Hebrews 13

English Standard Version

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. ⁵Keep 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.” ⁶So we can confidently say,

^(J)“The Lord is my helper;
^(K)I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”

⁷Remember ^(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. ⁸Jesus Christ is ^(N)the same yesterday and today and forever. ⁹Do 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. ¹⁰We have an altar ^(Q)from which those who serve the tent^[a] have no right to eat. ¹¹For ^(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. ¹²So Jesus also ^(T)suffered ^(U)outside the gate in order to sanctify the people ^(V)through his own blood. ¹³Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear ^(W)the reproach he endured. ¹⁴For ^(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. ¹⁶Do not neglect to do good and ^(AB)to share what you have, for such ^(AC)sacrifices are pleasing to God.

¹⁷Obey ^(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. ¹⁹I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order ^(AI)that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Benediction

²⁰Now ^(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

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

Footnotes

Hebrews 13:10 Or tabernacle
Hebrews 13:21 Some manuscripts you
Hebrews 13:22 Or brothers and sisters

Hebrews 13

The Message

Jesus Doesn’t Change

13 ^1-4Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it! Regard prisoners as if you were in prison with them. Look on victims of abuse as if what happened to them had happened to you. Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex.

^5-6Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote,

God is there, ready to help;
I’m fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me?

^7-8Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself.

⁹Don’t be lured away from him by the latest speculations about him. The grace of Christ is the only good ground for life. Products named after Christ don’t seem to do much for those who buy them.

^10-12The altar from which God gives us the gift of himself is not for exploitation by insiders who grab and loot. In the old system, the animals are killed and the bodies disposed of outside the camp. The blood is then brought inside to the altar as a sacrifice for sin. It’s the same with Jesus. He was crucified outside the city gates—that is where he poured out the sacrificial blood that was brought to God’s altar to cleanse his people.

^13-15So let’s go outside, where Jesus is, where the action is—not trying to be privileged insiders, but taking our share in the abuse of Jesus. This “insider world” is not our home. We have our eyes peeled for the City about to come. Let’s take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus’ name.

* * *

¹⁶Make sure you don’t take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship—a different kind of “sacrifice”—that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets.

¹⁷Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?

^18-21Pray for us. We have no doubts about what we’re doing or why, but it’s hard going and we need your prayers. All we care about is living well before God. Pray that we may be together soon.

May God, who puts all things together,
    makes all things whole,
Who made a lasting mark through the sacrifice of Jesus,
    the sacrifice of blood that sealed the eternal covenant,
Who led Jesus, our Great Shepherd,
    up and alive from the dead,
Now put you together, provide you
    with everything you need to please him,
Make us into what gives him most pleasure,
    by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah.
All glory to Jesus forever and always!
    Oh, yes, yes, yes.

^22-23Friends, please take what I’ve written most seriously. I’ve kept this as brief as possible; I haven’t piled on a lot of extras. You’ll be glad to know that Timothy has been let out of prison. If he leaves soon, I’ll come with him and get to see you myself.

²⁴Say hello to your pastoral leaders and all the congregations. Everyone here in Italy wants to be remembered to you.

²⁵Grace be with you, every one.

English Standard Version (ESV)

The Message (MSG)

Hebrews 13 English Standard Version