1 God, who at sundry
times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he
hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the
worlds;
3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image
of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,
when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right
hand of the Majesty on high;
4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance
obtained a more excellent name than they.
5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art
my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be
to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?
6 And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the
world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits,
and his ministers a flame of fire.
8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever
and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore
God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness
above thy fellows.
10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation
of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
11 They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall
wax old as doth a garment;
12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall
be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.
13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my
right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister
for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Chapter 2
1 Therefore we
ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have
heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression
and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which
at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed
unto us by them that heard him;
4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders,
and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according
to his own will?
5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world
to come, whereof we speak.
6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man,
that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest
him?
7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst
him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works
of thy hands:
8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For
in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing
that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things
put under him.
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels
for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that
he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are
all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain
of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified
are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them
brethren,
12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the
midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold
I and the children which God hath given me.
14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and
blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that
through death he might destroy him that had the power of death,
that is, the devil;
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage.
16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he
took on him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto
his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high
priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for
the sins of the people.
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is
able to succour them that are tempted.
Chapter 3
1 Wherefore, holy
brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle
and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses
was faithful in all his house.
3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses,
inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than
the house.
4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built
all things is God.
5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant,
for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we,
if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope
firm unto the end.
7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear
his voice,
8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day
of temptation in the wilderness:
9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works
forty years.
10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They
do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil
heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day;
lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning
of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden
not your hearts, as in the provocation.
16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all
that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with
them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his
rest, but to them that believed not?
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Chapter 4
1 Let us therefore
fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest,
any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them:
but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with
faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said,
As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest:
although the works were finished from the foundation of the
world.
4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this
wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein,
and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because
of unbelief:
7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day,
after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear
his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward
have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased
from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any
man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than
any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of
soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner
of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his
sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of
him with whom we have to do.
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed
into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with
the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that
we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. |