Greeting

1 Paul, ^(A)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^(B)by the will of God according to ^(C)the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,

² To Timothy, ^(D)my beloved child:

^(E)Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You

^3 (F)I thank God ^(G)whom I serve, as did my ancestors, ^(H)with a clear conscience, as I remember you ^(I)constantly in my prayers night and day. ^4 (J)As I remember your tears, ^(K)I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of ^(L)your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and ^(M)your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. ⁶ For this reason I remind you ^(N)to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, ⁷ for God gave us ^(O)a spirit not of fear but ^(P)of power and love and self-control.

⁸ Therefore ^(Q)do not be ashamed of ^(R)the testimony about our Lord, nor of ^(S)me his prisoner, but ^(T)share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ^9 (U)who saved us and ^(V)called us to^[a] a holy calling, ^(W)not because of our works but because of ^(X)his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus ^(Y)before the ages began,^{[b] 10} and which now has ^(Z)been manifested through ^(AA)the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, ^(AB)who abolished death and ^(AC)brought life and ^(AD)immortality to light through the gospel, ^11 (AE)for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, ^12 (AF)which is why I suffer as I do. But ^(AG)I am not ashamed, for ^(AH)I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until ^(AI)that day ^(AJ)what has been entrusted to me.^{[c] 13 (AK)}Follow ^(AL)the pattern of ^(AM)the sound^[d] words ^(AN)that you have heard from me, in ^(AO)the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ By the Holy Spirit ^(AP)who dwells within us, guard ^(AQ)the good deposit entrusted to you.

¹⁵ You are aware that ^(AR)all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶ May the Lord grant mercy to ^(AS)the household of Onesiphorus, for he often ^(AT)refreshed me and was not ashamed of ^(AU)my chains, ¹⁷ but when he arrived in Rome ^(AV)he searched for me earnestly and found me— ¹⁸ may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on ^(AW)that day!—and you well know all the service he ^(AX)rendered at Ephesus.

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 You then, ^(AY)my child, ^(AZ)be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, ² and ^(BA)what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses ^(BB)entrust to faithful men,^{[e] (BC)}who will be able to teach others also. ^3 (BD)Share in suffering as ^(BE)a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier ^(BF)gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. ^5 (BG)An athlete is not ^(BH)crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ It is ^(BI)the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. ⁷ Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, ^(BJ)risen from the dead, the ^(BK)offspring of David, ^(BL)as preached in my gospel, ^9 (BM)for which I am suffering, ^(BN)bound with chains as a criminal. But ^(BO)the word of God is not bound! ¹⁰ Therefore ^(BP)I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain ^(BQ)the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with ^(BR)eternal glory. ¹¹ The saying is ^(BS)trustworthy, for:

for ^(BZ)he cannot deny himself.

A Worker Approved by God

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, and ^(CA)charge them before God^{[f] (CB)}not to quarrel about words, ^(CC)which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,^[g] a worker ^(CD)who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But ^(CE)avoid ^(CF)irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are ^(CG)Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, ^(CH)saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ^(CI)“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone ^(CJ)who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

²⁰ Now in ^(CK)a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, ^(CL)some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. ²¹ Therefore, ^(CM)if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,^[h] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ^(CN)ready for every good work.

²² So ^(CO)flee ^(CP)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with ^(CQ)those who call on the Lord ^(CR)from a pure heart. ²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant ^(CS)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. ²⁴ And ^(CT)the Lord's servant^[i] must not be quarrelsome but ^(CU)kind to everyone, ^(CV)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents ^(CW)with gentleness. God ^(CX)may perhaps grant them repentance ^(CY)leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from ^(CZ)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Godlessness in the Last Days

3 But understand this, that ^(DA)in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be ^(DB)lovers of self, ^(DC)lovers of money, ^(DD)proud, ^(DE)arrogant, abusive, ^(DF)disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ^3 (DG)heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, ^(DH)not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, ^(DI)swollen with conceit, ^(DJ)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but ^(DK)denying its power. ^(DL)Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are ^(DM)those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to ^(DN)arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as ^(DO)Jannes and Jambres ^(DP)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, ^(DQ)men corrupted in mind and ^(DR)disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, ^(DS)as was that of those two men.

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

^10 (DT)You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, ¹¹ my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me ^(DU)at Antioch, ^(DV)at Iconium, and ^(DW)at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet ^(DX)from them all ^(DY)the Lord rescued me. ¹² Indeed, all who desire to ^(DZ)live a godly life in Christ Jesus ^(EA)will be persecuted, ¹³ while ^(EB)evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and ^(EC)being deceived. ¹⁴ But as for you, ^(ED)continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom^[j] you learned it ¹⁵ and how ^(EE)from childhood you have been acquainted with ^(EF)the sacred writings, ^(EG)which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ^16 (EH)All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that ^(EI)the man of God^[k] may be complete, ^(EJ)equipped ^(EK)for every good work.

Preach the Word

4 ^(EL)I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, ^(EM)who is to judge the living and the dead, and by ^(EN)his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ^(EO)reprove, rebuke, and ^(EP)exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ^3 (EQ)For the time is coming when people will not endure ^(ER)sound^[l] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and ^(ES)will turn away from listening to the truth and ^(ET)wander off into myths. ⁵ As for you, ^(EU)always be sober-minded, ^(EV)endure suffering, do the work of ^(EW)an evangelist, ^(EX)fulfill your ministry.

⁶ For ^(EY)I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my ^(EZ)departure has come. ^7 (FA)I have fought the good fight, ^(FB)I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is ^(FC)laid up for me ^(FD)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, ^(FE)the righteous judge, will award to me on ^(FF)that day, and not only to me but also to all ^(FG)who have loved his appearing.

Personal Instructions

^9 (FH)Do your best to come to me soon. ¹⁰ For ^(FI)Demas, ^(FJ)in love with ^(FK)this present world, ^(FL)has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia,^{[m] (FM)}Titus to Dalmatia. ^11 (FN)Luke alone is with me. Get ^(FO)Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. ^12 (FP)Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. ^14 (FQ)Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; ^(FR)the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵ Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. ¹⁶ At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. ^(FS)May it not be charged against them! ¹⁷ But ^(FT)the Lord stood by me and ^(FU)strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and ^(FV)all the Gentiles might hear it. So ^(FW)I was rescued ^(FX)from the lion's mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. ^(FY)To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

¹⁹ Greet ^(FZ)Prisca and Aquila, and ^(GA)the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰ Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left ^(GB)Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. ^21 (GC)Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.^[n]

²² The Lord be ^(GD)with your spirit. ^(GE)Grace be with you.^[o]

Greeting

1 Paul, ^(A)an apostle of Christ Jesus ^(B)by the will of God according to ^(C)the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,

² To Timothy, ^(D)my beloved child:

^(E)Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Guard the Deposit Entrusted to You

^3 (F)I thank God ^(G)whom I serve, as did my ancestors, ^(H)with a clear conscience, as I remember you ^(I)constantly in my prayers night and day. ^4 (J)As I remember your tears, ^(K)I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of ^(L)your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and ^(M)your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. ⁶ For this reason I remind you ^(N)to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, ⁷ for God gave us ^(O)a spirit not of fear but ^(P)of power and love and self-control.

⁸ Therefore ^(Q)do not be ashamed of ^(R)the testimony about our Lord, nor of ^(S)me his prisoner, but ^(T)share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, ^9 (U)who saved us and ^(V)called us to^[a] a holy calling, ^(W)not because of our works but because of ^(X)his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus ^(Y)before the ages began,^{[b] 10} and which now has ^(Z)been manifested through ^(AA)the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, ^(AB)who abolished death and ^(AC)brought life and ^(AD)immortality to light through the gospel, ^11 (AE)for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, ^12 (AF)which is why I suffer as I do. But ^(AG)I am not ashamed, for ^(AH)I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until ^(AI)that day ^(AJ)what has been entrusted to me.^{[c] 13 (AK)}Follow ^(AL)the pattern of ^(AM)the sound^[d] words ^(AN)that you have heard from me, in ^(AO)the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ By the Holy Spirit ^(AP)who dwells within us, guard ^(AQ)the good deposit entrusted to you.

¹⁵ You are aware that ^(AR)all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. ¹⁶ May the Lord grant mercy to ^(AS)the household of Onesiphorus, for he often ^(AT)refreshed me and was not ashamed of ^(AU)my chains, ¹⁷ but when he arrived in Rome ^(AV)he searched for me earnestly and found me— ¹⁸ may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on ^(AW)that day!—and you well know all the service he ^(AX)rendered at Ephesus.

A Good Soldier of Christ Jesus

2 You then, ^(AY)my child, ^(AZ)be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, ² and ^(BA)what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses ^(BB)entrust to faithful men,^{[e] (BC)}who will be able to teach others also. ^3 (BD)Share in suffering as ^(BE)a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴ No soldier ^(BF)gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. ^5 (BG)An athlete is not ^(BH)crowned unless he competes according to the rules. ⁶ It is ^(BI)the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. ⁷ Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

⁸ Remember Jesus Christ, ^(BJ)risen from the dead, the ^(BK)offspring of David, ^(BL)as preached in my gospel, ^9 (BM)for which I am suffering, ^(BN)bound with chains as a criminal. But ^(BO)the word of God is not bound! ¹⁰ Therefore ^(BP)I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain ^(BQ)the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with ^(BR)eternal glory. ¹¹ The saying is ^(BS)trustworthy, for:

for ^(BZ)he cannot deny himself.

A Worker Approved by God

¹⁴ Remind them of these things, and ^(CA)charge them before God^{[f] (CB)}not to quarrel about words, ^(CC)which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. ¹⁵ Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved,^[g] a worker ^(CD)who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But ^(CE)avoid ^(CF)irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are ^(CG)Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, ^(CH)saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: ^(CI)“The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone ^(CJ)who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.”

²⁰ Now in ^(CK)a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, ^(CL)some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. ²¹ Therefore, ^(CM)if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable,^[h] he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ^(CN)ready for every good work.

²² So ^(CO)flee ^(CP)youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with ^(CQ)those who call on the Lord ^(CR)from a pure heart. ²³ Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant ^(CS)controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. ²⁴ And ^(CT)the Lord's servant^[i] must not be quarrelsome but ^(CU)kind to everyone, ^(CV)able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents ^(CW)with gentleness. God ^(CX)may perhaps grant them repentance ^(CY)leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from ^(CZ)the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Godlessness in the Last Days

3 But understand this, that ^(DA)in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be ^(DB)lovers of self, ^(DC)lovers of money, ^(DD)proud, ^(DE)arrogant, abusive, ^(DF)disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ^3 (DG)heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, ^(DH)not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, ^(DI)swollen with conceit, ^(DJ)lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but ^(DK)denying its power. ^(DL)Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are ^(DM)those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to ^(DN)arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as ^(DO)Jannes and Jambres ^(DP)opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, ^(DQ)men corrupted in mind and ^(DR)disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, ^(DS)as was that of those two men.

All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God

^10 (DT)You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, ¹¹ my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me ^(DU)at Antioch, ^(DV)at Iconium, and ^(DW)at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet ^(DX)from them all ^(DY)the Lord rescued me. ¹² Indeed, all who desire to ^(DZ)live a godly life in Christ Jesus ^(EA)will be persecuted, ¹³ while ^(EB)evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and ^(EC)being deceived. ¹⁴ But as for you, ^(ED)continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom^[j] you learned it ¹⁵ and how ^(EE)from childhood you have been acquainted with ^(EF)the sacred writings, ^(EG)which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ^16 (EH)All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that ^(EI)the man of God^[k] may be complete, ^(EJ)equipped ^(EK)for every good work.

Preach the Word

4 ^(EL)I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, ^(EM)who is to judge the living and the dead, and by ^(EN)his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; ^(EO)reprove, rebuke, and ^(EP)exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ^3 (EQ)For the time is coming when people will not endure ^(ER)sound^[l] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and ^(ES)will turn away from listening to the truth and ^(ET)wander off into myths. ⁵ As for you, ^(EU)always be sober-minded, ^(EV)endure suffering, do the work of ^(EW)an evangelist, ^(EX)fulfill your ministry.

⁶ For ^(EY)I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my ^(EZ)departure has come. ^7 (FA)I have fought the good fight, ^(FB)I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸ Henceforth there is ^(FC)laid up for me ^(FD)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, ^(FE)the righteous judge, will award to me on ^(FF)that day, and not only to me but also to all ^(FG)who have loved his appearing.

Personal Instructions

^9 (FH)Do your best to come to me soon. ¹⁰ For ^(FI)Demas, ^(FJ)in love with ^(FK)this present world, ^(FL)has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia,^{[m] (FM)}Titus to Dalmatia. ^11 (FN)Luke alone is with me. Get ^(FO)Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. ^12 (FP)Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. ¹³ When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. ^14 (FQ)Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; ^(FR)the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. ¹⁵ Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. ¹⁶ At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. ^(FS)May it not be charged against them! ¹⁷ But ^(FT)the Lord stood by me and ^(FU)strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and ^(FV)all the Gentiles might hear it. So ^(FW)I was rescued ^(FX)from the lion's mouth. ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. ^(FY)To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

¹⁹ Greet ^(FZ)Prisca and Aquila, and ^(GA)the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰ Erastus remained at Corinth, and I left ^(GB)Trophimus, who was ill, at Miletus. ^21 (GC)Do your best to come before winter. Eubulus sends greetings to you, as do Pudens and Linus and Claudia and all the brothers.^[n]

²² The Lord be ^(GD)with your spirit. ^(GE)Grace be with you.^[o]

The Supremacy of God's Son

1 Long ago, at many times and ^(A)in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but ^(B)in these last days ^(C)he has spoken to us by ^(D)his Son, whom he appointed ^(E)the heir of all things, ^(F)through whom also he created ^(G)the world. ³ He is the radiance of the glory of God and ^(H)the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. ^(I)After making purification for sins, ^(J)he sat down ^(K)at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become as much superior to angels as the name ^(L)he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

⁵ For to which of the angels did God ever say,

Or again,

⁶ And again, when he brings ^(O)the firstborn into the world, he says,

⁷ Of the angels he says,

⁸ But of the Son he says,

¹⁰ And,

¹³ And to which of the angels has he ever said,

¹⁴ Are they not all ministering spirits ^(Y)sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to ^(Z)inherit salvation?

Warning Against Neglecting Salvation

2 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. ² For since ^(AA)the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and ^(AB)every transgression or disobedience received a just ^(AC)retribution, ^3 (AD)how shall we escape if we ^(AE)neglect such a great salvation? It was ^(AF)declared at first by the Lord, and it was ^(AG)attested to us ^(AH)by those who heard, ^4 (AI)while God also bore witness ^(AJ)by signs and wonders and various miracles and by ^(AK)gifts of the Holy Spirit ^(AL)distributed according to his will.

The Founder of Salvation

⁵ For it was not to angels that God subjected the world ^(AM)to come, of which we are speaking. ⁶ It has been testified somewhere,

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, ^(AO)we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. ⁹ But we see him ^(AP)who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, ^(AQ)crowned with glory and honor ^(AR)because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might ^(AS)taste death ^(AT)for everyone.

¹⁰ For it ^(AU)was fitting that he, ^(AV)for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons ^(AW)to glory, should make the ^(AX)founder of their salvation ^(AY)perfect through suffering. ¹¹ For ^(AZ)he who sanctifies and ^(BA)those who are sanctified ^(BB)all have one source.^[c] That is why he is not ashamed to call them ^(BC)brothers,^{[d] 12} saying,

¹³ And again,

And again,

¹⁴ Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise ^(BI)partook of the same things, that ^(BJ)through death he might ^(BK)destroy ^(BL)the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and deliver all those who ^(BM)through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he ^(BN)helps the offspring of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore he had ^(BO)to be made like his brothers in every respect, ^(BP)so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest ^(BQ)in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For because he himself has suffered ^(BR)when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Jesus Greater Than Moses

3 Therefore, holy brothers,^[e] you who share in ^(BS)a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, ^(BT)the apostle and high priest of our confession, ² who was faithful to him who appointed him, ^(BU)just as Moses also was faithful in all God's^[f] house. ³ For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. ⁴ (For every house is built by someone, but ^(BV)the builder of all things is God.) ^5 (BW)Now Moses was faithful in all God's house ^(BX)as a servant, ^(BY)to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, ⁶ but Christ is faithful over God's house as ^(BZ)a son. And ^(CA)we are his house, if indeed we ^(CB)hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.^[g]

A Rest for the People of God

⁷ Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,

¹² Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from ^(CF)the living God. ¹³ But ^(CG)exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by ^(CH)the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have come to share in Christ, ^(CI)if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. ¹⁵ As it is said,

¹⁶ For ^(CK)who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not ^(CL)all those who left Egypt led by Moses? ¹⁷ And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, ^(CM)whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ And to whom did he swear that ^(CN)they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? ¹⁹ So we see that ^(CO)they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

4 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem ^(CP)to have failed to reach it. ² For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because ^(CQ)they were not united by faith with those who listened.^{[h] 3} For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴ For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: ^(CS)“And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” ⁵ And again in this passage he said,

⁶ Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news ^(CU)failed to enter because of disobedience, ⁷ again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, God^[i] would not have spoken of another day later on. ⁹ So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, ¹⁰ for whoever has entered God's rest has also ^(CW)rested from his works as God did from his.

¹¹ Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so ^(CX)that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. ¹² For ^(CY)the word of God is living and ^(CZ)active, ^(DA)sharper than any ^(DB)two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and ^(DC)discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And ^(DD)no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are ^(DE)naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Jesus the Great High Priest

¹⁴ Since then we have ^(DF)a great high priest ^(DG)who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, ^(DH)let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest ^(DI)who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been ^(DJ)tempted as we are, ^(DK)yet without sin. ^16 (DL)Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

5 For every high priest chosen from among men ^(DM)is appointed to act on behalf of men ^(DN)in relation to God, ^(DO)to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ^2 (DP)He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself ^(DQ)is beset with weakness. ³ Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins ^(DR)just as he does for those of the people. ⁴ And ^(DS)no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, ^(DT)just as Aaron was.

⁵ So also Christ ^(DU)did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,

⁶ as he says also in another place,

⁷ In the days of his flesh, ^(DX)Jesus^[j] offered up prayers and supplications, ^(DY)with loud cries and tears, to him ^(DZ)who was able to save him from death, and ^(EA)he was heard because of his reverence. ⁸ Although ^(EB)he was a son, ^(EC)he learned obedience through what he suffered. ⁹ And ^(ED)being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, ¹⁰ being designated by God a high priest ^(EE)after the order of Melchizedek.

Warning Against Apostasy

¹¹ About this we have much to say, and it is ^(EF)hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again ^(EG)the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need ^(EH)milk, not solid food, ¹³ for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is ^(EI)a child. ¹⁴ But solid food is for ^(EJ)the mature, for those who have their powers ^(EK)of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.