Service That Pleases God
1 Keep being concerned about each other as the Lord's followers should.
2 Be sure to welcome strangers into your home. By doing this, some people have welcomed angels as guests, without even knowing it.
3 Remember the Lord's people who are in jail and be concerned for them. Don't forget those who are suffering, but imagine you are there with them.
4 Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage.
5 Don't fall in love with money. Be satisfied with what you have. The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us. 6 This should make you feel like saying,
“The Lord helps me!
Why should I be afraid
of what people
can do to me?”
7 Don't forget about your leaders who taught you God's message. Remember what kind of lives they lived and try to have faith like theirs.
8 Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Don't be fooled by any kind of strange teachings. It is better to receive strength from God's gift of undeserved grace than to depend on certain foods. After all, these foods don't really help the people who eat them. 10 But we have an altar where even the priests who serve in the place of worship have no right to eat.
11 After the high priest offers the blood of animals as a sin offering, the bodies of those animals are burned outside the camp. 12 Jesus himself suffered outside the city gate, so his blood would make people holy. 13 This is why we should go outside the camp to Jesus and share in his disgrace. 14 On this earth we don't have a city that lasts forever, but we are waiting for such a city.
15 Our sacrifice is to keep offering praise to God in the name of Jesus. 16 But don't forget to help others and to share your possessions with them. This too is like offering a sacrifice that pleases God.
17 Obey your leaders and do what they say. They are watching over you, and they must answer to God. So don't make them sad as they do their work. Make them happy. Otherwise, they won't be able to help you at all.
18 Pray for us. Our consciences are clear, and we always try to live right. 19 I especially want you to pray that I can visit you again soon.
Final Prayers and Greetings
20 God gives peace, and he raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death. Now Jesus is like a Great Shepherd whose blood was used to make God's eternal agreement with his flock. 21 I pray God will make you ready to obey him and that you will always be eager to do right. May Jesus help you do what pleases God. To Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever! Amen.
22 My friends, I have written only a short letter to encourage you, and I beg you to pay close attention to what I have said.
23 By now you surely must know that our friend Timothy is out of jail. If he gets here in time, I will bring him with me when I come to visit you.
24 Please give my greetings to your leaders and to the rest of the Lord's people.
His followers from Italy send you their greetings.
25 I pray that God will be kind to all of you!
1 Let brotherly loue continue. 2 Be not forgetfull to intertaine strangers: for thereby some haue receiued Angels into their houses vnwares. 3 Remember them that are in bondes, as though ye were bounde with them: and them that are in affliction, as if ye were also afflicted in the body. 4 Mariage is honorable among all, and the bed vndefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will iudge. 5 Let your conuersation be without couetousnesse, and be content with those things that ye haue, for he hath said, 6 I will not faile thee, neither forsake thee: 7 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is mine helper, neither will I feare what man can doe vnto me. 8 Remember them which haue the ouersight of you, which haue declared vnto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering what hath bene the ende of their conuersation. Iesus Christ yesterday, and to day, the same also is for euer. 9 Be not caried about with diuers and strange doctrines: for it is a good thing that the heart be stablished with grace, and not with meates, which haue not profited them that haue bene occupied therein. 10 We haue an altar, whereof they haue no authoritie to eate, which serue in the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beastes whose blood is brought into the Holy place by the high Priest for sinne, are burnt without the campe. 12 Therefore euen Iesus, that he might sanctifie the people with his owne blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let vs goe foorth to him therefore out of the campe, bearing his reproch. 14 For here haue we no continuing citie: but we seeke one to come. 15 Let vs therefore by him offer the sacrifice of prayse alwaies to God, that is, the fruite of the lippes, which confesse his Name. 16 To doe good, and to distribute forget not: for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17 Obey them that haue the ouersight of you, and submit your selues: for they watche for your soules, as they that must giue accountes, that they may doe it with ioy, and not with griefe: for that is vnprofitable for you. 18 Pray for vs: for we are assured that we haue a good conscience in all things, desiring to liue honestly. 19 And I desire you somewhat the more earnestly, that yee so doe, that I may be restored to you more quickly. 20 The God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus, the great shepheard of the sheepe, through the blood of the euerlasting Couenant, 21 Make you perfect in all good workes, to doe his will, working in you that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ, to whom be praise for euer and euer, Amen. 22 I beseeche you also, brethren, suffer the wordes of exhortation: for I haue written vnto you in fewe wordes. 23 Knowe that our brother Timotheus is deliuered, with whome (if hee come shortly) I will see you. 24 Salute all them that haue the ouersight of you, and all the Saintes. They of Italie salute you. 25 Grace be with you all, Amen. ‘Written to the Hebrewes from Italie, and sent by Timotheus.’