Hebrews, 13
1. Continue to love each other like brothers,
2. and remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this, some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
3. Keep in mind those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; and those who are being badly treated, since you too are in the body.
4. Marriage must be honoured by all, and marriages must be kept undefiled, because the sexually immoral and adulterers will come under God's judgement.
5. Put avarice out of your lives and be content with whatever you have; God himself has said: I shall not fail you or desert you,
6. and so we can say with confidence: With the Lord on my side, I fear nothing: what can human beings do to me?
7. Remember your leaders, who preached the word of God to you, and as you reflect on the outcome of their lives, take their faith as your model.
8. Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and as he will be for ever.
9. Do not be led astray by all sorts of strange doctrines: it is better to rely on grace for inner strength than on food, which has done no good to those who concentrate on it.
10. We have our own altar from which those who serve the Tent have no right to eat.
11. The bodies of the animals whose blood is taken into the sanctuary by the high priest for the rite of expiation are burnt outside the camp,
12. and so Jesus too suffered outside the gate to sanctify the people with his own blood.
13. Let us go to him, then, outside the camp, and bear his humiliation.
14. There is no permanent city for us here; we are looking for the one which is yet to be.
15. Through him, let us offer God an unending sacrifice of praise, the fruit of the lips of those who acknowledge his name.
16. Keep doing good works and sharing your resources, for these are the kinds of sacrifice that please God.
17. Obey your leaders and give way to them; they watch over your souls because they must give an account of them; make this a joy for them to do, and not a grief -- you yourselves would be the losers.
18. Pray for us; we are sure that our own conscience is clear and we are certainly determined to behave honourably in everything we do.
19. I ask you very particularly to pray that I may come back to you all the sooner.
20. I pray that the God of peace, who brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood that sealed an eternal covenant,
21. may prepare you to do his will in every kind of good action; effecting in us all whatever is acceptable to himself through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
22. I urge you, brothers, to take these words of encouragement kindly; that is why I have written to you briefly.
23. I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been set free. If he arrives in time, he will be with me when I see you.
24. Greetings to all your leaders and to all God's holy people. God's holy people in Italy send you greetings.
25. Grace be with you all.