the people of God rather than to have a temporary enjoyment of sin,
having esteemed the reproach of the Anointed greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking away from everything else⁵ towards the reward.
By faith he departed Egypt; not having feared the wrath of the king, for he persevered like a man seeing the invisible One.
By faith he has kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood so the one destroys the firstborn might not touch them.
By faith they crossed through the Red Sea as through dry land, after which the Egyptians were swallowed up when they made an attempt.
By faith the walls of Jericho fell, having been encircled for seven days.
By faith Rahab didn’t perish with the men who rebelled, having received the spies with peace.
And what more might I say? For the time will fail me while describing Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, and both David and Samuel, and also the prophets.
Who through faith conquered kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, closed the mouths of lions,
quenched the power of fire, escaped the sword’s point, were empowered from weakness, became mighty in war, and made foreign armies flee.
Women received back their dead in resurrection and others were tortured, not having awaited release so they might obtain a better resurrection.
And others received a trial of mockings and floggings, and still others chains and imprisonment.
They were stoned, [tried,] sawn in two, slain by the sword in slaughter; they went about in sheepskins, in goat skins, being in need, being afflicted, being tormented –
men of whom the world wasn’t worthy – wandering in deserts, and mountains, and caves, and holes in the earth.
And though having been commended because of their faith, all these men didn’t receive the promise.
God planned something better concerning us, so they wouldn’t be perfected without us.

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Run with Endurance

Consequently, we also – having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, and having set aside every burden and easily ensnaring sin – we should run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking away from everything else except¹ the author and perfecter of our faith, Jesus, who in exchange for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, having disregarded its shame, and He has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider the One who has endured such opposition from sinners against Himself so you won’t grow weary, fainting in your souls.

The Lord’s Discipline

In struggling against sin, you haven’t yet resisted as far as shedding blood,
and you have completely forgotten the admonishment that is addressed to you as sons: “My son, don’t disregard the Lord’s discipline, nor faint when being rebuked by Him.
“For the Lord disciplines who He ^loves, and scourges every son He welcomes.”²
You endure discipline, for God treats you as sons; for what son exists who his father doesn’t discipline?
But if you are without discipline (of which you all have been partakers) then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
Furthermore, we indeed had discipliners in our fathers of flesh and we were revering them. How much more shall we be submitted to the Father of spirits, and shall live?
For indeed, they were disciplining us for a few days according to what seemed best to them. But His is the discipline which benefits us, for us to partake in His holiness.
And indeed, all discipline doesn’t seem to be a joy in the present, but grief. But afterwards it returns the peaceful fruit of righteousness to the men who have been strenuously trained³ through it.
Therefore, lift up the hands which have been weary, and the knees which have been weak,
and make the paths straight for your feet, so the lame won’t be dislocated,⁴ but rather might be healed.

Pursue peace and holiness

Pursue peace with all men, and holiness (without which no one will see the Lord),
watching carefully, lest someone falls short of the grace of God; lest some root of bitterness springing up might disturb you, and through this many might be defiled;
lest there’s some fornicator or profane man, like Esau who sold his own firstborn’s birthright for one meal.
For you *know that wishing to inherit the blessing afterward, he was rejected; for a place for a changed mind wasn’t found, although he earnestly sought it with tears.
For you haven’t approached a mountain that can be touched, and *burning fire, and darkness, and blackness, and a whirlwind,
and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice of words, which the men who heard begged the word not to be spoken to them anymore,
for they couldn’t bear what was commanded them: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.”⁵
And what appears was so fearful that Moses said: “I’m terrified and trembling.”⁶
But you have approached Mount Zion, and the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem) and myriads of angels,
and the festival assembly, and the church of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the judge of all, and righteous spirits which have been perfected,
and the mediator of a new covenant (Jesus), and the sprinkled blood of purification speaking of better things than the blood of Abel.
See that you don’t refuse the One who speaks. For if these men didn’t escape on earth after having refused the One who divinely warned them, then much more we won’t escape the One who is from the Heavens if we turn away from Him,
whose voice shook the earth back then. But now, He has promised saying: “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.”⁷
And the phrase “Yet once more” plainly declares the removal of the things which are shaken like things which have been made, so the things which aren’t shaken might remain.
Therefore, in receiving an unshakable kingdom we should have grace, through which we might minister to God in a pleasing way, with pious reverence and fear.
For also, our God is an utterly consuming fire.

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Miscellaneous instructions

Let brotherly love continue.
Don’t overlook hospitality to strangers, for through this some hosted angels without knowing it.
Remember the prisoners as if *being bound with them; and the men who are oppressed, just as you yourselves are also being oppressed in body.
Marriage should be considered¹ honorable by all, and the bed should be undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and men who have sex with other men’s wives.²
Your way of life should be without the love of money, being content with what you possess; for He Himself has said: “I definitely won’t desert you, and most definitely won’t³ forsake you.”⁴
So being confident, we’re to say: “The Lord is my helper, I will not fear; what shall man do to me?“⁵
Remember the men who lead you – whoever spoke the word of God to you – whose faith you should imitate, carefully observing the outcome of their conduct.
Jesus the Anointed is the same yesterday, today, and through the ages.
Don’t be led astray by various strange doctrines, for it’s good for the heart to be established by grace, not foods, which didn’t benefit the men who walk by them.
We have an altar from which the men who minister in the tabernacle don’t have authority to eat.
For the bodies of the animals whose blood is brought into the holy of Holies by the high priest as an offering concerning sin are burned outside the camp.
Therefore, Jesus also suffered outside the gate so He might make the people holy through His own blood.
Accordingly, we should go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
For we don’t have an enduring city here, but we seek the one which is about to come.
Therefore, through Him we should offer a sacrifice of praise to God; that is, the fruit of our lips confessing His name.
Yet don’t overlook the doing of good and fellowship, for God is well-pleased with such sacrifices.
Be persuaded⁶ by the men who lead you and yield⁷ to them (for they keep watch for the sake of your souls as if they will be giving an account) so that they might do this with joy not internal groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Pray for us; for we’re persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves nobly in all things.
And I greatly urge you to do this, so I might be restored to you more quickly.

Closing and benediction

Now, may the God of peace – the One who brought back from the dead the Great Shepherd of the Sheep by the blood of the covenant of ages, our Lord Jesus –
equip you with everything good in order to do His will; working in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus the Anointed, to whom be the glory through the ages of the ages, Amen.
And I urge you brothers, bear with this word of encouragement; for I have written to you in few words.
You know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I will see you if he comes sooner.
Greet all the men who lead you and all the saints. The men from Italy greet you.
Grace be with you all, [Amen].

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The Berean Open-Source (BOS) Bible

Hebrews Chapter 1

Superiority of the Son over Angels

Hebrews Chapter 2

Pay attention, lest we drift away

Jesus made like His brothers

Hebrews Chapter 3

Carefully consider Jesus

The danger of unbelief

Hebrews Chapter 4

God’s Rest

Hebrews Chapter 5

Jesus our high priest

Hebrews Chapter 6

Press on to perfect maturity

God promises are sure

Hebrews Chapter 7

A priest like Melchizedek

Hebrews Chapter 8

The priesthood of the Anointed

The Old and New Covenants

Hebrews Chapter 9

The earthly temple

Hebrews Chapter 10

The Anointed’s Sacrifice

Approach with a sincere heart

Remember and be bold

Hebrews Chapter 11

Faith

Hebrews Chapter 12

Run with Endurance

The Lord’s Discipline

Pursue peace and holiness

Hebrews Chapter 13

Miscellaneous instructions

Closing and benediction