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The Changeless Christ

13 Let love of your fellow believers continue. Do not neglect to extend hospitality to strangers [especially among the family of believers—being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously], for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.(A) Remember those who are in prison, as if you were their fellow prisoner, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body [and subject to physical suffering]. Marriage is to be held in honor among all [that is, regarded as something of great value], and the marriage bed undefiled [by immorality or by any sexual sin]; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Let your character [your moral essence, your inner nature] be free from the love of money [shun greed—be financially ethical], being content with what you have; for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!”(B) So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say,

The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”(C)

Remember your leaders [for it was they] who brought you the word of God; and consider the result of their conduct [the outcome of their godly lives], and imitate their faith [their conviction that God exists and is the Creator and Ruler of all things, the Provider of eternal salvation through Christ, and imitate their reliance on God with absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness]. Jesus Christ is [eternally changeless, always] the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by diverse and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established and strengthened by grace and not by foods [rules of diet and ritualistic meals], which bring no benefit or spiritual growth to those who observe them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle (sacred tent) have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp.(D) 12 Therefore Jesus also suffered and died outside the [city] gate so that He might sanctify and set apart for God as holy the people [who believe] through [the shedding of] His own blood. 13 So, let us go out to Him outside the [a]camp, bearing His contempt [the disgrace and shame that He had to suffer].(E) 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.

God-pleasing Sacrifices

15 Through Him, therefore, let us at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.(F) 16 Do not neglect to do good, to contribute [to the needy of the church as an expression of fellowship], for such sacrifices are always pleasing to God.

17 Obey your [spiritual] leaders and submit to them [recognizing their authority over you], for they are keeping watch over your souls and continually guarding your spiritual welfare as those who will give an account [of their stewardship of you]. Let them do this with joy and not with grief and groans, for this would be of no benefit to you.

18 Keep praying for us, for we are convinced that we have a good conscience, seeking to conduct ourselves honorably [that is, with moral courage and personal integrity] in all things. 19 And I urge all of you to pray earnestly, so that I may be restored to you soon.

Benediction

20 Now may the God of peace [the source of serenity and spiritual well-being] who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood that sealed and ratified the eternal covenant,(G) 21 equip you with every good thing to carry out His will and strengthen you [making you complete and perfect as you ought to be], accomplishing in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

22 I call on you, brothers and sisters, listen [patiently] to this message of exhortation and encouragement, for I have written to you briefly. 23 Notice that our brother Timothy has been released [from prison]. If he comes soon, I will see you [along with him]. 24 Give our greetings to all of your [spiritual] leaders and to all of the saints (God’s people). Those [Christians] from Italy send you their greetings.

25 Grace be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 13:13 I.e. leaving the ways and traditions of Judaism (the Levitical system, the old covenant) and adhering to the teaching (new covenant) of the Christ.

13 · ho Brotherly love philadelphia must continue menō. Do epilanthanomai not neglect epilanthanomai · ho hospitality to strangers philoxenia, for gar by dia this houtos means some tis have entertained lanthanō angels angelos without knowing xenizō it. Continue to remember mimnēskomai those ho in prison desmios, as though hōs you were in prison with syndeō them, and those ho who are being mistreated kakoucheō, as hōs though · kai you yourself autos were eimi suffering bodily en sōma.

Marriage gamos must be honored timios · ho by en everyone pas and kai the ho marriage bed koitē must be undefiled amiantos, for gar God theos will judge krinō the sexually immoral pornos and kai the adulterers moichos. · ho Your ho conduct tropos must be free from the love of money aphilargyros, and be content arkeō with what ho you have pareimi; for gar God himself autos has said legō, “ I will aniēmi never ou mē leave aniēmi you sy; never ou mē will I forsake enkataleipō you sy.” So hōste we hēmeis can say legō with confidence tharreō, “The Lord kyrios is my egō helper boēthos, I will not ou be afraid phobeomai. What tis can man anthrōpos do poieō to me egō?”

Continue to remember mnēmoneuō · ho your hymeis leaders hēgeomai, those hostis who spoke laleō God’ s theos message logos to you hymeis; · ho · ho reflect on anatheōreō the outcome of their hos · ho way ekbasis of ho life anastrophē, and imitate mimeomai their ho faith pistis. Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos is the ho same autos yesterday echthes and kai today sēmeron and kai for eis all ho time aiōn!

Do parapherō not be swept off your feet parapherō by all sorts of poikilos strange xenos teachings didachē, · kai for gar it is good kalos for the ho heart kardia to be strengthened bebaioō by grace charis, not ou by foods brōma, with en which hos their ho adherents peripateō are not ou benefited ōpheleō. 10 We have echō an altar thusiastērion from ek which hos those ho who serve latreuō in the ho tabernacle skēnē do not ou have echō the right exousia to eat esthiō.

11 For gar while the ho blood haima of those hos animals zōon whose blood haima is brought eispherō into eis the ho Most Holy Place hagios by dia the ho high priest archiereus as a sacrifice for peri sin hamartia, their houtos · ho bodies sōma are burned katakaiō outside exō the ho camp parembolē. 12 So dio Jesus Iēsous also kai suffered paschō outside exō the ho city gate pylē in order to hina sanctify hagiazō the ho people laos through dia · ho his own idios blood haima. 13 So then, let us go exerchomai to pros him autos outside exō the ho camp parembolē, bearing pherō the ho reproach oneidismos he autos bore. 14 For gar here hōde we have echō no ou permanent menō city polis, but alla we are looking forward to epizēteō the city that ho is to come mellō.

15 Through dia him autos, therefore oun, let us continually dia offer up anapherō to ho God theos a sacrifice thusia of praise ainesis, that houtos is eimi to say, the fruit karpos of lips cheilos acknowledging homologeō · ho his autos name onoma. 16 And de do epilanthanomai not neglect epilanthanomai · ho doing good eupoiia and kai sharing koinōnia with others , for gar with sacrifices thusia like that toioutos God theos is pleased euaresteō. · ho

17 Continue to obey peithō · ho your hymeis leaders hēgeomai and kai submit hypeikō to them, for gar they autos keep watch agrypneō over hyper · ho your hymeis souls psychē as hōs those who must give apodidōmi an account logos. Let hina them do poieō this houtos with meta joy chara, and kai not with groaning stenazō, for gar that houtos would be of no advantage alysitelēs to you hymeis.

18 Continue to pray proseuchomai for peri us hēmeis, for gar we are convinced peithō that hoti we have echō a clear kalos conscience syneidēsis, desiring thelō to conduct ourselves anastrephō honorably kalōs in en every way pas. 19 I urge parakaleō you to do poieō this houtos more than ever perissoterōs · de so that hina I may be restored apokathistēmi to you hymeis sooner tacheōs.

20 And de may the ho God theos of ho peace eirēnē, who ho, by en the blood haima of diathēkē the eternal aiōnios covenant diathēkē, brought up anagō from ek the dead nekros the ho great megas shepherd poimēn of the ho sheep probaton, · ho · ho our hēmeis Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous, 21 make katartizō you hymeis complete with en everything pas good agathos to eis do poieō · ho his autos will thelēma, accomplishing poieō in en us hēmeis that ho which is pleasing euarestos in his autos sight enōpion, through dia Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos, to whom hos be · ho glory doxa for eis all ho time aiōn ho. · ho Amen amēn.

22 I appeal to parakaleō · de you hymeis, brothers adelphos, bear with anechōmai my ho word logos of ho exhortation paraklēsis, for gar in fact kai I have written epistellō to you hymeis briefly dia brachus.

23 Know ginōskō that · ho our hēmeis brother adelphos Timothy Timotheos has been set free apolyō. If ean he arrives erchomai soon tacheōs, I will visit horaō you hymeis with meta him hos.

24 Greet aspazomai all pas · ho your hymeis leaders hēgeomai and kai all pas the ho saints hagios. Those ho from apo Italy Italia greet aspazomai you hymeis. · ho

25 · ho Grace charis be with meta all pas of you hymeis.