Jesus Teaches at the Feast

7 After these things Jesus ^(A)was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because ^(B)the Jews ^(C)were seeking to kill Him. ² Now the feast of the Jews, ^(D)the Feast of Booths, was near. ³ So His ^(E)brothers said to Him, “Move on from here and go into Judea, so that Your ^(F)disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. ⁴ For no one does anything in secret ^[a]when he himself is striving to be known publicly. If You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world.” ⁵ For not even His ^(G)brothers believed in Him. ⁶ So Jesus *said to them, “^(H)My time is not yet here, but your time is always ready. ^7 (I)The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify about it, that ^(J)its deeds are evil. ⁸ Go up to the feast yourselves; I am not going up to this feast, because ^(K)My time has not yet fully arrived.” ⁹ Now having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.

¹⁰ But when His ^(L)brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as though in secret. ^11 (M)So the Jews ^(N)were looking for Him at the feast and saying, “Where is He?” ¹² And there was a great deal of talk about Him in secret among the crowds: ^(O)some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He is misleading the people.” ¹³ However, no one was speaking openly about Him, for ^(P)fear of ^[b]the Jews.

¹⁴ But when it was now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple area, and began to ^(Q)teach. ^15 (R)The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this Man ^(S)become learned, not having been educated?” ¹⁶ So Jesus answered them and said, “^(T)My teaching is not My own, but His who sent Me. ^17 (U)If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God, or I am speaking from Myself. ¹⁸ The one who speaks from himself ^(V)seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

¹⁹ “^(W)Did Moses not give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why are you ^(X)seeking to kill Me?” ²⁰ The crowd answered, “^(Y)You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill You?” ²¹ Jesus answered them, “I did ^(Z)one ^[c]deed, and you all are astonished. ²² For this reason ^(AA)Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from ^(AB)the fathers), and even on a Sabbath you circumcise a man. ^23 (AC)If a man receives circumcision on a Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry at Me because I made an entire man well on a Sabbath? ²⁴ Do not ^(AD)judge by the outward appearance, but judge ^[d]with righteous judgment.”

²⁵ So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this Man not the one whom they are seeking to kill? ²⁶ And yet look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. ^(AE)The rulers do not really know that this is the ^[e]Christ, do they? ²⁷ However, ^(AF)we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” ²⁸ Then Jesus cried out in the temple, ^(AG)teaching and saying, “^(AH)You both know Me and you know where I am from; and ^(AI)I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. ^29 (AJ)I do know Him, because ^(AK)I am from Him, and ^(AL)He sent Me.” ³⁰ So they ^(AM)were seeking to arrest Him; and yet no one laid a hand on Him, because His ^(AN)hour had not yet come. ³¹ But ^(AO)many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “^(AP)When the ^[f]Christ comes, He will not perform more ^[g](AQ)signs than those which this man has done, will He?”

³² The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent ^(AR)officers to ^(AS)arrest Him. ³³ Therefore Jesus said, “^(AT)For a little while longer I am going to be with you, and then ^(AU)I am going to Him who sent Me. ^34 (AV)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” ^35 (AW)The Jews then said to one another, “^(AX)Where does this Man intend to go that we will not find Him? He does not intend to go to ^(AY)the Dispersion among ^(AZ)the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, does He? ³⁶ What is this statement that He said, ‘^(BA)You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

³⁷ Now on ^(BB)the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “^(BC)If anyone is thirsty, ^[h]let him come to Me and drink. ³⁸ The one who believes in Me, ^(BD)as the Scripture said, ‘^[i]From his innermost being will flow rivers of ^(BE)living water.’” ³⁹ But this He said ^(BF)in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for ^(BG)the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet ^(BH)glorified.

People’s Division over Jesus

⁴⁰ Some of the people therefore, after they heard these words, were saying, “This truly is ^(BI)the Prophet.” ⁴¹ Others were saying, “This is the ^[j]Christ.” But others were saying, “^(BJ)Surely the ^[k]Christ is not coming from Galilee, is He? ⁴² Has the Scripture not said that the Christ comes from ^(BK)the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” ⁴³ So ^(BL)a dissension occurred in the crowd because of Him. ⁴⁴ And ^(BM)some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

⁴⁵ The ^(BN)officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” ⁴⁶ The ^(BO)officers answered, “^(BP)Never has a man spoken in this way!” ⁴⁷ The Pharisees then replied to them, “^(BQ)You have not been led astray too, have you? ^48 (BR)Not one of ^(BS)the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? ⁴⁹ But this crowd that does not know the Law is accursed!” ^50 (BT)Nicodemus (the one who came to Him before, being one of them) *said to them, ⁵¹ “^(BU)Our Law does not judge the person unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” ⁵² They answered and said to him, “^(BV)You are not from Galilee as well, are you? Examine the Scriptures, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” ⁵³ [[^[l]And everyone went to his home.

The Adulterous Woman

8 But Jesus went to ^(BW)the Mount of Olives. ² And early in the morning He came again into the temple area, and all the people were coming to Him; and ^(BX)He sat down and began teaching them. ³ Now the scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard, ⁴ they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery. ⁵ Now in the Law, ^(BY)Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” ⁶ Now they were saying this to ^(BZ)test Him, ^(CA)so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. ⁷ When they persisted in asking Him, ^(CB)He straightened up and said to them, “^(CC)He who is without sin among you, let him be the ^(CD)first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹ Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard. ¹⁰ And ^(CE)straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” ¹¹ She said, “No one, ^[m]Lord.” And Jesus said, “^(CF)I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not ^(CG)sin any longer.”]]

Jesus Is the Light of the World

¹² Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “^(CH)I am the Light of the world; ^(CI)the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” ¹³ So the Pharisees said to Him, “^(CJ)You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not ^[n]true.” ¹⁴ Jesus answered and said to them, “^(CK)Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is ^[o]true, because I know ^(CL)where I came from and where I am going; but ^(CM)you do not know where I come from or where I am going. ^15 (CN)You judge ^[p]according to the flesh; ^(CO)I am not judging anyone. ¹⁶ But even ^(CP)if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. ¹⁷ Even in ^(CQ)your Law it has been written that the testimony of ^(CR)two people is ^[q]true. ¹⁸ I am He who testifies about Myself, and ^(CS)the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” ¹⁹ So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; ^(CT)if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” ²⁰ These words He spoke ^[r]in ^(CU)the treasury, as ^(CV)He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because ^(CW)His hour had not yet come.

²¹ Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and ^(CX)you will look for Me, and ^(CY)will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” ²² So ^(CZ)the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘^(DA)Where I am going, you cannot come’?” ²³ And He was saying to them, “^(DB)You are from below, I am from above; ^(DC)you are of this world, ^(DD)I am not of this world. ²⁴ Therefore I said to you that you ^(DE)will die in your sins; for unless you believe that ^[s](DF)I am, ^(DG)you will die in your sins.” ²⁵ Then they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “^[t]What have I even been saying to you from the beginning? ²⁶ I have many things to say and to judge regarding you, but ^(DH)He who sent Me is true; and ^(DI)the things which I heard from Him, these I say to the world.” ²⁷ They did not realize that He was speaking to them about the Father. ²⁸ So Jesus said, “When you ^(DJ)lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that ^[u](DK)I am, and ^(DL)I do nothing ^[v]on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me. ²⁹ And He who sent Me is with Me; ^(DM)He ^[w]has not left Me alone, for ^(DN)I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” ³⁰ As He said these things, ^(DO)many came to believe in Him.

The Truth Will Set You Free

³¹ So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “^(DP)If you continue in My word, then you are truly My ^(DQ)disciples; ³² and ^(DR)you will know the truth, and ^(DS)the truth will set you free.” ³³ They answered Him, “^(DT)We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, ^(DU)everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ Now ^(DV)the slave does not remain in the house forever; ^(DW)the son does remain forever. ³⁶ So if the Son ^(DX)sets you free, you really will be free. ³⁷ I know that you are ^(DY)Abraham’s descendants; yet ^(DZ)you are seeking to kill Me, because My word ^[x]has no place in you. ³⁸ I speak of the things which I have seen ^[y]with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from ^(EA)your father.”

³⁹ They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is ^(EB)our father.” Jesus *said to them, “^(EC)If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. ⁴⁰ But as it is, ^(ED)you are seeking to kill Me, a Man who has ^(EE)told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. ⁴¹ You are doing the deeds of ^(EF)your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born as a result of sexual immorality; ^(EG)we have one Father: God.” ⁴² Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, ^(EH)you would love Me, ^(EI)for I came forth from God and am here; for I have ^(EJ)not even come ^[z]on My own, but ^[aa](EK)He sent Me. ⁴³ Why do you not understand ^[ab](EL)what I am saying? It is because you cannot ^(EM)listen to My word. ^44 (EN)You are of ^(EO)your father the devil, and ^(EP)you want to do the desires of your father. ^(EQ)He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because ^(ER)there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells ^[ac]a lie, he ^(ES)speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of ^[ad]lies. ⁴⁵ But because ^(ET)I say the truth, you do not believe Me. ⁴⁶ Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If ^(EU)I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? ^47 (EV)The one who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

^48 (EW)The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not rightly say that You are a ^(EX)Samaritan, and You ^(EY)have a demon?” ⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “I do not ^(EZ)have a demon; on the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. ⁵⁰ But ^(FA)I am not seeking My glory; there is One who seeks it, and judges. ⁵¹ Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone ^(FB)follows My word, he will never ^(FC)see death.” ^52 (FD)The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You ^(FE)have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets as well; and yet You say, ‘If anyone ^(FF)follows My word, he will never ^(FG)taste of death.’ ⁵³ You ^(FH)are not greater than our father Abraham, who died, are You? The prophets died too. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?” ⁵⁴ Jesus answered, “^(FI)If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; ^(FJ)it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; ⁵⁵ and ^(FK)you have not come to know Him, ^(FL)but I know Him. And if I say that I do not know Him, I will be ^(FM)a liar like you; ^(FN)but I do know Him, and I ^(FO)follow His word. ^56 (FP)Your father Abraham was ^(FQ)overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.” ^57 (FR)So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham ^[ae]was born, ^[af](FS)I am.” ⁵⁹ Therefore they ^(FT)picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus ^(FU)hid Himself and left the temple grounds.

The Triumphs of Faith

11 Now faith is the ^(A)certainty of things ^[a](B)hoped for, a ^[b]proof of ^(C)things not seen. ² For by it the ^(D)people of old ^[c](E)gained approval.

³ By faith we understand that the ^[d](F)world has been created ^(G)by the word of God so that what is seen ^(H)has not been made out of things that are visible. ⁴ By faith ^(I)Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was ^(J)attested to be righteous, God testifying ^[e]about his ^(K)gifts, and through ^[f]faith, though ^(L)he is dead, he still speaks. ⁵ By faith ^(M)Enoch was taken up so that he would not ^(N)see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for before he was taken up, he was attested to have been pleasing to God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who ^(O)comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him. ⁷ By faith ^(P)Noah, being ^(Q)warned by God about ^(R)things not yet seen, ^[g](S)in reverence ^(T)prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of ^(U)the righteousness which is according to faith.

⁸ By faith ^(V)Abraham, when he was called, obeyed ^[h]by going out to a place which he was to ^(W)receive for an inheritance; and he left, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he lived as a stranger in ^(X)the land of promise, as in a foreign land, ^(Y)living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, ^(Z)fellow heirs of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he was looking for ^(AA)the city which has ^(AB)foundations, ^(AC)whose architect and builder is God. ¹¹ By faith even ^(AD)Sarah herself received ^[i]ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him ^(AE)faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore even from one man, and ^(AF)one who was as good as dead ^[j]at that, there were born descendants who were ^(AG)just as the stars of heaven in number, and as the innumerable grains of sand along the seashore.

^13 (AH)All these died in faith, ^(AI)without receiving the promises, but ^(AJ)having seen and welcomed them from a distance, and ^(AK)having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵ And indeed if they had been ^[k]thinking of that country which they left, ^(AL)they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a ^(AM)heavenly one. Therefore ^(AN)God is not ^[l]ashamed to be ^(AO)called their God; for ^(AP)He has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷ By faith ^(AQ)Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and the one who had ^(AR)received the promises was offering up his ^[m]only son; ¹⁸ it was he to whom it was said, “^(AS)Through Isaac your ^[n]descendants shall be named.” ^19 [o]He considered that ^(AT)God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back ^[p]as a ^[q](AU)type. ²⁰ By faith ^(AV)Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. ²¹ By faith ^(AW)Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and ^(AX)worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. ²² By faith ^(AY)Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

²³ By faith ^(AZ)Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the ^(BA)king’s edict. ²⁴ By faith Moses, ^(BB)when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to ^(BC)endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, ^26 (BD)considering the ^[r]reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the ^(BE)reward. ²⁷ By faith he ^(BF)left Egypt, not ^(BG)fearing the wrath of the king; for he persevered, as though ^(BH)seeing Him who is unseen. ²⁸ By faith he ^[s](BI)kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that ^(BJ)the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them. ²⁹ By faith they ^(BK)passed through the Red Sea as through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were ^[t]drowned.

³⁰ By faith ^(BL)the walls of Jericho fell down ^[u](BM)after the Israelites had marched around them for seven days. ³¹ By faith the prostitute ^(BN)Rahab did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies ^[v]in peace.

³² And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of ^(BO)Gideon, ^(BP)Barak, ^(BQ)Samson, ^(BR)Jephthah, of ^(BS)David and ^(BT)Samuel and the prophets, ³³ who by faith ^(BU)conquered kingdoms, ^(BV)performed acts of righteousness, ^(BW)obtained promises, ^(BX)shut the mouths of lions, ^34 (BY)quenched the power of fire, ^(BZ)escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, ^(CA)became mighty in war, ^(CB)put foreign armies to flight. ^35 (CC)Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their ^[w]release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; ³⁶ and others ^[x]experienced mocking and flogging, and further, ^(CD)chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were ^(CE)stoned, they were sawn in two, ^[y]they were tempted, they were ^(CF)put to death with the sword; they went about ^(CG)in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ^(CH)tormented ³⁸ (people of whom the world was not worthy), ^(CI)wandering in deserts, on mountains, and sheltering in caves and holes ^[z]in the ground.

³⁹ And all these, having ^(CJ)gained approval through their faith, ^(CK)did not receive ^[aa]what was promised, ⁴⁰ because God had ^[ab]provided ^(CL)something better for us, so that ^(CM)apart from us they would not be made perfect.

Jesus, the Example

12 Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s ^(CN)rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s ^(CO)run with ^(CP)endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking only at Jesus, the ^[ac](CQ)originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him ^(CR)endured the cross, ^(CS)despising the shame, and has ^(CT)sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ For ^(CU)consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary ^[ad](CV)and lose heart.

A Father’s Discipline

^4 (CW)You have not yet resisted ^[ae](CX)to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; ⁵ and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; ^(DC)God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline, ^(DD)of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had ^[af]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we ^(DE)respected them; shall we not much more be subject to ^(DF)the Father of ^[ag]spirits, and ^(DG)live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, ^(DH)so that we may share His holiness. ^11 (DI)For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the ^(DJ)peaceful fruit of righteousness.

¹² Therefore, ^[ah](DK)strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, ¹³ and ^(DL)make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather ^(DM)be healed.

^14 (DN)Pursue peace with all people, and the ^(DO)holiness without which no one will ^(DP)see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one ^(DQ)comes short of the grace of God; that no ^(DR)root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many become ^(DS)defiled; ¹⁶ that there be no ^(DT)sexually immoral or ^(DU)godless person like Esau, ^(DV)who sold his own birthright for a single meal. ¹⁷ For you know that even afterward, ^(DW)when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Contrast of Sinai and Zion

^18 (DX)For you have not come to ^(DY)a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, ¹⁹ and to the ^(DZ)blast of a trumpet and the ^(EA)sound of words, which sound was such that those who heard ^(EB)begged that no further word be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not ^[ai]cope with the command, “^(EC)If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” ²¹ And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “^(ED)I am terrified and trembling.” ²² But ^(EE)you have come to Mount Zion and to ^(EF)the city of ^(EG)the living God, ^(EH)the heavenly Jerusalem, and to ^(EI)myriads of ^[aj]angels, ²³ to the general assembly and ^(EJ)church of the firstborn who ^(EK)are enrolled in heaven, and to God, ^(EL)the Judge of all, and to the ^(EM)spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, the ^(EN)mediator of a new covenant, and to the ^(EO)sprinkled blood, which speaks better than ^(EP)the blood of Abel.

The Unshaken Kingdom

^25 (EQ)See to it that you do not refuse Him who is ^(ER)speaking. For ^(ES)if those did not escape when they ^(ET)refused him who ^(EU)warned them on earth, ^[ak]much less will we escape who turn away from Him who ^(EV)warns us from heaven. ²⁶ And ^(EW)His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “^(EX)Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” ²⁷ This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes ^(EY)the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore, since we receive a ^(EZ)kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s ^[al]show gratitude, by which we may ^(FA)offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; ²⁹ for ^(FB)our God is a consuming fire.

The Changeless Christ

13 Let ^(FC)love of the brothers and sisters continue. ² Do not neglect ^(FD)hospitality to strangers, for by this some have ^(FE)entertained angels without knowing it. ^3 (FF)Remember ^(FG)the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are badly treated, since you yourselves also are in the body. ^4 (FH)Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; ^(FI)for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. ⁵ Make sure that your character is ^(FJ)free from the love of money, ^(FK)being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “^(FL)I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,” ⁶ so that we confidently say,

⁷ Remember ^(FN)those who led you, who spoke ^(FO)the word of God to you; and considering the ^[am]result of their way of life, ^(FP)imitate their faith. ^8 (FQ)Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever. ^9 (FR)Do not be misled by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to ^(FS)be strengthened by grace, not by ^(FT)foods, ^(FU)through which those who ^[an]were so occupied were not benefited. ¹⁰ We have an altar ^(FV)from which those ^(FW)who serve the ^[ao]tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹ For ^(FX)the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the Holy Place by the high priest as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. ¹² Therefore Jesus also suffered ^(FY)outside the gate, ^(FZ)that He might sanctify the people ^(GA)through His own blood. ¹³ So then, let us go out to Him outside the camp, ^(GB)bearing His reproach. ¹⁴ For here ^(GC)we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking ^(GD)the city which is to come.

God-pleasing Sacrifices

^15 (GE)Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a ^(GF)sacrifice of praise to God, that is, ^(GG)the fruit of lips praising His name. ¹⁶ And do not neglect doing good and ^(GH)sharing, for ^(GI)with such sacrifices God is pleased.

^17 (GJ)Obey your leaders and submit to them—for ^(GK)they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they may do this with joy, not ^[ap]groaning; for this would be unhelpful for you.

^18 (GL)Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a ^(GM)good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. ¹⁹ And I urge you all the more to do this, ^(GN)so that I may be restored to you more quickly.

Benediction

²⁰ Now may ^(GO)the God of peace, who ^(GP)brought up from the dead the ^(GQ)great Shepherd of the sheep ^[aq]through ^(GR)the blood of the ^(GS)eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, ^21 (GT)equip you in every good thing to do His will, ^(GU)working in us that ^(GV)which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, ^(GW)to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

²² But ^(GX)I urge you, ^(GY)brothers and sisters, ^[ar]listen patiently to ^[as]this ^(GZ)word of exhortation, for ^(HA)I have written to you briefly. ²³ Know that ^(HB)our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. ²⁴ Greet ^(HC)all of your leaders and all the ^[at](HD)saints. Those from ^(HE)Italy greet you.

^25 (HF)Grace be with you all.