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Hebrews Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Chapter 1
1Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. 2But now at
last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will
someday belong to the Son. 3God's Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way.
By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together.
After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of the glorious God in heaven. 4He
had become much greater than the angels, and the name he was given is far greater than any of theirs.
God's Son Is Greater than Angels
5God has never said
to any of the angels,
"You are my Son, because today
I have become your Father!"
Neither has God said
to any of them,
"I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son!"
6When God brings his first-born Son into the world, he commands all of his angels to worship him. 7And when
God speaks about the angels, he says,
"I change my angels into wind
and my servants
into flaming fire."
8But God says about his Son,
"You are God,
and you will rule
as King forever!
Your royal power brings about justice.
9You loved justice
and hated evil,
and so I, your God,
have chosen you.
I appointed you
and made you happier
than any of your friends."
10The Scriptures also say,
"In the beginning, Lord,
you were the one
who laid the foundation
of the earth
and created the heavens.
11They will all disappear
and wear out like clothes,
but you will last forever.
12You will roll them up
like a robe
and change them
like a garment.
But you are always the same,
and you will live forever."
13God never said to any
of the angels,
"Sit at my right side
until I make your enemies
into a footstool for you!"
14Angels are merely spirits sent to serve people who are going to be saved.
Chapter 2
This Great Way of Being Saved
1We must give our full attention to what we were told, so that we won't drift away. 2The message spoken by
angels proved to be true, and all who disobeyed or rejected it were punished as they deserved. 3So if we
refuse this great way of being saved, how can we hope to escape? The Lord himself was the first to tell
about it, and people who heard the message proved to us that it was true. 4God himself showed that his
message was true by working all kinds of powerful miracles and wonders. He also gave his Holy Spirit to
anyone he chose to.
The One Who Leads Us To Be Saved
5We know that God did not put the future world under the power of angels. 6Somewhere in the Scriptures
someone says to God,
"What makes you care
about us humans?
Why are you concerned
for weaklings such as we?
7You made us lower
than the angels
for a while.
Yet you have crowned us
with glory and honor. 8And you have put everything
under our power!"
God has put everything under our power and has not left anything out of our power. But we still don't see it
all under our power. 9What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels.
Because of God's wonderful kindness, Jesus died for everyone. And now that Jesus has suffered and died, he
is crowned with glory and honor!
10Everything belongs to God, and all things were created by his power. So God did the right thing when he
made Jesus perfect by suffering, as Jesus led many of God's children to be saved and to share in his glory.
11Jesus and the people he makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why he isn't ashamed to call
them his brothers and sisters. 12He even said to God,
"I will tell them your name
and sing your praises
when they come together
to worship."
13He also said,
"I will trust God."
Then he said,
"Here I am with the children
God has given me."
14We are people of flesh and blood. That is why Jesus became one of us. He died to destroy the devil, who
had power over death. 15But he also died to rescue all of us who live each day in fear of dying. 16Jesus
clearly did not come to help angels, but he did come to help Abraham's descendants. 17He had to be one of
us, so that he could serve God as our merciful and faithful high priest and sacrifice himself for the forgiveness
of our sins. 18And now that Jesus has suffered and was tempted, he can help anyone else who is tempted.
Chapter 3
Jesus Is Greater than Moses
1My friends, God has chosen you to be his holy people. So think about Jesus, the one we call our apostle and
high priest! 2Jesus was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in serving all of God's
people. 3But Jesus deserves more honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves more honor than
the house. 4Of course, every house is built by someone, and God is really the one who built everything.
5Moses was a faithful servant and told God's people what would be said in the future. 6But Christ is the Son
in charge of God's people. And we are those people, if we keep on being brave and don't lose hope.
A Rest for God's People
7It is just as the Holy Spirit says,
"If you hear God's voice today,
8don't be stubborn!
Don't rebel like those people
who were tested
in the desert.
9For forty years your ancestors
tested God
and saw
the things he did.
10"Then God got tired of them
and said,
`You people never
show good sense,
and you don't understand
what I want you to do.'
11God became angry
and told the people,
`You will never enter
my place of rest!' "
12My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. 13You
must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called
"today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. 14We were sure about Christ
when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end. 15The Scriptures say,
"If you hear his voice today,
don't be stubborn
like those who rebelled."
16Who were those people that heard God's voice and rebelled? Weren't they the same ones that came out of
Egypt with Moses? 17Who were the people that made God angry for forty years? Weren't they the ones that
sinned and died in the desert? 18And who did God say would never enter his place of rest? Weren't they the
ones that disobeyed him? 19We see that those people did not enter the place of rest because they did not
have faith.
Chapter 4
1The promise to enter the place of rest is still good, and we must take care that none of you miss out. 2We
have heard the message, just as they did. But they failed to believe what they heard, and the message did
not do them any good. 3Only people who have faith will enter the place of rest. It is just as the Scriptures
say,
"God became angry
and told the people,
`You will never enter
my place of rest!' "
God said this, even though everything has been ready from the time of creation. 4In fact, somewhere the
Scriptures say that by the seventh day, God had finished his work, and so he rested. 5We also read that he
later said, "You people will never enter my place of rest!" 6This means that the promise to enter is still good,
because those who first heard about it disobeyed and did not enter. 7Much later God told David to make the
promise again, just as I have already said,
"If you hear his voice today,
don't be stubborn!"
8If Joshua had really given the people rest, there would not be any need for God to talk about another day of
rest. 9But God has promised us a Sabbath when we will rest, even though it has not yet come. 10On that day
God's people will rest from their work, just as God rested from his work.
11We should do our best to enter that place of rest, so that none of us will disobey and miss going there, as
they did. 12What God has said isn't only alive and active! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His
word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires
and thoughts of our hearts. 13Nothing is hidden from God! He sees through everything, and we will have to
tell him the truth.
Jesus Is the Great High Priest
14We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. That is why we
must hold on to what we have said about him. 15Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was
tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! 16So whenever we are in need, we should come
bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will
find help.
Chapter 5
1Every high priest is appointed to help others by offering gifts and sacrifices to God because of their sins. 2A
high priest has weaknesses of his own, and he feels sorry for foolish and sinful people. 3That is why he must
offer sacrifices for his own sins and for the sins of others. 4But no one can have the honor of being a high
priest simply by wanting to be one. Only God can choose a priest, and God is the one who chose Aaron.
5That is how it was with Christ. He became a high priest, but not just because he wanted the honor of being
one. It was God who told him,
"You are my Son, because today
I have become your Father!"
6In another place, God says,
"You are a priest forever
just like Melchizedek." 7God had the power to save Jesus from death. And while Jesus was on earth, he
begged God with loud crying and tears to save him. He truly worshiped God, and God listened to his prayers.
8Jesus is God's own Son, but still he had to suffer before he could learn what it really means to obey God.
9Suffering made Jesus perfect, and now he can save forever all who obey him. 10This is because God chose
him to be a high priest like Melchizedek.
Warning against Turning Away
11Much more could be said about this subject. But it is hard to explain, and all of you are slow to understand.
12By now you should have been teachers, but once again you need to be taught the simplest things about
what God has said. You need milk instead of solid food. 13People who live on milk are like babies who don't
really know what is right. 14Solid food is for mature people who have been trained to know right from wrong.
Chapter 6
1We must try to become mature and start thinking about more than just the basic things we were taught
about Christ. We shouldn't need to keep talking about why we ought to turn from deeds that bring death and
why we ought to have faith in God. 2And we shouldn't need to keep teaching about baptisms or about the
laying on of hands or about people being raised from death and the future judgment. 3Let's grow up, if God is
willing. 4-6But what about people who turn away after they have already seen the light and have received
the gift from heaven and have shared in the Holy Spirit? What about those who turn away after they have
received the good message of God and the powers of the future world? There is no way to bring them back.
What they are doing is the same as nailing the Son of God to a cross and insulting him in public!
7A field is useful to farmers, if there is enough rain to make good crops grow. In fact, God will bless that field.
8But land that produces only thornbushes is worthless. It is likely to fall under God's curse, and in the end it
will be set on fire.
9My friends, we are talking this way. But we are sure that you are doing those really good things that people
do when they are being saved. 10God is always fair. He will remember how you helped his people in the past
and how you are still helping them. You belong to God, and he won't forget the love you have shown his
people. 11We wish that each of you would always be eager to show how strong and lasting your hope really
is. 12Then you would never be lazy. You would be following the example of those who had faith and were
patient until God kept his promise to them.
God's Promise Is Sure
13No one is greater than God. So he made a promise in his own name when he said to Abraham, 14"I, the
Lord, will bless you with many descendants!" 15Then after Abraham had been very patient, he was given
what God had promised. 16When anyone wants to settle an argument, they make a vow by using the name of
someone or something greater than themselves. 17So when God wanted to prove for certain that his promise
to his people could not be broken, he made a vow. 18God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are
two things that can never be changed.
We have run to God for safety. Now his promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of the hope that is
right in front of us. 19This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls. In fact, hope reaches behind
the curtain and into the most holy place. 20Jesus has gone there ahead of us, and he is our high priest
forever, just like Melchizedek.
Chapter 7
The Priestly Family of Melchizedek
1Melchizedek was both king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He was the one who went out and gave
Abraham his blessing, when Abraham returned from killing the kings. 2Then Abraham gave him a tenth of
everything he had.
The meaning of the name Melchizedek is "King of Justice." But since Salem means "peace," he is also "King of
Peace." 3We are not told that he had a father or mother or ancestors or beginning or end. He is like the Son
of God and will be a priest forever. 4Notice how great Melchizedek is! Our famous ancestor Abraham gave him
a tenth of what he had taken from his enemies. 5The Law teaches that even Abraham's descendants must
give a tenth of what they possess. And they are to give this to their own relatives, who are the descendants
of Levi and are priests. 6Although Melchizedek wasn't a descendant of Levi, Abraham gave him a tenth of
what he had. Then Melchizedek blessed Abraham, who had been given God's promise. 7Everyone agrees that
a person who gives a blessing is greater than the one who receives the blessing.
8Priests are given a tenth of what people earn. But all priests die, except Melchizedek, and the Scriptures
teach that he is alive. 9Levi's descendants are now the ones who receive a tenth from people. We could even
say that when Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth, Levi also gave him a tenth. 10This is because Levi was
born later into the family of Abraham, who gave a tenth to Melchizedek.
11Even though the Law of Moses says that the priests must be descendants of Levi, those priests cannot
make anyone perfect. So there needs to be a priest like Melchizedek, rather than one from the priestly family
of Aaron. 12And when the rules for selecting a priest are changed, the Law must also be changed. 13The
person we are talking about is our Lord, who came from a tribe that had never had anyone to serve as a
priest at the altar. 14Everyone knows he came from the tribe of Judah, and Moses never said that priests
would come from that tribe.
15All of this becomes clearer, when someone who is like Melchizedek is appointed to be a priest. 16That
person wasn't appointed because of his ancestors, but because his life can never end. 17The Scriptures say
about him,
"You are a priest forever,
just like Melchizedek."
18In this way a weak and useless command was put aside, 19because the Law cannot make anything
perfect. At the same time, we are given a much better hope, and it can bring us close to God.
20-21God himself made a promise when this priest was appointed. But he did not make a promise like this
when the other priests were appointed. The promise he made is,
"I, the Lord, promise that you
will be a priest forever!
And I will never
change my mind!"
22This means that Jesus guarantees us a better agreement with God. 23There have been a lot of other
priests, and all of them have died. 24But Jesus will never die, and so he will be a priest forever! 25He is
forever able to save the people he leads to God, because he always lives to speak to God for them. 26Jesus
is the high priest we need. He is holy and innocent and faultless, and not at all like us sinners. Jesus is
honored above all beings in heaven, 27and he is better than any other high priest. Jesus doesn't need to offer
sacrifices each day for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. He offered a sacrifice once for all,
when he gave himself. 28The Law appoints priests who have weaknesses. But God's promise, which came
later than the Law, appoints his Son. And he is the perfect high priest forever.
Chapter 8
A Better Promise
1What I mean is that we have a high priest who sits at the right side of God's great throne in heaven. 2He
also serves as the priest in the most holy place inside the real tent there in heaven. This tent of worship was
set up by the Lord, not by humans. 3Since all priests must offer gifts and sacrifices, Christ also needed to
have something to offer. 4If he were here on earth, he would not be a priest at all, because here the Law
appoints other priests to offer sacrifices. 5But the tent where they serve is just a copy and a shadow of the
real one in heaven. Before Moses made the tent, he was told, "Be sure to make it exactly like the pattern you
were shown on the mountain!" 6Now Christ has been appointed to serve as a priest in a much better way,
and he has given us much assurance of a better agreement.
7If the first agreement with God had been all right, there would not have been any need for another one.
8But the Lord found fault with it and said,
"I tell you the time will come,
when I will make
a new agreement
with the people of Israel
and the people of Judah.
9It won't be like the agreement
that I made
with their ancestors,
when I took them by the hand
and led them out of Egypt.
They broke their agreement
with me,
and I stopped caring
about them!
10"But now I tell the people
of Israel
this is my new agreement:
`The time will come
when I, the Lord,
will write my laws
on their minds and hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be
my people.
11Not one of them
will have to teach another
to know me, their Lord.'
"All of them will know me,
no matter who they are.
12I will treat them with kindness,
even though they are wicked.
I will forget their sins."
13When the Lord talks about a new agreement, he means that the first one is out of date. And anything that
is old and useless will soon disappear.
Chapter 9
The Tent in Heaven
1The first promise that was made included rules for worship and a tent for worship here on earth. 2The first
part of the tent was called the holy place, and a lampstand, a table, and the sacred loaves of bread were
kept there.
3Behind the curtain was the most holy place. 4The gold altar that was used for burning incense was in this
holy place. The gold-covered sacred chest was also there, and inside it were three things. First, there was a
gold jar filled with manna. Then there was Aaron's walking stick that sprouted. Finally, there were the flat
stones with the Ten Commandments written on them. 5On top of the chest were the glorious creatures with
wings opened out above the place of mercy. Now isn't the time to go into detail about these things. 6But this
is how everything was when the priests went each day into the first part of the tent to do their duties.
7However, only the high priest could go into the second part of the tent, and he went in only once a year.
Each time he carried blood to offer for his sins and for any sins that the people had committed without
meaning to.
8All of this is the Holy Spirit's way of saying that no one could enter the most holy place while the tent was
still the place of worship. 9This also has a meaning for today. It shows that we cannot make our consciences
clear by offering gifts and sacrifices. 10These rules are merely about such things as eating and drinking and
ceremonies for washing ourselves. And rules about physical things will last only until the time comes to
change them for something better.
11Christ came as the high priest of the good things that are now here. He also went into a much better tent
that wasn't made by humans and that doesn't belong to this world. 12Then Christ went once for all into the
most holy place and freed us from sin forever. He did this by offering his own blood instead of the blood of
goats and bulls. 13According to the Law of Moses, those people who become unclean are not fit to worship
God. Yet they will be considered clean, if they are sprinkled with the blood of goats and bulls and with the
ashes of a sacrificed calf. 14But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice
to God. That's why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear. Now we can serve the
living God and no longer do things that lead to death. 15Christ died to rescue those who had sinned and
broken the old agreement. Now he brings his chosen ones a new agreement with its guarantee of God's
eternal blessings! 16In fact, making an agreement of this kind is like writing a will. This is because the one
who makes the will must die before it is of any use. 17In other words, a will doesn't go into effect as long as
the one who made it is still alive.
18Blood was also used to put the first agreement into effect. 19Moses told the people all that the Law said
they must do. Then he used red wool and a hyssop plant to sprinkle the people and the book of the Law with
the blood of bulls and goats and with water. 20He told the people, "With this blood God makes his agreement
with you." 21Moses also sprinkled blood on the tent and on everything else that was used in worship. 22The
Law says that almost everything must be sprinkled with blood, and no sins can be forgiven unless blood is
offered.
Christ's Great Sacrifice
23These things are only copies of what is in heaven, and so they had to be made holy by these ceremonies.
But the real things in heaven must be made holy by something better. 24This is why Christ did not go into a
tent that had been made by humans and was only a copy of the real one. Instead, he went into heaven and
is now there with God to help us.
25Christ did not have to offer himself many times. He wasn't like a high priest who goes into the most holy
place each year to offer the blood of an animal. 26If he had offered himself every year, he would have
suffered many times since the creation of the world. But instead, near the end of time he offered himself once
and for all, so that he could be a sacrifice that does away with sin.
27We die only once, and then we are judged. 28So Christ died only once to take away the sins of many
people. But when he comes again, it will not be to take away sin. He will come to save everyone who is
waiting for him.
Chapter 10
1The Law of Moses is like a shadow of the good things to come. This shadow isn't the good things
themselves, because it cannot free people from sin by the sacrifices that are offered year after year. 2If
there were worshipers who already have their sins washed away and their consciences made clear, there
would not be any need to go on offering sacrifices. 3-4But the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away
sins. It only reminds people of their sins from one year to the next.
5When Christ came into the world, he said to God,
"Sacrifices and offerings
are not what you want,
but you have given me
my body.
6No, you are not pleased
with animal sacrifices
and offerings for sin."
7Then Christ said,
"And so, my God,
I have come to do
what you want,
as the Scriptures say."
8The Law teaches that offerings and sacrifices must be made because of sin. But why did Christ mention
these things and say that God did not want them? 9Well, it was to do away with offerings and sacrifices and
to replace them. That is what he meant by saying to God, "I have come to do what you want." 10So we are
made holy because Christ obeyed God and offered himself once for all.
11The priests do their work each day, and they keep on offering sacrifices that can never take away sins.
12But Christ offered himself as a sacrifice that is good forever. Now he is sitting at God's right side, 13and he
will stay there until his enemies are put under his power. 14By his one sacrifice he has forever set free from
sin the people he brings to God. 15The Holy Spirit also speaks of this by telling us that the Lord said,
16"When the time comes,
I will make an agreement
with them.
I will write my laws
on their minds and hearts.
17Then I will forget
about their sins
and no longer remember
their evil deeds."
18When sins are forgiven, there is no more need to offer sacrifices.
Encouragement and Warning
19My friends, the blood of Jesus gives us courage to enter the most holy place 20by a new way that leads to
life! And this way takes us through the curtain that is Christ himself.
21We have a great high priest who is in charge of God's house. 22So let's come near God with pure hearts
and a confidence that comes from having faith. Let's keep our hearts pure, our consciences free from evil,
and our bodies washed with clean water. 23We must hold tightly to the hope that we say is ours. After all,
we can trust the one who made the agreement with us. 24We should keep on encouraging each other to be
thoughtful and to do helpful things. 25Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but
we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of
the Lord's coming is getting closer.
26No sacrifices can be made for people who decide to sin after they find out about the truth. 27They are
God's enemies, and all they can look forward to is a terrible judgment and a furious fire. 28If two or more
witnesses accused someone of breaking the Law of Moses, that person could be put to death. 29But it is
much worse to dishonor God's Son and to disgrace the blood of the promise that made us holy. And it is just
as bad to insult the Holy Spirit, who shows us mercy. 30We know that God has said he will punish and take
revenge. We also know that the Scriptures say the Lord will judge his people. 31It is a terrible thing to fall
into the hands of the living God!
32Don't forget all the hard times you went through when you first received the light. 33Sometimes you were
abused and mistreated in public, and at other times you shared in the sufferings of others. 34You were kind
to people in jail. And you gladly let your possessions be taken away, because you knew you had something
better, something that would last forever.
35Keep on being brave! It will bring you great rewards. 36Learn to be patient, so that you will please God and
be given what he has promised. 37As the Scriptures say,
"God is coming soon!
It won't be very long.
38The people God accepts
will live
because
of their faith. But he isn't pleased
with anyone
who turns back."
39We are not like those people who turn back and get destroyed. We will keep on having faith until we are
saved.
Chapter 11
The Great Faith of God's People
1Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see. 2It was their faith that
made our ancestors pleasing to God.
3Because of our faith, we know that the world was made at God's command. We also know that what can be
seen was made out of what cannot be seen.
4Because Abel had faith, he offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. God was pleased with him and his
gift, and even though Abel is now dead, his faith still speaks for him.
5Enoch had faith and did not die. He pleased God, and God took him up to heaven. That's why his body was
never found. 6But without faith no one can please God. We must believe that God is real and that he rewards
everyone who searches for him.
7Because Noah had faith, he was warned about something that had not yet happened. He obeyed and built a
boat that saved him and his family. In this way the people of the world were judged, and Noah was given the
blessings that come to everyone who pleases God.
8Abraham had faith and obeyed God. He was told to go to the land that God had said would be his, and he
left for a country he had never seen. 9Because Abraham had faith, he lived as a stranger in the promised
land. He lived there in a tent, and so did Isaac and Jacob, who were later given the same promise. 10Abraham
did this, because he was waiting for the eternal city that God had planned and built.
11Even when Sarah was too old to have children, she had faith that God would do what he had promised, and
she had a son. 12Her husband Abraham was almost dead, but he became the ancestor of many people. In
fact, there are as many of them as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the beach.
13Every one of those people died. But they still had faith, even though they had not received what they had
been promised. They were glad just to see these things from far away, and they agreed that they were only
strangers and foreigners on this earth. 14When people talk this way, it is clear that they are looking for a
place to call their own. 15If they had been talking about the land where they had once lived, they could have
gone back at any time. 16But they were looking forward to a better home in heaven. That's why God wasn't
ashamed for them to call him their God. He even built a city for them.
17-18Abraham had been promised that Isaac, his only son, would continue his family. But when Abraham was
tested, he had faith and was willing to sacrifice Isaac, 19because he was sure that God could raise people to
life. This was just like getting Isaac back from death. 20Isaac had faith, and he promised blessings to Jacob
and Esau. 21Later, when Jacob was about to die, he leaned on his walking stick and worshiped. Then because
of his faith he blessed each of Joseph's sons. 22And right before Joseph died, he had faith that God would
lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. So he told them to take his bones with them.
23Because Moses' parents had faith, they kept him hidden until he was three months old. They saw that he
was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king's orders. 24Then after Moses grew up, his
faith made him refuse to be called Pharaoh's grandson. 25He chose to be mistreated with God's people instead
of having the good time that sin could bring for a little while. 26Moses knew that the treasures of Egypt were
not as wonderful as what he would receive from suffering for the Messiah, and he looked forward to his
reward. 27Because of his faith, Moses left Egypt. Moses had seen the invisible God and wasn't afraid of the
king's anger. 28His faith also made him celebrate Passover. He sprinkled the blood of animals on the
doorposts, so that the first-born sons of the people of Israel would not be killed by the destroying angel.
29Because of their faith, the people walked through the Red Sea on dry land. But when the Egyptians tried to
do it, they were drowned. 30God's people had faith, and when they had walked around the city of Jericho for
seven days, its walls fell down.
31Rahab had been a prostitute, but she had faith and welcomed the spies. So she wasn't killed with the
people who disobeyed.
32What else can I say? There isn't enough time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David,
Samuel, and the prophets. 33Their faith helped them conquer kingdoms, and because they did right, God
made promises to them. They closed the jaws of lions 34and put out raging fires and escaped from the
swords of their enemies. Although they were weak, they were given the strength and power to chase foreign
armies away.
35Some women received their loved ones back from death. Many of these people were tortured, but they
refused to be released. They were sure that they would get a better reward when the dead are raised to life.
36Others were made fun of and beaten with whips, and some were chained in jail. 37Still others were stoned
to death or sawed in two or killed with swords. Some had nothing but sheep skins or goat skins to wear. They
were poor, mistreated, and tortured. 38The world did not deserve these good people, who had to wander in
deserts and on mountains and had to live in caves and holes in the ground. 39All of them pleased God
because of their faith! But still they died without being given what had been promised. 40This was because
God had something better in store for us. And he did not want them to reach the goal of their faith without
us.
Chapter 12
A Large Crowd of Witnesses
1Such a large crowd of witnesses is all around us! So we must get rid of everything that slows us down,
especially the sin that just won't let go. And we must be determined to run the race that is ahead of us. 2We
must keep our eyes on Jesus, who leads us and makes our faith complete. He endured the shame of being
nailed to a cross, because he knew that later on he would be glad he did. Now he is seated at the right side
of God's throne! 3So keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won't get
discouraged and give up. 4None of you have yet been hurt in your battle against sin. 5But you have forgotten
that the Scriptures say to God's children, "When the Lord punishes you,
don't make light of it,
and when he corrects you,
don't be discouraged.
6The Lord corrects the people
he loves
and disciplines those
he calls his own."
7Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don't all parents correct their
children? 8God corrects all of his children, and if he doesn't correct you, then you don't really belong to him.
9Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn't it even better to be given true life by letting
our spiritual Father correct us?
10Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for
our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. 11It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the
time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.
12Now stand up straight! Stop your knees from shaking 13and walk a straight path. Then lame people will be
healed, instead of getting worse.
Warning against Turning from God
14Try to live at peace with everyone! Live a clean life. If you don't, you will never see the Lord. 15Make sure
that no one misses out on God's wonderful kindness. Don't let anyone become bitter and cause trouble for the
rest of you. 16Watch out for immoral and ungodly people like Esau, who sold his future blessing for only one
meal. 17You know how he later wanted it back. But there was nothing he could do to change things, even
though he begged his father and cried. 18You have not come to a place like Mount Sinai that can be seen
and touched. There is no flaming fire or dark cloud or storm 19or trumpet sound. The people of Israel heard a
voice speak. But they begged it to stop, 20because they could not obey its commands. They were even told
to kill any animal that touched the mountain. 21The sight was so frightening that Moses said he shook with
fear. 22You have now come to Mount Zion and to the heavenly Jerusalem. This is the city of the living God,
where thousands and thousands of angels have come to celebrate. 23Here you will find all of God's dearest
children, whose names are written in heaven. And you will find God himself, who judges everyone. Here also
are the spirits of those good people who have been made perfect. 24And Jesus is here! He is the one who
makes God's new agreement with us, and his sprinkled blood says much better things than the blood of Abel.
25Make sure that you obey the one who speaks to you. The people did not escape, when they refused to
obey the one who spoke to them at Mount Sinai. Do you think you can possibly escape, if you refuse to obey
the one who speaks to you from heaven? 26When God spoke the first time, his voice shook only the earth.
This time he has promised to shake the earth once again, and heaven too.
27The words "once again" mean that these created things will someday be shaken and removed. Then what
cannot be shaken will last. 28We should be grateful that we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
And in this kingdom we please God by worshiping him and by showing him great honor and respect. 29Our God
is like a destructive fire!
Chapter 13
Service That Pleases God
1Keep being concerned about each other as the Lord's followers should.
2Be sure to welcome strangers into your home. By doing this, some people have welcomed angels as guests,
without even knowing it.
3Remember the Lord's people who are in jail and be concerned for them. Don't forget those who are suffering,
but imagine that you are there with them.
4Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral
or unfaithful in marriage.
5Don't fall in love with money. Be satisfied with what you have. The Lord has promised that he will not leave
us or desert us. 6That should make you feel like saying,
"The Lord helps me!
Why should I be afraid
of what people
can do to me?"
7Don't forget about your leaders who taught you God's message. Remember what kind of lives they lived and
try to have faith like theirs.
8Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9Don't be fooled by any kind of
strange teachings. It is better to receive strength from God's undeserved kindness than to depend on certain
foods. After all, these foods don't really help the people who eat them. 10But we have an altar where even
the priests who serve in the place of worship have no right to eat.
11After the high priest offers the blood of animals as a sin offering, the bodies of those animals are burned
outside the camp. 12Jesus himself suffered outside the city gate, so that his blood would make people holy.
13That's why we should go outside the camp to Jesus and share in his disgrace. 14On this earth we don't
have a city that lasts forever, but we are waiting for such a city.
15Our sacrifice is to keep offering praise to God in the name of Jesus. 16But don't forget to help others and
to share your possessions with them. This too is like offering a sacrifice that pleases God.
17Obey your leaders and do what they say. They are watching over you, and they must answer to God. So
don't make them sad as they do their work. Make them happy. Otherwise, they won't be able to help you at
all.
18Pray for us. Our consciences are clear, and we always try to live right. 19I especially want you to pray
that I can visit you again soon.
Final Prayers and Greetings
20God gives peace, and he raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death. Now Jesus is like a Great Shepherd whose
blood was used to make God's eternal agreement with his flock. 21I pray that God will make you ready to
obey him and that you will always be eager to do right. May Jesus help you do what pleases God. To Jesus
Christ be glory forever and ever! Amen. 22My friends, I have written only a short letter to encourage you,
and I beg you to pay close attention to what I have said.
23By now you surely must know that our friend Timothy is out of jail. If he gets here in time, I will bring him
with me when I come to visit you.
24Please give my greetings to your leaders and to the rest of the Lord's people.
His followers from Italy send you their greetings.
25I pray that God will be kind to all of you!