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6kgp]:pUiw]:wL:sw]:hw];n}.Sc],Sgn]ekL.mn];sw]:hk].nn].AUiw]:'El:Aik],mn];sw]:pn]tam],Sc],Sgn]ekL.mn];sw]:hp].Aw]w}.nc],pQn]luk]:sa};mn];sw]:nn].'kU:ekL.ekL.AUiw]:"@wL:nc],n}eAL:"
7kn]:lgc]:kin];sG]nn].l}:l}:nc],wL:pQn]lgc]:Sc],Sgn]n}tL.'JPL;sw]:tuik].hQt];etL,SUmUin]nc],SUpQn]luk]:lac];mn];sw]:nn].eAL:"luk]:lac];sUiw];Am],l}:Kam],AU:Kw]Sc],Sgn]pn]n}.pQn]luk]:sUic].huiw]?"8epL;SUAm],Kam],Sc],Sgn]hG]:mI;pUic]ma}mI:lI'eSEl:kUn];kU:ekL.n}.Sm].yUin].Kam],lgc]:Sc],Sgn]nn].n}suic]'epL;nn]ekL:SUn}.Am],pQn]ekL.Tuk],pk];pUic]'Am],sG]:luk]:sa};luk]:yic];Et.Et.nn].Sc]eSAit];yw]."9ngk]:eSn}.'hw];hL;tc];SQc]:l}:mI;AU:ekL.An]pQn]kUn];nn].Sc],Sgn]pn]hw];El:hw];np].ym]Kw]pun]:tL,An]nn].yU,yw]."hw];kuic],lItac],yuin]:lw]:Tuic]sw]:AU:wivin],hw];eSyU,Sw];kGL,nm]nm]epL;tan],lG]&"10Kw]Sc],Sgn]hw];nc],Kw]wUn].Sgn],Tac],wL:mn];lITiSut];nn].pn]km];Agn],nuic]:yw]."kUv];kL:'JPL;sw]:n}.Sc],Sgn]hw];tLpun]:lgc]:lIhw];'pun]:nc],huiw]hw];epL;etsac]:l}:hUm]:sam],sgm];tac];mUt];sac],mn];sw]:nn].eAL:"11mUiw]:yam];nc],nn]n}.'mn];Am],mI;lgc]:Sc],Sgn]An]lG]lqp]:lISUiw];'pQn]An]yap],sQp];Kan]sG]nn].kUv];"pQn]huiw]ekL:yL,'luin];la};wa};mL;'pun]:tL,Kw]kUn];sUiw];l}:Kam],An]Puik];Sgn]pn]n}.'mn];hQt];Agk],pn]hG]:l}:pat],Kw]:Sim];mak],lgc]:man],mqn]:suiw]:sG]:Suiw]:etL,tc];lgc]:cm];yQn]nn].eAL:"
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22kUv];kL:SUl}:mL;SUik]:tI:lg}s},Agn],'tI:wQc];lUc]JPL;sw]:ASak]:lip];yU,'An]pQn]wQc];ey,ru,Slqm],mUic];kac]haw]nn].eAL:"SUl}:mL;SUik]:tI:mI;tman],kac]haw]Aan],muin],Aan],Sqn]Kw]sUm];SUiw];ekYL,eSsutum]kum]kn]'23tI:mI;kUn];sUiw];sw]:ekL.pQn]luk]:cw]:'sUiw];An]suiw]:Kw]l}:tqm]:ma}w}.pn]nG];mUic];kac]haw]yw].nn].eAL:"SUl}:mL;SUik]:tI:TL,wrL.JPL;sw]:'An]pQn]Kun]Tt];Sin]tL,kU:ekL.kU:An]tc];SQc]:'tI:wivin],ekL.man],mqn]suiw]:sG]:Suiw]:etL,Kw]l}:pQn]An]sqt],sac],Kqm].TUn]:lInn].eAL:'24tI:sw]:ey,SuekL.An]pQn]sw]:wUc]:kac]tL,kGam];ptivin],mG],'El:Aik],'tI:lUit]:An]Pqt];SG],w}.nn].lat]:eKL:kGam];lIlUiw]eSlUit]:AL;pUiw];lat]:nn].eAL:"
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9yL,ephG]:l}:pn]sG]pUic]:kGL,ygn].lUv]:lgc]:pUc]Sgn]An]lak],la};pqk],pqk],w}.sUiw];nn].eSkm];"mn];lIpn]hG]:mak],hUw]sG]hw];mI;hqc];kqn],Kqc]KUic],Km].w}.lUv]:kuc],ekY;sU;sw]:eAL:'Am],sG]:lUv]:An]kin]tac];kin]hQt];sgm];Tuc];sam],'mQw];An]Am],mI;pun]:pac]:Pgn];lISc]tL,kUn];sUiw];hQt];sUic].nn]nn]."10hw];mI;w}.KQc],tac];lU,'An]kUn];sUiw];Pgc];cm];Tam];kan]sw]:tI:Sum].ka},nL;Kw]Am],mI;Sun],l}:mL;Aw]kin]eSAit];nn].eAL:"
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17yum],ym]tm];sG]Kw]sUiw];pQn]PU:Agn]hUw]SUnn].eSEl:tac],yuin]:lw]:Tuic]sgm];nc],Kw]mI;eAL;sL,AL,nL,nn].tL.'kgp]:pUiw]:wL:Kw]pG].pL;tUv];sgm];tUn]:sG]wivin],SUpn]'nc],wL:SUn}.pQn]kUn];sUiw];tk];lUw],l}:np].Sgn],pL;'n}nn].eAL:"hQt];sUic].n}kGL,pun]:tL,hG]:kan]can];An]Kw]hQt];nn].epL;etpQn]tac];SUiw];ekYL,'epL;Am],l}:pQn]tac];nk];nLpL;pan]:nn].tL.'pUiw]:wL:epL;l}:pQn]nn]kGL,suic]mn];etAm],mI;Pgn];lISc]tL,SU"
18SU;tgc];pn]hw];Pgc]:eSkm];"hw];tiun];lp].lgc];tqt]:etL;lItI:wL:'hw];mI;sG]hU.An]Pit];An]Tuk],sqc]:lqc];lI'El:Aik],mI;kac]sG]tG];mgc];KG]:l}:An]sqc]:lqc];lI'tL,yU,Sw];PwAn]TUik]:yuk].ygc]:lInp].ym]kU:Pa},kU:tac];nn].eAL:"19ATU;mn];km]:nm]n}.'kw]tuk];ygn];hG]:SUSU;tgc];pn]eKLeKL'pun]:nc],huiw]JPL;sw]:etsQw];Aw]kw]SUc],pn]Kiun];tI:SUnn].eAL:"
pn]mac],klL,eStUc].tk].km];luin];Sut];
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25hG]:kuc],ekY;sU;sw]:mI;tI:SUtc];SQc];eSkm];lUv]:"
Hebrews 12
1Therefore, since we are surrounded
by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race
marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the
pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the
cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3Consider him who endured such
opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God Disciplines His Children
4In your struggle against sin, you
have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And have you completely forgotten
this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It
says,
“My son, do not make light of the
Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he
rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines the
one he loves,
7Endure hardship as discipline; God
is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their
father? 8If you are not disciplined—and
everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and
daughters at all. 9Moreover, we have all had human
fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should
we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10They disciplined us for a little
while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that
we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at
the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of
righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12Therefore, strengthen your feeble
arms and weak knees. 13“Make level paths for your feet,”
so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Warning and Encouragement
14Make every effort to live in peace
with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15See to it that no one falls short
of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and
defile many. 16See that no one is sexually
immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance
rights as the oldest son. 17Afterward, as you know, when he
wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the
blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.
The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy
18You have not come to a mountain
that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and
storm; 19to a trumpet blast or to such a
voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be
spoken to them, 20because they could not bear what
was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to
death.” 21The sight was so terrifying that
Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
22But you have come to Mount Zion,
to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to
thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn,
whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to
the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new
covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood
of Abel.
25See to it that you do not refuse
him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on
earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from
heaven? 26At that time his voice shook the
earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but
also the heavens.” 27The words “once more” indicate the
removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be
shaken may remain.
28Therefore, since we are receiving
a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God
acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for our “God is a consuming fire.”
Hebrews 13
Concluding Exhortations
1Keep on loving one another as
brothers and sisters. 2Do not forget to show hospitality
to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels
without knowing it. 3Continue to remember those in
prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are
mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
4Marriage should be honored by all,
and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the
sexually immoral. 5Keep your lives free from the love
of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
6So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not
be afraid.
7Remember your leaders, who spoke
the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate
their faith. 8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
and today and forever.
9Do not be carried away by all kinds
of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace,
not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. 10We have an altar from which those
who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
11The high priest carries the blood
of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are
burned outside the camp. 12And so Jesus also suffered outside
the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13Let us, then, go to him outside
the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14For here we do not have an
enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.
15Through Jesus, therefore, let us
continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly
profess his name. 16And do not forget to do good and
to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
17Have confidence in your leaders
and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who
must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden,
for that would be of no benefit to you.
18Pray for us. We are sure that we
have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19I particularly urge you to pray so
that I may be restored to you soon.
Benediction and Final Greetings
20Now may the God of peace, who
through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21equip you with everything good for
doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus
Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
22Brothers and sisters, I urge you
to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite
briefly.
23I want you to know that our
brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to
see you.
24Greet all your leaders and all the
Lord’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings.
25Grace be with you all.