Hebrews 13
1 Continue to love your fellow believers.
Let brotherly love continue.
2 Do not forget to be hospitable to needy travelers [LIT]. You need to know that by being hospitable, some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Of the entertaining of strangers, be not forgetful, for, hereby, unawares, have some entertained, messengers.
3 Remember [to help] those who are in prison [because they are Christians], as though you were in prison with them. Remember those who are being mistreated {whom people are mistreating} [because they are believers. As you do that], consider that you you could suffer as they do.
Bear in mind them who are in bonds, as having become jointly bound, —them who are suffering ill-treatment, as being yourselves also in the body.
4 You must (respect/keep sacred) the marriage relationship in every way, and you must keep sexual relations [EUP] pure, because God will surely condemn those who act immorally and those who act adulterously.
Let marriage be honourable in all, and the bed undefiled, for, fornicators and adulterers, God, will judge.
5 Live without constantly coveting money, and be content with the things you possess, remembering what [Moses] wrote [that God] has said [about supplying what you need], I will never leave you, I will never stop providing for you [DOU].
Without fondness for money, be your way of life, —being content with the present things, —for, he, hath said: In nowise, thee, will I leave, no indeed! in nowise, thee, will I forsake:
6 So we can say confidently [as the Psalmist said], Since the Lord is the one who helps me, I will not be afraid! People can do nothing to me [that will deprive me of God’s blessings] [RHQ].
So that, taking courage, we may be saying—The Lord, hasteth to my cry, —I will not be put in fear: what shall, man, do unto me?
7 Your spiritual leaders used to tell you the message from God [before they died]. Remember how they conducted their lives. By considering (how they died/what resulted from how they lived), imitate how they believed [in Christ/God].
Be mindful of them who are guiding you, who, indeed, have spoken unto you, the word of God: the outgoing of whose behaviour, reviewing, be imitating, their faith.
Jesus Christ, yesterday, and to-day, is the same, —and unto the ages. (aiōn g165)
9 [So], do not let yourselves be diverted {let anything divert you} so that you believe various teachings [that are contrary to God’s truth]. It is good that God acts kindly toward us so that we may be strengthened spiritually. [Obeying rules about] various foods, rules that have not benefited those who obeyed them, will not benefit us.
With teachings, manifold and strange, be not carried aside; for it is, noble, that, with gratitude, should, the heart, be getting confirmed, —not with matters of food, in which, they who are walking, have not been profited.
10 We have [Jesus] [MTY]. All those who continue to observe the Jewish rituals [MTY] of sacrifice have no right to obtain the benefits of his sacrifice [MET].
We have an altar—to eat out of which, they, have no right, who in the tent are doing divine service;
11 After the high priest brings into the most holy place the blood of animals [that they have sacrificed to atone] for sins, the bodies of those animals are burned {they burn the bodies of those animals} outside the camp.
For, in the case of those living creatures, whose blood for sins is carried into the holy place, through means of the high-priest, the bodies of these, are burned up, outside the camp.
12 Similarly, Jesus suffered [and died] outside the gate [of Jerusalem] in order that he might make [us], his people, holy by [offering] his own blood [as a sacrifice to atone for our sins].
Wherefore, Jesus also, that he might hallow the people through means of his own blood, outside the gate, suffered:
13 So, we must abandon [performing Jewish] sacrifices and rituals [MET] [in order to be saved], and let us go to Jesus [to be saved]. As we do that, we must [be willing to] let others reproach us just like people reproached Jesus.
Now, therefore, let us be going forth unto him, outside the camp, his reproach bearing.
14 Here on earth, we believers do not have a city [such as Jerusalem where we must] continually [offer sacrifices] [MET]. Instead, we are waiting for a future [heavenly] city [that will last forever].
For we have not here an abiding city, but, unto that which is to be, are we seeking our way.
15 With [the help of] Jesus, we must continually praise God. That will be something we can sacrifice [to him] [MET] [instead of our sacrificing animals only at specific times]. Specifically, we must say openly [MTY] [that we have trusted] in Christ [MTY].
Through him, let us be offering up a sacrifice of praise, continually, unto God; that is, a fruit of lips confessing unto his name.
16 Be continually [LIT] doing good deeds [for others], and be continually sharing [with others the things you have], because doing things like that will [also] be [as though you are offering] sacrifices that will please God.
But, of the doing good and of fellowship, be not forgetful; for, with such sacrifices as these, is, God, well-pleased.
17 Obey your [spiritual] leaders; do what they tell you, since they are the ones who are looking out for your spiritual welfare [SYN]. [Some day] they will have to stand before God so that he can say if he approves of what they have done. Obey them in order that they can do the work of guarding you joyfully, and not have to do it sadly, because if you cause them to do it sadly, that will certainly not help you at all (OR, they will not be able to help you at all).
Be yielding unto them who are guiding you, and submit yourselves; for they are watching over your souls, as having an account to render, that, with joy the same they may be doing, and not with sighing, —for, unprofitable unto you, were, this.
18 Pray for me. I am certain that I have not done anything that displeases God. I have tried to act honorably [toward you] in every way.
Be praying for us; for we persuade ourselves that an honourable conscience have we, in all things honourably, desiring to behave ourselves.
19 I urge you earnestly to pray that [God] will quickly remove the things that hinder my coming to you.
But, much more abundantly, do I exhort you the same to do, that, more speedily, I may be restored, unto you.
20 Jesus [provides for us], [protects us, and guides us as] a great shepherd does for his sheep [MET]. And God, who gives us [inner] peace, brought our Lord Jesus back to life. By doing that, God ratified his eternal covenant with us by the blood [that flowed from Jesus when he died on the] cross. (aiōnios g166)
But, the God of peace, He that led up from among the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, with the blood of an age-abiding covenant, —our Lord Jesus, (aiōnios g166)
21 So I pray that God will equip you with everything good [that you need in order] that you may do the things that he desires. May he accomplish in our lives whatever he considers pleasing as a result of Jesus Christ [equipping us]. May Jesus Christ be praised forever. (Amen!/May it be so!) (aiōn g165)
Fit you, by every good work, for the doing of his will, doing within us, that which is well-pleasing, before him through Jesus Christ: to whom be the glory, unto the ages of ages. Amen. (aiōn g165)
22 My fellow believers, I appeal to you that you patiently consider [what] I have written in this short letter, to exhort you.
Now I exhort you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, —for, even with brief [words], have I sent unto you.
23 I want you to know that our fellow believer Timothy has been released {[the authorities] have released our fellow believer Timothy} [from prison]. If he comes here soon, he will accompany me when I go to see you.
Know ye that our brother Timothy hath been set at liberty, —with whom, if more speedily he be coming, I will see you.
24 Tell all your [spiritual] leaders and all the [other] fellow believers [in your city] that (I am thinking fondly about them/I am sending them my greetings). The believers [in this area who have come] from Italy [want you to know they] are (thinking about you/sending you their greetings).
Salute all them who are guiding you, and all the saints: they from Italy, salute you.
25 [I pray that] you will continue to experience God’s acting kindly toward you all.
Favour be with you all.
