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Concluding Words

13 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.[a] Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

“I will never fail you.
    I will never abandon you.”[b]

So we can say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper,
    so I will have no fear.
    What can mere people do to me?”[c]

Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.

10 We have an altar from which the priests in the Tabernacle[d] have no right to eat. 11 Under the old system, the high priest brought the blood of animals into the Holy Place as a sacrifice for sin, and the bodies of the animals were burned outside the camp. 12 So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. 13 So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. 14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

17 Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

18 Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do. 19 And especially pray that I will be able to come back to you soon.

20 Now may the God of peace—
    who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the great Shepherd of the sheep,
    and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—
21 may he equip you with all you need
    for doing his will.
May he produce in you,[e]
    through the power of Jesus Christ,
every good thing that is pleasing to him.
    All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

22 I urge you, dear brothers and sisters,[f] to pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation.

23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released from jail. If he comes here soon, I will bring him with me to see you.

24 Greet all your leaders and all the believers there.[g] The believers from Italy send you their greetings.

25 May God’s grace be with you all.

Footnotes

  1. 13:1 Greek Continue in brotherly love.
  2. 13:5 Deut 31:6, 8.
  3. 13:6 Ps 118:6.
  4. 13:10 Or tent.
  5. 13:21 Some manuscripts read in us.
  6. 13:22 Greek brothers.
  7. 13:24 Greek all of God’s holy people.

Final Exhortations

13 Let brotherly love(A) continue. Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.(B) Remember the prisoners, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily.[a] Marriage must be respected by all, and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge immoral people and adulterers.(C) Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.(D)[b] Therefore, we may boldly say:

The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?(E)[c]

Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.(F) Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.(G) Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established by grace and not by foods, since those involved in them have not benefited.(H) 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle do not have a right to eat.(I) 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the most holy place by the high priest(J) as a sin offering are burned outside the camp.(K) 12 Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate,(L) so that He might sanctify[d] the people by His own blood. 13 Let us then go to Him outside the camp, bearing His disgrace.(M) 14 For we do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come.(N) 15 Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name.(O) 16 Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices.(P) 17 Obey your leaders[e] and submit to them, for they keep watch(Q) over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. 18 Pray for us; for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, wanting to conduct ourselves honorably in everything.(R) 19 And I especially urge you to pray[f] that I may be restored to you very soon.

Benediction and Farewell

20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep(S)—with the blood of the everlasting covenant,(T) 21 equip[g] you with all that is good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. Glory belongs to Him forever and ever.[h](U) Amen.

22 Brothers, I urge you to receive this message of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. 23 Be aware that our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon enough, he will be with me when I see you. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who are from Italy greet you. 25 Grace be with all of you.(V)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 13:3 Or mistreated, since you are also in a body
  2. Hebrews 13:5 Dt 31:6
  3. Hebrews 13:6 Ps 118:6
  4. Hebrews 13:12 Or set apart, or consecrate
  5. Hebrews 13:17 Or rulers
  6. Hebrews 13:19 Lit to do this
  7. Hebrews 13:21 Or perfect
  8. Hebrews 13:21 Other mss omit and ever