The Appearance of False Prophets

2 But ^(A)false prophets also appeared among the people, just as there will also be ^(B)false teachers ^(C)among you, who will ^(D)secretly introduce ^(E)destructive heresies, even ^(F)denying the ^(G)Master who ^(H)bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. ² Many will follow their ^(I)indecent behavior, and because of them ^(J)the way of the truth will be ^(K)maligned; ³ and in their ^(L)greed they will ^(M)exploit you with ^(N)false words; ^(O)their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

⁴ For ^(P)if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into ^[a]hell and ^(Q)committed them to ^[b]pits of darkness, held for judgment; ⁵ and did not spare ^(R)the ancient world, but protected ^(S)Noah, a ^[c]preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a ^(T)flood upon the world of the ungodly; ⁶ and if He ^(U)condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an ^(V)example ^[d]of what is coming for the ^(W)ungodly; ⁷ and if He ^(X)rescued righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the ^(Y)perverted conduct of ^[e](Z)unscrupulous people ⁸ (for by what he saw and heard that ^(AA)righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), ^9 (AB)then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from ^[f]a trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the ^(AC)day of judgment, ¹⁰ and especially those who ^[g](AD)indulge the flesh in its corrupt passion, and ^(AE)despise ^[h]authority.

^[i]Reckless, ^(AF)self-centered, they ^(AG)speak abusively of angelic ^[j]majesties without trembling, ^11 (AH)whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a demeaning judgment against them before the Lord. ¹² But ^(AI)these, like unreasoning animals, ^(AJ)born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, using abusive speech where they have no knowledge, will in ^[k]the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, ¹³ suffering wrong as ^(AK)the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to ^(AL)revel in the ^(AM)daytime. They are stains and blemishes, ^(AN)reveling in their ^[l]deceptions as they ^(AO)feast with you, ¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery ^[m]that never cease from sin, ^(AP)enticing ^(AQ)unstable souls, having hearts trained in ^(AR)greed, ^(AS)accursed children; ¹⁵ abandoning ^(AT)the right way, they have gone astray, having followed ^(AU)the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved ^(AV)the ^[n]reward of unrighteousness; ¹⁶ but he received a rebuke for his own offense, ^(AW)for a mute donkey, speaking with a human voice, restrained the insanity of the prophet.

¹⁷ These are ^(AX)springs without water and mists driven by a storm, ^(AY)for whom the ^[o]black darkness has been reserved. ¹⁸ For, while speaking out ^(AZ)arrogant words of no ^(BA)value they ^(BB)entice by fleshly desires, by ^(BC)indecent behavior, those who barely ^(BD)escape from the ones who live in error, ¹⁹ promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for ^(BE)by what anyone is overcome, by this he is enslaved. ²⁰ For if, after they have ^(BF)escaped the defilements of the world by ^(BG)the knowledge of the ^(BH)Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again ^(BI)entangled in them and are overcome, ^(BJ)the last state has become worse for them than the first. ^21 (BK)For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from ^(BL)the holy commandment ^(BM)handed on to them. ^22 [p]It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “^(BN)A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

One Sacrifice of Christ Is Sufficient

10 For the Law, since it has only ^(A)a shadow of ^(B)the good things to come and not the ^[a]form of those things itself, ^[b]can ^(C)never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually every year, ^(D)make those who approach perfect. ² Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had ^(E)consciousness of sins? ³ But ^(F)in ^[c]those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. ⁴ For it is ^(G)impossible for the ^(H)blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. ⁵ Therefore, ^(I)when He comes into the world, He says,

⁸ After saying above, “^(O)Sacrifices and offerings and ^(P)whole burnt offerings and offerings ^(Q)for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), ⁹ then He ^[d]said, “^(R)Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰ By ^[e]this will, we have been ^(S)sanctified through ^(T)the offering of ^(U)the body of Jesus Christ ^(V)once for all time.

¹¹ Every priest stands daily ministering and ^(W)offering time after time the same sacrifices, which ^(X)can never take away sins; ¹² but He, having offered one sacrifice ^(Y)for ^[f]sins ^(Z)for all time, ^(AA)sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ waiting from that time onward ^(AB)until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet. ¹⁴ For by one offering He has ^(AC)perfected ^(AD)for all time those who are ^[g]sanctified. ¹⁵ And ^(AE)the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,

He then says,

¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required.

A New and Living Way

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we ^(AH)have confidence to ^(AI)enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by ^(AJ)a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through ^(AK)the veil, that is, through His flesh, ²¹ and since we have ^(AL)a great priest ^(AM)over the house of God, ²² let’s ^(AN)approach God with a ^[h]sincere heart in ^(AO)full assurance of faith, having our hearts ^(AP)sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies ^(AQ)washed with pure water. ²³ Let’s hold firmly to the ^(AR)confession of our ^(AS)hope without wavering, for ^(AT)He who promised is faithful; ²⁴ and let’s consider how ^(AU)to ^[i]encourage one another in love and ^(AV)good deeds, ²⁵ not abandoning our own ^(AW)meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but ^(AX)encouraging one another; and all the more as you see ^(AY)the day drawing near.

Christ or Judgment

²⁶ For if we go on ^(AZ)sinning willfully after receiving ^(BA)the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a terrifying expectation of ^(BB)judgment and ^(BC)the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. ^28 (BD)Anyone who has ignored the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ^29 (BE)How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve ^(BF)who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean ^(BG)the blood of the covenant ^(BH)by which he was sanctified, and has ^(BI)insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “^(BJ)Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “^(BK)The Lord will judge His people.” ³¹ It is a ^(BL)terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the ^(BM)living God.

³² But remember ^(BN)the former days, ^[j]when, after being ^(BO)enlightened, you endured a great ^(BP)conflict of sufferings, ³³ partly by being ^(BQ)made a public spectacle through insults and distress, and partly by becoming ^[k](BR)companions with those who were so treated. ³⁴ For you ^(BS)showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted ^(BT)joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves ^(BU)a better and lasting possession. ³⁵ Therefore, do not throw away your ^(BV)confidence, which has a great ^(BW)reward. ³⁶ For you have need of ^(BX)endurance, so that when you have ^(BY)done the will of God, you may ^(BZ)receive ^[l]what was promised.

³⁹ But ^[m]we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith for the safekeeping of the soul.