Hebrews 13
1 Let brotherly love continue.
Continue to love your fellow believers.
2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.
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.
3 Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body.
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.
4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled; but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
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.
5 Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”
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].
6 So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
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].
7 Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith.
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].
Jesus Christ [is] the same now as he was previously, and he will be the same forever. (aiōn g165)
9 Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
[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.
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat.
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].
11 For 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 of the camp.
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.
12 Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate.
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].
13 Let’s therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach.
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.
14 For we don’t have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come.
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].
15 Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name.
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].
16 But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
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.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.
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).
18 Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.
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.
19 I strongly urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you sooner.
I urge you earnestly to pray that [God] will quickly remove the things that hinder my coming to you.
20 Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, (aiōnios g166)
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)
21 make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (aiōn g165)
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)
22 But I exhort you, brothers, endure the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.
My fellow believers, I appeal to you that you patiently consider [what] I have written in this short letter, to exhort you.
23 Know that our brother Timothy has been freed, with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.
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.
24 Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. The Italians greet you.
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).
25 Grace be with you all. Amen.
[I pray that] you will continue to experience God’s acting kindly toward you all.
