Sacrifices Pleasing to God

¹Let ubrotherly love continue. ²vDo not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby wsome have entertained angels unawares. ³xRemember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. ⁴yLet marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge zthe sexually immoral and adulterous. ⁵Keep your life afree from love of money, and bbe content with what you have, for he has said, c“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁶So we can confidently say,

d“The Lord is my helper;

eI will not fear;

what can man do to me?”

⁷Remember fyour leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and gimitate their faith. ⁸Jesus Christ is hthe same yesterday and today and forever. ⁹Do not be iled away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, jnot by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. ¹⁰We have an altar kfrom which those who serve the tent1 have no right to eat. ¹¹For lthe bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned moutside the camp. ¹²So Jesus also nsuffered ooutside the gate in order to sanctify the people pthrough his own blood. ¹³Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear qthe reproach he endured. ¹⁴For rhere we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. ¹⁵sThrough him then let us continually offer up ta sacrifice of praise to God, that is, uthe fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. ¹⁶Do not neglect to do good and vto share what you have, for such wsacrifices are pleasing to God.

¹⁷Obey xyour leaders and submit to them, yfor they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to zgive an account. aLet them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

¹⁸bPray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. ¹⁹I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order cthat I may be restored to you the sooner.

Benediction

²⁰Now dmay the God of peace ewho brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, fthe great shepherd of the sheep, by gthe blood of the eternal covenant, ²¹hequip you with everything good that you may do his will, iworking in us2 that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, jto whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

²²I appeal to you, brothers,3 bear with my word of exhortation, for kI have written to you briefly. ²³You should know that lour brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. ²⁴Greet all myour leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. ²⁵nGrace be with all of you.