Sacrifices Pleasing to God

13 Let ^(A)brotherly love continue. ^2 (B)Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby ^(C)some have entertained angels unawares. ^3 (D)Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. ^4 (E)Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge ^(F)the sexually immoral and adulterous. ⁵ Keep your life ^(G)free from love of money, and ^(H)be content with what you have, for he has said, ^(I)“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁶ So we can confidently say,

⁷ Remember ^(L)your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and ^(M)imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is ^(N)the same yesterday and today and forever. ⁹ Do not be ^(O)led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, ^(P)not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. ¹⁰ We have an altar ^(Q)from which those who serve the tent^[a] have no right to eat. ¹¹ For ^(R)the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned ^(S)outside the camp. ¹² So Jesus also ^(T)suffered ^(U)outside the gate in order to sanctify the people ^(V)through his own blood. ¹³ Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear ^(W)the reproach he endured. ¹⁴ For ^(X)here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. ^15 (Y)Through him then let us continually offer up ^(Z)a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, ^(AA)the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. ¹⁶ Do not neglect to do good and ^(AB)to share what you have, for such ^(AC)sacrifices are pleasing to God.

¹⁷ Obey ^(AD)your leaders and submit to them, ^(AE)for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to ^(AF)give an account. ^(AG)Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

^18 (AH)Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. ¹⁹ I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order ^(AI)that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Benediction

²⁰ Now ^(AJ)may the God of peace ^(AK)who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, ^(AL)the great shepherd of the sheep, by ^(AM)the blood of the eternal covenant, ^21 (AN)equip you with everything good that you may do his will, ^(AO)working in us^[b] that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, ^(AP)to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

²² I appeal to you, brothers,^[c] bear with my word of exhortation, for ^(AQ)I have written to you briefly. ²³ You should know that ^(AR)our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. ²⁴ Greet all ^(AS)your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. ^25 (AT)Grace be with all of you.

The Priestly Order of Melchizedek

7 For this ^(A)Melchizedek, king of ^(B)Salem, priest of ^(C)the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. ³ He is without father or mother ^(D)or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.

⁴ See how great this man was to whom Abraham ^(E)the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils! ⁵ And ^(F)those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers,^[a] though these also are descended from Abraham. ⁶ But this man ^(G)who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed ^(H)him who had the promises. ⁷ It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. ⁸ In the one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one ^(I)of whom it is testified that ^(J)he lives. ⁹ One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, ¹⁰ for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.

Jesus Compared to Melchizedek

^11 (K)Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? ¹² For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. ¹³ For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe, from which no one has ever served at the altar. ¹⁴ For it is evident that our Lord was descended ^(L)from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.

¹⁵ This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, ¹⁶ who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. ¹⁷ For it is witnessed of him,

¹⁸ For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside ^(N)because of its weakness and uselessness ¹⁹ (for ^(O)the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, ^(P)a better hope is introduced, through which ^(Q)we draw near to God.

²⁰ And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, ²¹ but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him:

²² This makes Jesus the guarantor of ^(S)a better covenant.

²³ The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, ²⁴ but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues ^(T)forever. ²⁵ Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost^{[b] (U)}those who draw near to God ^(V)through him, since he always lives ^(W)to make intercession for them.

²⁶ For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, ^(X)holy, innocent, unstained, ^(Y)separated from sinners, and ^(Z)exalted above the heavens. ²⁷ He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, ^(AA)first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this ^(AB)once for all when he offered up himself. ²⁸ For the law appoints men ^(AC)in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made ^(AD)perfect forever.