Abram and Lot Separate

13 So Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, ^(A)into the Negeb.

^2 (B)Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. ³ And he journeyed on from the Negeb as far as Bethel to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, ⁴ to ^(C)the place where he had made an altar at the first. And there Abram called upon the name of the Lord. ⁵ And Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, ⁶ so that ^(D)the land could not support both of them dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together, ^7 (E)and there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock. At that time ^(F)the Canaanites and the Perizzites were dwelling in the land.

⁸ Then Abram said to Lot, ^(G)“Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, ^(H)for we are kinsmen.^{[a] 9 (I)}Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” ¹⁰ And Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the ^(J)Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like ^(K)the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of ^(L)Zoar. (This was before the Lord ^(M)destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) ¹¹ So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. ¹² Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. ¹³ Now the men of Sodom ^(N)were wicked, great sinners against the Lord.

¹⁴ The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, ^(O)northward and southward and eastward and westward, ¹⁵ for all the land that you see I will give ^(P)to you and ^(Q)to your offspring forever. ^16 (R)I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. ¹⁷ Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” ¹⁸ So Abram moved his tent and came and ^(S)settled by the ^(T)oaks^[b] of Mamre, which ^(U)are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

Abram Rescues Lot

14 In the days of Amraphel king of ^(V)Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of ^(W)Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, ² these kings made war with ^(X)Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of ^(Y)Admah, Shemeber king of ^(Z)Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). ³ And all these joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (^(AA)that is, the Salt Sea). ⁴ Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. ⁵ In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and defeated the ^(AB)Rephaim in ^(AC)Ashteroth-karnaim, the ^(AD)Zuzim in Ham, the ^(AE)Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, ⁶ and the ^(AF)Horites in their hill country of Seir as far as ^(AG)El-paran on the border of the wilderness. ⁷ Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, ^(AH)Kadesh) and defeated all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who were dwelling ^(AI)in Hazazon-tamar.

⁸ Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim ⁹ with Chedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar, four kings against five. ¹⁰ Now the Valley of Siddim was full of ^(AJ)bitumen pits, and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled ^(AK)to the hill country. ¹¹ So the enemy took ^(AL)all the possessions of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way. ¹² They also took Lot, ^(AM)the son of Abram's brother, ^(AN)who was dwelling in Sodom, and his possessions, and went their way.

¹³ Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, ^(AO)who was living by the ^(AP)oaks^[c] of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner. These were allies of Abram. ¹⁴ When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, ^(AQ)born in his house, 318 of them, and went in pursuit as far as ^(AR)Dan. ¹⁵ And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and defeated them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. ¹⁶ Then he brought back all the possessions, and also brought back his kinsman Lot ^(AS)with his possessions, and the women and the people.

Christ's Sacrifice Once for All

10 For since the law has but ^(A)a shadow ^(B)of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, ^(C)it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. ² Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? ³ But ^(D)in these sacrifices ^(E)there is a reminder of sins every year. ⁴ For ^(F)it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

⁵ Consequently, ^(G)when Christ^[a] came into the world, he said,

⁸ When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in ^(I)sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), ⁹ then he added, ^(J)“Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰ And by that will ^(K)we have been sanctified through the offering of ^(L)the body of Jesus Christ ^(M)once for all.

¹¹ And every priest stands ^(N)daily at his service, ^(O)offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, ^(P)which can never take away sins. ¹² But when Christ^[b] had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he ^(Q)sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ waiting from that time ^(R)until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. ¹⁴ For by a single offering ^(S)he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

¹⁵ And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,

¹⁷ then he adds,

¹⁸ Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

The Full Assurance of Faith

^19 (V)Therefore, brothers,^[c] since we have confidence to enter ^(W)the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by ^(X)the new and living way that he opened for us through ^(Y)the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹ and since we have ^(Z)a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts ^(AA)sprinkled clean ^(AB)from an evil conscience and our bodies ^(AC)washed with pure water. ^23 (AD)Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for ^(AE)he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And ^(AF)let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ^25 (AG)not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and ^(AH)all the more as you see ^(AI)the Day drawing near.

²⁶ For ^(AJ)if we go on sinning deliberately ^(AK)after receiving the knowledge of the truth, ^(AL)there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ^27 (AM)but a fearful expectation of judgment, and ^(AN)a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. ^28 (AO)Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy ^(AP)on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one ^(AQ)who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned ^(AR)the blood of the covenant ^(AS)by which he was sanctified, and has ^(AT)outraged the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know him who said, ^(AU)“Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, ^(AV)“The Lord will judge his people.” ^31 (AW)It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

³² But recall the former days when, after ^(AX)you were enlightened, you endured ^(AY)a hard struggle with sufferings, ³³ sometimes being ^(AZ)publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. ³⁴ For ^(BA)you had compassion on those in prison, and ^(BB)you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had ^(BC)a better possession and an abiding one. ³⁵ Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has ^(BD)a great reward. ³⁶ For ^(BE)you have need of endurance, so that ^(BF)when you have done the will of God you may ^(BG)receive what is promised. ³⁷ For,

³⁹ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

By Faith

11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of ^(BK)things not seen. ² For by it the people of old received their commendation. ³ By faith we understand that the universe was created by ^(BL)the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of ^(BM)things that are visible.

⁴ By faith ^(BN)Abel offered to God ^(BO)a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And ^(BP)through his faith, though he died, he ^(BQ)still speaks. ⁵ By faith ^(BR)Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God ^(BS)must believe that he exists and ^(BT)that he rewards those who seek him. ⁷ By faith ^(BU)Noah, being warned by God concerning ^(BV)events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of ^(BW)the righteousness that comes by faith.

⁸ By faith ^(BX)Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place ^(BY)that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he went to live in ^(BZ)the land of promise, as in a foreign land, ^(CA)living in tents ^(CB)with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰ For he was looking forward to ^(CC)the city that has ^(CD)foundations, ^(CE)whose designer and builder is God. ¹¹ By faith ^(CF)Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered ^(CG)him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore from one man, and ^(CH)him as good as dead, were born descendants ^(CI)as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

¹³ These all died in faith, ^(CJ)not having received the things promised, but ^(CK)having seen them and greeted them from afar, and ^(CL)having acknowledged that they were ^(CM)strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, ^(CN)they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed ^(CO)to be called their God, for ^(CP)he has prepared for them a city.

¹⁷ By faith ^(CQ)Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, ¹⁸ of whom it was said, ^(CR)“Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” ^19 (CS)He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. ²⁰ By faith ^(CT)Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. ²¹ By faith ^(CU)Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, ^(CV)bowing in worship over the head of his staff. ²² By faith ^(CW)Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

²³ By faith ^(CX)Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of ^(CY)the king's edict. ²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was grown up, ^(CZ)refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, ^25 (DA)choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy ^(DB)the fleeting pleasures of sin. ^26 (DC)He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to ^(DD)the reward. ²⁷ By faith he ^(DE)left Egypt, ^(DF)not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured ^(DG)as seeing him who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith ^(DH)he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

²⁹ By faith ^(DI)the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. ³⁰ By faith ^(DJ)the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. ³¹ By faith ^(DK)Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she ^(DL)had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

³² And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of ^(DM)Gideon, ^(DN)Barak, ^(DO)Samson, ^(DP)Jephthah, of ^(DQ)David and ^(DR)Samuel and the prophets— ³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, ^(DS)stopped the mouths of lions, ^34 (DT)quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, ^(DU)became mighty in war, ^(DV)put foreign armies to flight. ^35 (DW)Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. ³⁶ Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even ^(DX)chains and imprisonment. ^37 (DY)They were stoned, they were sawn in two,^{[d] (DZ)}they were killed with the sword. ^(EA)They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy—^(EB)wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And all these, ^(EC)though commended through their faith, ^(ED)did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰ since God had provided something better for us, ^(EE)that apart from us they should not be made perfect.