Hebrews

INmany ways, and in many manners, the Almighty spoke of old, to the fathers, in the prophets, about these last days. ^1:2He spoke to us by a son, whom he designates heir of all things, through whom also he made the ages.

³Who being the radiance of his glory, and the exact representation of his nature, and upholding all things by the word of his power, having made cleansing of sin, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴as one who is so much better than the messengers, as he has inherited a more excellent Name than they. ⁵For to which of the messengers did he at some time say, “You are my Sŏn, today I have brought you forth.” And again, “I will be a Făther to him and he will be a Sŏn to me?”

⁶And again, whenever he may bring the firstborn into the inhabited earth, he would say, “And let all the messengers of the Almĭghty worship him.” ⁷And about the messengers he would say, “Who makes his messengers spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.”

⁸But to the son, “Your throne, Almĭghty, is to time immemorial and onward, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of his kingdom. ⁹You have loved justice and hated lawlessness. Therefore the Almĭghty, your Almĭghty, hath anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions.”

¹⁰And, “You, Yăhwēh, in the beginning did lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands. ¹¹They will perish, but you remain. And they all will become old as a garment. ¹²And as a mantle you will roll them up. As a garment they will also be changed. But you are the same, and your years will not come to an end.” ¹³But to which of the messengers has he ever said, “Remain sitting at my right hand, while I make thine enemies a footstool for your feet?” ¹⁴Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away, ^2:2because if the word spoken through messengers was confirmed, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense, ³how will we escape neglecting such great salvation which at the beginning was received through the Lord, being confirmed to us by those hearing him, ⁴bearing witness for the Almighty, both in signs and wonders and in many miracles and in distribution of the Holy Spirit according to his own will.

⁵Because he did not subject to messengers the inhabited world to come, concerning which we are speaking. ⁶But one has testified somewhere, saying, “What is man, that you remember him? Or the Sŏn of man, that you are concerned about him? ⁷You have made him for a little while lower than the messengers. You have crowned him with glory and honor, and have appointed him over the works of your hands. ⁸You have put all things in subjection under his feet,” because in subjecting all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

⁹But we do see Yeshua a little lower than the messengers crowned with glory and honor. Such is how by the loving-kindness of the Almighty he might taste death for everyone.

¹⁰Because it was fitting for him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect, the leader of their salvation through sufferings, ¹¹because both the sanctifier and those being sanctified are all from one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren, ¹²saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers. In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” ¹³And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children whom Yăhwēh has given me.” ¹⁴Since then the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the Accuser, ¹⁵and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. ¹⁶Because assuredly he does not give help to messengers, but he takes hold of the seed of ’Av̱raham. ¹⁷Therefore, he had to be likened to his brethren in all things, that he might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to the Almighty, to expiate, the sins of the people. ¹⁸Because in that he suffered himself, as tested, he is able to help those being tested.

Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, look to Yeshua, the Emissary and High Priest of our confession. ^3:2He was faithful to him who appointed him, as also “Mōshēh was in all His house,” ³because he has been counted worthy of more glory than Mōshēh, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. ⁴Because every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is the Almighty. ⁵Now Mōshēh was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later, ⁶but Messiah is faithful as a Son over His house whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.

⁷Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear his voice, ⁸do not harden your hearts as when they provoked me, as in the day of trial in the wilderness, ⁹where your fathers tried me by testing me, and saw my works for forty years. ¹⁰Therefore I was angry with this generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart. And they did not know my ways’, ¹¹As I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter my rest.’”

¹²Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, distrusting heart, in falling away from the living Almighty. ¹³But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, ¹⁴because we have become partakers of Messiah, if we hold fast the beginning of confidence firm until the end. ¹⁵While it is said, “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked me.” ¹⁶Because certain ones, hearing, bitterly provoked! But not all those who came out of Egypt through Mōshēh. ¹⁷And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸And to whom did he swear that they should not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? ¹⁹And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unfaithfulness.

Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it, ^4:2because indeed we have had good news announced to us, just as they also, but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united with trust in those who heard, ³because as ones who trust, we do enter that rest, just as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter my rest,” and yet his works have existed from the beginning of the world. ⁴Because he said about that place concerning the seventh day, “And the Almĭghty rested on the seventh day from all his works,” ⁵and again in this passage, “They will not enter my rest.”

⁶When therefore it is remaining for some to enter it. And those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience. ⁷He again fixes a certain day today, saying through Daυi̱d after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” ⁸For if Yehōshū‘a had given them rest, he would not have spoken of another rest after those days. ⁹There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of the Almighty, ¹⁰because the one who enters his rest himself also rests from his works, just as, the Almighty from his own.

¹¹Let us hurry then to enter that rest, lest anyone should fall into the same example of disobedience, ¹²because the word of the Almighty is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³And there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

¹⁴Since then we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Yeshua the Almighty Son, let us hold fast our confession, ¹⁵because we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who is tested in every way, in every manner, without sin. ¹⁶We will therefore draw near with confidence to the throne of kindness, wherein we will receive mercy and may find loving kindness for timely help.

Because every high priest being taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to the Almighty, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins, ^5:2he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness, ³and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. ⁴And no one receives the honor to himself, unless he is called by the Almighty, even as ’Aharōn was. ⁵Likewise even the Messiah did not glorify himself so as to become a High Priest, but he who said to him, “You are my Sŏn, today I have brought you forth,” ⁶just as he says also in another passage, “you are a minister unto the age in the fashion of Malki̱tsedeq.”

⁷In the days of his flesh, he offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save him from death, even as one who is heard because of piety. ⁸Although he was the Son, he learned submission from the things which he suffered. ⁹And as one who is complete, he becomes to all those who submit to him a cause of everlasting salvation, ¹⁰being addressed by the Almighty as a high “minister in the fashion of Malki̱tsedeq.” ¹¹Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing, ¹²because though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the sayings of the Almighty, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. ¹³Because everyone partaking of milk only, is inexperienced in the word of righteousness, because he is an infant. ¹⁴But solid food is for the perfect, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Messiah, let us press on to perfection, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of trust toward the Almighty, ^6:2of instruction about washings, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and everlasting judgment. ³And this we will do, if the Almighty permits.

⁴Because in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵and have tasted the good word of the Almighty and the powers of the age to come, ⁶and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Almighty Son, and put him to open shame. ⁷Because ground that drinks the rain which often falls upon it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from the Almighty, ⁸but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

⁹But, beloved, we are convinced of better things concerning you, and things that accompany salvation, though we are speaking in this way. ¹⁰Because the Almighty is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward his name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the holy ones. ¹¹And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹²that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through confidence and patience inherit the promises.

¹³Because when the Almighty made the promise to ’Av̱raham, since he could swear by no one greater, he swore by himself, ¹⁴saying, “I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply you.” ¹⁵And thus, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise, ¹⁶because men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. ¹⁷In the same way the Almighty, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his purpose, interposed with an oath, ¹⁸in order that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for the Almighty to lie, we may have strong encouragement, we who have fled for refuge in laying hold of the Hope set before us. ¹⁹This Hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a Hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, ²⁰where Yeshua has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high “minister unto the age in the fashion of Malki̱tsedeq.”

Because this Malki̱tsedeq, king of Shalēm, priest of the God Most High, who met ’Av̱raham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ^7:2to whom also ’Av̱raham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, “king of righteousness”, and then also king of Shalēm, which is king of shalōm, ³without patriarchy, without matriarchy, without pedigree, having neither beginning of days nor a life end, but being likened to the Almighty Son, he abides a priest perpetually.

⁴Now observe how great this man was to whom ’Av̱raham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. ⁵And those indeed of the sons of Lēυi̱ who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from ’Av̱raham. ⁶But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from ’Av̱raham, and blessed the one who had the promises.

⁷But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸But in hither case mortal men receive tithes, and in thither case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. ⁹And, in a word, through ’Av̱raham even Lēυi̱, who received tithes, paid tithes, ¹⁰because he was still in the loins of his father when Malki̱tsedeq met him.

¹¹Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood because by it the people received instruction, what further need was there for another “minister to arise in the fashion of Malki̱tsedeq”, and not be designated according to the order of ’Aharōn? ¹²Because when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

¹³Because the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. ¹⁴Because it is evident that our Lord was descended from Yehūdah, a tribe with reference to which Mōshēh spoke nothing concerning priests. ¹⁵And this is clearer still, if another priest arises, according to the likeness of Malki̱tsedeq, ¹⁶who has become a priest not according to a law of fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an indestructible life.

¹⁷Because it is witnessed of him, “You are a minister unto the age in the fashion of Malki̱tsedeq.” ¹⁸Because, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness, ¹⁹because the Law made nothing perfect, and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to the Almighty, ²⁰and inasmuch as it was not without an oath.

²¹Because they indeed became priests without an oath, but he with an oath through the One who said to him, “Yăhwēh has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a minister unto the age.’”

²²And so much the more also Yeshua has become the guarantee of a better covenant. ²³And the former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers, because they were prevented by death from continuing, ²⁴but he, on the other hand, because he abides to the time immemorial, holds his priesthood permanently.

²⁵Hence, also, he is able to save completely those who draw near to the Almighty through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

²⁶For it was fitting that we should have such a High priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens, ²⁷who does not need, daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this he did once for all when he offered up himself.

²⁸Because the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the saying of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect to the time immemorial.

Now the main point in what has been said is this. We have such a High priest who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ^8:2a servant in the sanctuary, and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.

³Because every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Hence it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. ⁴Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law, ⁵which serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Mōshēh was warned, when he was about to erect the tabernacle, because, “See,” he says, “that you make all things according to their pattern which was shown you on the mountain.”

⁶But now he has obtained a different ministry, by as much as he is also the mediator of a better will, which has been legislated on better promises.

⁷Because if that first testament was faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second, ⁸because finding fault with them, he says, “Behold, the days are coming, says Yăhwēh, when I will effect a renewed covenant with the house of Yisra’ēl and with the house of Yehūdah, ⁹not according to the covenant when I covenanted with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, when they did not continue in my covenant, and I was Master against them, says Yăhwēh, ¹⁰because this is the covenant which I covenant with the house of Yisra’ēl after those days, says Yăhwēh. I will put my laws into their minds, and I will write them upon their hearts. And I will be their Almĭghty, and they will be my people. ¹¹And they will not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know Yăhwēh,’ because all will know me, from the least to the greatest of them, ¹²because I will forgive their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.”

¹³When he said, a “renewed covenant” he has made the first old. But whatever is becoming old also growing aged is nearer disappearance.

Now even the first testament had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary, ^9:2because there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which was the menorah and the table and the sacred bread. This is called the holy place. ³And behind the second veil, there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, ⁴having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant. ⁵And above it were the cherūv̱i̱m of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, but of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

⁶Now when these things have been thus prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle, performing the divine worship, ⁷but into the second only the high priest enters, once a year, not without taking blood, which he brings for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.

⁸This clarifying by the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holiest place was not yet revealed, while the first tabernacle was still standing, ⁹which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, ¹⁰since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation. ¹¹But when Messiah appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, he entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, ¹²and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, he entered the holy place once for all, having obtained everlasting redemption.

¹³Because if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, ¹⁴how much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the everlasting Spirit offered himself without blemish to the Almighty, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living Almighty?

¹⁵And for this reason he is the mediator of a new testament, in order that since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first testament, those who have been called may receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance. ¹⁶Because where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of the one who made it, ¹⁷because a testament is valid only when men are dead, because it is never in force while the one who made it lives.

¹⁸Therefore even the first testament was not inaugurated without blood, ¹⁹because when every commandment was spoken by Mōshēh to all the people according to the Law, he took the blood of the calves and the goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, ²⁰saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which the Almĭghty commands you.”

²¹And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. ²²And according to the Law, almost, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. ²³Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

²⁴Because Messiah did not enter a holy place made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of the Almighty for us, ²⁵nor was it that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood not his own. ²⁶Otherwise, he would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world, but now once at the consummation of the ages he has been manifested to abolish sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, ²⁸so Messiah also, having been offered once to “take away the sins of many,” will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await him.

For the Law, since it has a shadow of the good things to come and not the image of matters, can never by the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.

^10:2Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? ³But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year.

⁴Because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

⁵Therefore, when he comes into the world, he says: “Sacrifice and offering you hast not desired, but my ears you have opened. ⁶Whole-ascending sacrifice, and sacrifice for sin you have not asked for. ⁷So I said, ‘Behold, I have come. In the roll of the book it is written of me to do your will, O Almĭghty your Law is within my heart.’”

⁸After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole ascending sacrifices even for sin you have not desired, nor have you asked for,” which are offered according to the Law, ⁹then he said, “Behold, I have come to do your will O Almĭghty, your Law is within my heart.”

^9bHe takes away the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰By this will we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Yeshua the Messiah once for all. ¹¹And, on the one hand every priest stands, daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins, ¹²but on the other hand he, having offered one sacrifice for sins to be the continual, sat down at the right hand of the Almĭghty, ¹³henceforth waiting while his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.

¹⁴Because by one offering he has perfected as the continual those who are sanctified. ¹⁵And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us, because after saying, ¹⁶“This is the covenant that I covenant with them after those days, says Yăhwēh. I will put my laws upon their heart, and upon their mind I will write them. ¹⁷and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

¹⁸Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

¹⁹Since therefore, brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Yeshua , ²⁰by a recent and living way which he dedicated for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of the Almĭghty,

²²let us draw near with a sincere heart in full certainty of confidence, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

²³Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, because he who promised is trustworthy, ²⁴and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵not forsaking our own Arch-synagogue, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.

²⁶Because if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.

²⁸Anyone who has set aside the Law of Mōshēh dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot Almighty Son, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

³⁰Because we know him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “Yăhwēh will judge his people.” ³¹It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living Almighty. ³²But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, ³³partly, by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. ³⁴Because you showed sympathy to the prisoners, and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one. ³⁵Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward, ³⁶because you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of the Almighty, you may receive what was promised.

³⁷For yet in a very very little while, the one coming will come, and will not delay. ³⁸“But the righteous one will live by faithfulness.” And if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.

³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have trust to the preserving of the soul.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the guarantee of things not seen, ^11:2because by it the men of old gained approval. ³By trust we understand that the aeons were prepared by the word of the Almighty, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. ⁴By trust, Hev̱el offered to the Almighty a better sacrifice than Qayin, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, the Almighty testifying about his gifts, and through it, though he is dead, he still speaks.

⁵By trust Ḥanōḳ was taken up so that he should not see death. And he was not found because the Almighty took him up, because he obtained the witness that before his being taken up he was pleasing to the Almighty. ⁶And without trust it is impossible to please him, because it is necessary to have trust to make the approach to the Almighty, that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. ⁷By trust Nōâḥ, being warned by the Almighty about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to trust.

⁸By trust A̕v̱raham, when he was called, listened by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹By trust he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Yitsḥaq and Ya‘aqōv̱, fellow heirs of the same promise, ¹⁰because he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is the Almighty. ¹¹By trust even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered him faithful who had promised. ¹²Therefore, also, there was born of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

¹³All these died in trust, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth, ¹⁴because those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵And indeed if they were thinking of that one from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶But as it is, they desire a better one, that is a heavenly one. Therefore the Almighty is not ashamed to be called their Almighty, because he has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷By trust A̕v̱raham, when he was tested, offered up Yitsḥaq, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only special one, ¹⁸concerning whom it was said, “In Yitsḥaq your descendants will be called.” ¹⁹He considered that the Almighty is able to resurrect even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.

²⁰By trust Yitsḥaq blessed Ya‘aqōv̱ and Ē‘saυ, even regarding things to come. ²¹By trust Ya‘aqōv̱, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Yōsēf, and bowed down on the top of his staff bed. ²²By trust Yōsēf, when he was dying, made mention of the Exodus of the sons of Yisra’ēl, and gave orders concerning his bones.

²³By trust Mōshēh, 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 king’s edict. ²⁴By trust Mōshēh, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of the Almighty, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, ²⁶considering the reproach of the Messiah greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking to the reward. ²⁷By trust he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, because he endured, as seeing him who is unseen. ²⁸By trust he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the first-born might not touch them.

²⁹By trust they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land. And the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned. ³⁰By trust the walls of Yeri̱ḥō fell down, after they were encircled for seven days. ³¹By trust Raḥav̱ the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

³²And what more will I say? Because time will fail me if I tell of Gid‘ōn, Baraq, Shimshōn, Yiphtaḥ, of Daυi̱d and Shemū’ēl and the prophets, ³³who by trust conquered kingdoms, performed acts of justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. ³⁵Women received back their dead by resurrection, and others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection, ³⁶and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. ³⁷They were stoned. They were sawn in two. They were tempted. They were put to death with the sword. They went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated, ³⁸men of whom the world was not worthy, wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

³⁹And all these, having gained approval through their trust, did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰because the Almighty had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ^12:2fixing our eyes on Yeshua, the author and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Almighty. ³Because consider him who has endured such hostility by sinners against himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.

⁴You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin. ⁵And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of Yăhwēh, nor faint when you are reproved by him, ⁶because those whom Yăhwēh loves he disciplines, and he scourges every son whom he receives.” ⁷It is for discipline that you endure. The Almighty deals with you as with sons, because what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.

⁹Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? ¹⁰Because they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. ¹¹All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful, yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

¹²Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, ¹³and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. ¹⁴Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵See to it that no one comes short of the grace of the Almighty, that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled, ¹⁶that there be no immoral or godless person like ‘Ēsaυ, who sold his own birthright for a single meal, ¹⁷because you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, because he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

¹⁸Because you have not approached what is handled, that is to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, ¹⁹and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which those who heard begged that no further word should be spoken to them, ²⁰because they could not bear the command, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.” ²¹And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I am full of fear and trembling.

²²But you have come to Mount Tsi̱yōn and to the city of the living Almighty, the heavenly Yerūshalayim, and to myriads of messengers, ²³to the assembly of the first-born enrolled in heaven, and to the Almighty Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect, ²⁴and to Yeshua, the mediator of a renewed covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than Hev̱el’s.

²⁵See to it that you do not refuse him who is speaking, because if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven. ²⁶And his voice shook the earth then, but now it has been promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” ²⁷And this expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, in order that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

²⁸Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to the Almighty an acceptable service with reverence and awe, ²⁹because our Almighty is a consuming fire.

Let love of the brethren continue. ^13:2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, because by this some have entertained messengers without knowing it. ³Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.

⁴Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, because fornicators and adulterers the Almighty will judge. ⁵Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have, because he himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” ⁶so that we confidently say, “Yăhwēh is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

⁷Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of the Almighty to you, and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. ⁸Yeshua Messiah is the same yesterday and today, yes and to time immemorial. ⁹Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings, because it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were thus occupied were not benefited. ¹⁰We have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat, ¹¹because 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. ¹²Therefore Yeshua also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside the gate. ¹³Hence, let us go out to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach.

¹⁴Because here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. ¹⁵Through him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to the Almighty, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to his name. ¹⁶And do not neglect doing good and sharing, because with such sacrifices the Almighty is pleased.

¹⁷Obey your leaders, and submit to them, because they keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, because this would be unprofitable for you. ¹⁸Pray for us, because we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. ¹⁹And I urge you all the more to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

²⁰Now the Almighty of peace, who lead up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep with the blood of the everlasting covenant, even Yeshua our Lord, ²¹equip you in every good thing to do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Yeshua the Messiah, to whom be the glory onward the times most immemorial of the times most immemorial. ’Amēn. ²²But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, because I have written to you briefly. ²³Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. ²⁴Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. ²⁵Grace be with you all.