Graces of the Heirs of Grace

3 Remind them ^(A)to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, ^(B)to be ready for every good work, ² to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. ³ For ^(C)we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. ⁴ But when ^(D)the kindness and the love of ^(E)God our Savior toward man appeared, ^5 (F)not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through ^(G)the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ^6 (H)whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ that having been justified by His grace ^(I)we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

^8 (J)This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.

Avoid Dissension

⁹ But ^(K)avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. ^10 (L)Reject a divisive man after the first and second ^[a]admonition, ¹¹ knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemned.

Final Messages

¹² When I send Artemas to you, or ^(M)Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. ¹³ Send Zenas the lawyer and ^(N)Apollos on their journey with haste, that they may lack nothing. ¹⁴ And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.

Farewell

¹⁵ All who are with me greet you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with you all. Amen.

Greeting

¹ Paul, a ^(A)prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, ² to ^[a]the beloved Apphia, ^(B)Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philemon’s Love and Faith

^4 (C)I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, ^5 (D)hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, ⁶ that the sharing of your faith may become effective ^(E)by the acknowledgment of ^(F)every good thing which is in ^[b]you in Christ Jesus. ⁷ For we ^[c]have great ^[d]joy and ^[e]consolation in your love, because the ^[f]hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.

The Plea for Onesimus

⁸ Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, ⁹ yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you—being such a one as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Jesus Christ— ¹⁰ I appeal to you for my son ^(G)Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, ¹¹ who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.

¹² I am sending him ^[g]back. You therefore receive him, that is, my own ^[h]heart, ¹³ whom I wished to keep with me, that on your behalf he might minister to me in my chains for the gospel. ¹⁴ But without your consent I wanted to do nothing, ^(H)that your good deed might not be by compulsion, as it were, but voluntary.

¹⁵ For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, ¹⁶ no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the ^(I)flesh and in the Lord.

Philemon’s Obedience Encouraged

¹⁷ If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. ¹⁸ But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. ¹⁹ I, Paul, am writing with my own ^(J)hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides. ²⁰ Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord.

^21 (K)Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. ²² But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for ^(L)I trust that ^(M)through your prayers I shall be granted to you.

Farewell

^23 (N)Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, ²⁴ as do ^(O)Mark, ^(P)Aristarchus, ^(Q)Demas, ^(R)Luke, my fellow laborers.

^25 (S)The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

God’s Supreme Revelation^(A)

1 God, who ^[a]at various times and ^(B)in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ² has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the ^[b]worlds; ^3 (C)who being the brightness of His glory and the express ^(D)image of His person, and ^(E)upholding all things by the word of His power, ^(F)when He had ^[c]by Himself ^[d]purged ^[e]our sins, ^(G)sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, as ^(H)He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

The Son Exalted Above Angels

⁵ For to which of the angels did He ever say:

And again:

⁶ But when He again brings ^(K)the firstborn into the world, He says:

⁷ And of the angels He says:

⁸ But to the Son He says:

¹⁰ And:

¹³ But to which of the angels has He ever said:

^14 (U)Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will ^(V)inherit salvation?

Do Not Neglect Salvation

2 Therefore we must give ^[g]the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. ² For if the word ^(W)spoken through angels proved steadfast, and ^(X)every transgression and disobedience received a just ^[h]reward, ^3 (Y)how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, ^(Z)which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was ^(AA)confirmed to us by those who heard Him, ^4 (AB)God also bearing witness ^(AC)both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and ^(AD)gifts^[i] of the Holy Spirit, ^(AE)according to His own will?

The Son Made Lower than Angels^(AF)

⁵ For He has not put ^(AG)the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels. ⁶ But one testified in a certain place, saying:

For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now ^(AJ)we do not yet see all things put under him. ⁹ But we see Jesus, ^(AK)who was made ^[l]a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death ^(AL)crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death ^(AM)for everyone.

Bringing Many Sons to Glory

¹⁰ For it was fitting for Him, ^(AN)for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation ^(AO)perfect through sufferings. ¹¹ For ^(AP)both He who ^[m]sanctifies and those who are being sanctified ^(AQ)are all of one, for which reason ^(AR)He is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹² saying:

¹³ And again:

And again:

¹⁴ Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He ^(AV)Himself likewise shared in the same, ^(AW)that through death He might destroy him who had the power of ^(AX)death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and release those who ^(AY)through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁶ For indeed He does not ^[n]give aid to angels, but He does ^[o]give aid to the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, in all things He had ^(AZ)to be made like His brethren, that He might be ^(BA)a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ^18 (BB)For in that He Himself has suffered, being ^[p]tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.