Hebrews 2

1We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so

that we do not drift away. 2For if the message spoken by angels was binding,

and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3how

shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which

was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts

of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

Hebrews 2

10In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and

through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation

perfect through suffering. 11Both the one who makes men holy and those who

are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them

brothers. 12He says,

"I will declare your name to my brothers;

in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises." 13And

again,

"I will put my trust in him." And again he says,

"Here am I, and the children God has given me."

14Since 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— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by

their fear of death. 16For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's

descendants. 17For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every

way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in

service to God, and that he might make atonement forthe sins of the people.

18Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those

who are being tempted.

Hebrews 3

6But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if

we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

Hebrews 3

14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the

confidence we had at first. 15As has just been said:

"Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts

as you did in the rebellion."

Hebrews 3

18And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to

those who disobeyed? 19So we see that they were not able to enter, because

of their unbelief.

Hebrews 4

1Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be

careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2For we also

have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they

heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it

with faith. 3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,

"So I declared on oath in my anger,

'They shall never enter my rest.' " And yet his work has been finished

since the creation of the world. 4For somewhere he has spoken about the

seventh day in these words: "And on the seventh day God rested from all his

work." 5And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my

rest."

6It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly

had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their

disobedience. 7Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when

a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before:

"Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts." 8For if Joshua had given them rest, God

would not have spoken later about another day. 9There remains, then, a

Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10for anyone who enters God's rest also

rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11Let us, therefore, make

every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their

example of disobedience.

12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged

sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it

judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is

hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the

eyes of him to whom we must give account.

14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the

heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our

weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we

are—yet was without sin. 16Let 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.

Hebrews 5

1Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent

them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2He

is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray,

since he himself is subject to weakness. 3This is why he has to offer

sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.

Hebrews 5

7During the days of Jesus' life on earth, 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 reverent submission. 8Although he was

a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9and, once made perfect,

he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10and was

designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 6

4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted

the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the

goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall

away, to be brought back to repentance, becauseto their loss they are

crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public

disgrace.

7Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop

useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8But

land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of

being cursed. In the end it will be burned.

9Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better

things in your case—things that accompany salvation. 10God is not unjust; he

will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped

his people and continue to help them. 11We want each of you to show this

same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12We do not

want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience

inherit what has been promised.

Hebrews 7

18The former regulation 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.

Hebrews 7

23Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them

from continuing in office; 24but because Jesus lives forever, he has a

permanent priesthood. 25Therefore he is able to save completely those who

come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

26Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set

apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27Unlike the other high

priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his

own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins

once for all when he offered himself. 28For 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 forever.

Hebrews 8

7For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place

would have been sought for another. 8But God found fault with the people and

said:

"The time is coming, declares the Lord,

when I will make a new covenant

with the house of Israel

and with the house of Judah.

9It will not be like the covenant

I made with their forefathers

when I took them by the hand

to lead them out of Egypt,

because they did not remain faithful to my covenant,

and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.

10This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel

after that time, declares the Lord.

I will put my laws in their minds

and write them on their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they will be my people.

11No longer will a man teach his neighbor,

or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,'

because they will all know me,

from the least of them to the greatest.

12For I will forgive their wickedness

and will remember their sins no more."

Hebrews 9

1Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly

sanctuary. 2A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand,

the table and the consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3Behind

the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4which had the

golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark

contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the

stone tablets of the covenant. 5Above the ark were the cherubim of the

Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things

in detail now.

6When everything had been arranged like this, the priests entered regularly

into the outer room to carry on their ministry. 7But only the high priest

entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood,

which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in

ignorance. 8The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most

Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was

still standing. 9This is an illustration for the present time, indicating

that the gifts and sacrifices being offered were not able to clear the

conscience of the worshiper. 10They are only a matter of food and drink and

various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of

the new order.

The Blood of Christ

11When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here,

he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-

made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12He did not enter by

means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place

once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13The

blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who

are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean.

14How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal

Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts

that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who

are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died

as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first

covenant.

16In the case of a will, it is necessary to prove the death of the one who

made it, 17because a will is in force only when somebody has died; it never

takes effect while the one who made it is living. 18This is why even the

first covenant was not put into effect without blood. 19When Moses had

proclaimed every commandment of the law to all the people, he took the blood

of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and

sprinkled the scroll and all the people. 20He said, "This is the blood of

the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep." 21In the same way, he

sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its

ceremonies. 22In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed

with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be

purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves with

better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ did not enter a man-made

sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself,

now to appear for us in God's presence. 25Nor did he enter heaven to offer

himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place

every year with blood that is not his own. 26Then Christ would have had to

suffer many times since the creation 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. 27Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face

judgment, 28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many

people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring

salvation to those who are waiting for him.

Hebrews 10

1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the

realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices

repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to

worship. 2If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the

worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have

felt guilty for their sins. 3But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of

sins, 4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take

away sins.

5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

but a body you prepared for me;

6with burnt offerings and sin offerings

you were not pleased.

7Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—

I have come to do your will, O God.' " 8First he said, "Sacrifices and

offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were

you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9Then he

said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to

establish the second. 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the

sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties;

again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away

sins. 12But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for

sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13Since that time he waits for

his enemies to be made his footstool, 14because by one sacrifice he has made

perfect forever those who are being made holy.

15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

16"This is the covenant I will make with them

after that time, says the Lord.

I will put my laws in their hearts,

and I will write them on their minds." 17Then he adds:

"Their sins and lawless acts

I will remember no more." 18And where these have been forgiven, there

is no longer any sacrifice for sin. 19Therefore, brothers, since we have

confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new

and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21and

since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near to

God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts

sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies

washed with pure water. 23Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess,

for he who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider how we may spur one

another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let us not give up meeting

together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one

another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

26If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge

of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful

expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of

God. 28Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the

testimony of two or three witnesses. 29How much more severely do you think a

man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who

has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified

him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30For we know him who said,

"It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his

people." 31It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you

stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. 33Sometimes

you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you

stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34You sympathized with

those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property,

because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.

35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You

need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will

receive what he has promised. 37For in just a very little while,

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

38But my righteous one will live by faith.

And if he shrinks back,

I will not be pleased with him." 39But we are not of those who shrink

back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

Hebrews 11

1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not

see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for.

3By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so

that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. 4By faith Abel

offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a

righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still

speaks, even though he is dead.

5By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience

death; he could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he

was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6And without faith it is

impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that

he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built

an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became

heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as

his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was

going. 9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a

foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs

with him of the same promise. 10For he was looking forward to the city with

foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was

barren—was enabled to become a father because heconsidered him faithful who

had made the promise. 12And so from this 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.

13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not

receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a

distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.

14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of

their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they

would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a

better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called

their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He

who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son,

18even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring

will be reckoned." 19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and

figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.

20By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and

worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the

Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions about his bones.

23By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born,

because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the

king's edict.

24By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of

Pharaoh's daughter. 25He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God

rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26He regarded

disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of

Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27By faith he left Egypt,

not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is

invisible. 28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so

that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

29By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when

the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

30By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around

them for seven days.

31By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not

killed with those who were disobedient.

32And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,

Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, 33who through faith

conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who

shut the mouths of lions, 34quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the

edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became

powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35Women received back their

dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released,

so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36Some faced jeers and

flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37They were

stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They

went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and

mistreated— 38the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and

mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what

had been promised. 40God had planned something better for us so that only

together with us would they be made perfect.

Hebrews 12

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let

us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,

and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our

eyes on Jesus, the author 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. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from

sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of

shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that

addresses you as sons:

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,

and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,

and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son

is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone

undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected

them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and

live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best;

but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No

discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it

produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been

trained by it.

Hebrews 12

14Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without

holiness no one will see the Lord. 15See to it that no one misses the grace

of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

16See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a

single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17Afterward, as

you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could

bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.

Hebrews 12

25See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape

when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we

turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26At that time his voice shook

the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the

earth but also the heavens." 27The words "once more" indicate the removing

of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken

may remain.