Description of a Citizen of Zion.

A Psalm of David.

Praise for Jerusalem’s Restoration and Prosperity.

¹⁸ Now the sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth; and ^(A)Ham was the father of Canaan. ¹⁹ These three were the sons of Noah, and ^(B)from these the whole earth was ^[a]populated.

²⁰ Then Noah began ^[b]farming and planted a vineyard. ²¹ He drank some of the wine and ^(C)became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent. ²² Ham, the father of Canaan, ^(D)saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. ²³ But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it on both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were ^[c]turned away, so that they did not see their father’s nakedness. ²⁴ When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him. ²⁵ So he said,

²⁶ He also said,

²⁸ Noah lived 350 years after the flood. ²⁹ So all the days of Noah were 950 years, and he died.

The Danger of Falling Away

6 Therefore ^(A)leaving ^(B)the ^[a]elementary teaching about the ^[b]Christ, let us press on to ^[c](C)maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from ^(D)dead works and of faith toward God, ² of ^(E)instruction about ^[d]washings and ^(F)laying on of hands, and about the ^(G)resurrection of the dead and ^(H)eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do, ^(I)if God permits. ⁴ For it is ^(J)impossible, in the case of those who have once been ^(K)enlightened and have tasted of ^(L)the heavenly gift and have been made ^(M)partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and ^(N)have tasted the good ^(O)word of God and the powers of ^(P)the age to come, ⁶ and then have ^[e]fallen away, to ^(Q)restore them again to repentance, ^[f](R)since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. ⁷ For ground that drinks the rain which often ^[g]falls on it and produces vegetation useful to those ^(S)for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; ⁸ but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and ^[h](T)close to being cursed, and ^[i]it ends up being burned.

Better Things for You

⁹ But, ^(U)beloved, we are convinced of better things regarding you, and things that ^[j]accompany salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. ¹⁰ For ^(V)God is not unjust so as to forget ^(W)your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having ^(X)served and by still serving the ^[k]saints. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you demonstrate the same diligence ^[l]so as to realize the ^(Y)full assurance of ^(Z)hope until the end, ¹² so that you will not be sluggish, but ^(AA)imitators of those who through ^(AB)faith and endurance ^(AC)inherit the promises.

John the Baptist’s Last Testimony

²² After these things Jesus and His ^(A)disciples came into the land of Judea; and there He was spending time with them and ^(B)baptizing. ²³ Now John also was baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there; and people were coming and being baptized— ²⁴ for ^(C)John had not yet been thrown into prison.

²⁵ Then a matter of dispute developed on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about ^[a](D)purification. ²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, “^(E)Rabbi, He who was with you ^(F)beyond the Jordan, to whom you ^(G)have testified—behold, He is baptizing and all the people are coming to Him.” ²⁷ John replied, “^(H)A person can receive not even one thing unless it ^(I)has been given to him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves ^[b]are my witnesses that I said, ‘^(J)I am not the ^[c]Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ ²⁹ He who has the bride is ^(K)the groom; but the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the groom’s voice. So this ^(L)joy of mine has been made full. ³⁰ He must ^[d]increase, but I must ^[e]decrease.

³¹ “^(M)He who comes from above is above all; ^(N)the one who is only from the earth is of the earth and speaks of the earth. ^(O)He who comes from heaven is above all. ³² What He has seen and heard, of this He ^(P)testifies; and ^(Q)no one accepts His testimony. ³³ The one who has accepted His testimony ^(R)has certified that God is true. ³⁴ For He whom God ^(S)sent speaks the words of God; ^(T)for He does not give the Spirit ^[f]sparingly. ^35 (U)The Father loves the Son and ^(V)has entrusted all things to His hand. ³⁶ The one who ^(W)believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who ^(X)does not ^[g]obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”