They profess to know God, but in works deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every thing that is good void of understanding.

that aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in the faith, in love, in patience:

the aged women likewise in behaviour as becometh saints, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of that which is good;

that they may instruct the young women to be temperate, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be prudent,

chaste, keepers at home, good, submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be evil spoken of.

in all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works, with uncorruptness in teaching, gravity, sound doctrine that cannot be condemned;

that he who opposeth it may be ashamed, having no evil to say of you.

not answering frowardly, not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

For the grace of God, that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men;

teaching us that denying ungodliness, and worldly desires, we should live soberly, and righteously, and piously in this present world;

who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

These things speak, and exhort; and reprove offenders with all authority: that none may despise thee.

that being justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

This is a word which ought to believed and observed, and concerning these things I would have thee stedfastly affirm, that they who have believed in God be careful to excel in good works: for these things are good and profitable to men.

reject therefore such an heretical man, after the first and second admonition; knowing that such a one is perverted,

Forward Zenas the lawyer, and Apollos, on their journey carefully, that nothing may be wanting to them.

And let our brethren-also learn to excel in good works for necessary exigencies, that they may not be unfruitful.

All that are with me salute thee. Salute them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.

that the communication of thy faith may become effectual in the acknowledgement of all the good that is in you towards Christ Jesus:

Whom I would gladly have kept with me, that he might have ministered unto me as thou wouldst have done, in the bonds of the gospel.

But I would do nothing without thy knowledge, that thy kindness might not be as it were forced, but voluntary.

For perhaps he was therefore parted from thee for a season, that thou mightest receive him for ever:

I Paul have written it with my own hand, I will pay it: not to say that thou indeed owest even thy own self to me.

Being fully persuaded of thy compliance, I have written to thee; knowing that thou wilt indeed do more than I ask.

But I must add, prepare me also a lodging; for I hope that through your prayers I shall be restored to you.

how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which began to be declared by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by them that heard Him;

But one in a certain place hath testified, saying, "What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest Him?

But we see Jesus, who was made for a little while lower than the angels, in order to suffer death, that by the grace of God He might taste death for every man, crowned with glory and honor.

since He that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one. For which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren,

Seeing then the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself in like manner partook of them; that by death He might destroy him that had the empire of death, that is, the devil:

Whence it behoved Him to be made in all things like unto his brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high-priest in the things concerning God, to make atonement for the sins of the people:

for as He himself hath suffered, in being tempted, He is able to succour those that are tempted.

who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as Moses also was in all his house.

wherefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, They are always erring in their heart, and they have not known my ways:

but exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day; that none of you may be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin:

harden not your hearts, as in the provocation." For some that heard did provoke; but not all that came out of Egypt with Moses.

But with whom was He provoked forty years? was it not with those that sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?

and to whom did He swear that they should not enter into his rest, but to those that were disobedient?

and so we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

for we are graciously offered it, as they also were. But the word, which they heard, did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Seeing therefore it remaineth that some are to enter into it, and they to whom it was at first offered did not enter because of their unbelief,

for he that is entered into his rest, hath also himself ceased from his works, as God did from his.

Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, least any one fall after the same example of unbelief.

Having therefore a great high-priest, that is passed into the heavens, even Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession:

Let us therefore come with freedom to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace for our seasonable help.

For every high-priest taken from among men, is appointed for the sake of men in things relating to God, that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins:

who can have due compassion on the ignorant and those that are going astray; seeing he himself also is surrounded with infirmity:

And no one taketh this honor to himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself to be made an high-priest; but He that said unto Him, "Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee."

Who in the days of his flesh, offered prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, to Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in what He feared;

He became the author of eternal salvation to all that obey Him:

For every one that wanteth milk, is unacquainted with the doctrine of justification; for he is an infant:

for it is impossible that those,

For as the earth, which imbibeth the rain that is frequently coming upon it, and produceth herbs fit for those by whom it is cultivated, receiveth a blessing from God:

but that which bringeth forth thorns and briars, is rejected and near to a curse, (whose end is burning) so are they.

But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak for your caution.

And we desire that every one of you would shew the same diligence to acquire the full assurance of hope even unto the end:

that ye would not be sluggish, but imitators of them who through faith and patience are inheriting the promises.

that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to fail, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us;

And those indeed of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment according to the law to take tithes of the people, that is, of their brethren, though they came out of the loins of Abraham:

but he, whose pedigree is not reckoned among them, took tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

besides, here men that die receive tithes; but there he of whom it is testified that he liveth.

Now if perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law) what farther need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchisedec, and not after the order of Aaron?

For it is evident that our Lord sprang from Judah, as to which tribe Moses spake nothing about the priesthood.

And it is yet more abundantly evident, that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

but He, because He abideth for ever, hath a priesthood that passeth not to any other:

wherefore also He is able to save to the uttermost, those that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Now the sum of the things that have been said is this, that we have such an high-priest, who is sat down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens;

For every high-priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it was necessary that He also should have something to offer.

For if He were on earth, He could not be a priest, seeing there are priests already that offer gifts according to the law:

who worship under the representation and shadow of heavenly things; as Moses was ordered by God, when he was about to finish the tabernacle. For see, saith He, that thou make all according to the model shewn thee in the mount.

as we see there was, for after complaining of them, He adds, "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their mind, and I will inscribe them on their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.

and the ark of the covenant which was overlaid all round with gold, and in which was the golden pot with the manna in it, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

but into the second only the high-priest went once a year; and that not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the sins of the people committed through ignorance.

The Holy Ghost shewing by this, that the way into the Holy of holies was not yet manifested, the first tabernacle being yet standing.

Which figure remains to the present time, wherein gifts and sacrifices are offered, that cannot perfect the worshipper as to his conscience,

But Christ being come an high-priest of the good things to come, hath entered once for all into the holy places, through a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this building,

how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself spotless to God, purify your conscience from dead works, that ye may serve the living God?

And on this account He is the mediator of a new covenant, that undergoing death for the redemption of transgressions against the first covenant, they that are called might receive the promise of an eternal inheritance.

It was therefore necessary that the representations of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with more excellent sacrifices than these.

For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

"Lo I come to do thy will, O God." (He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second.)

For by one offering He hath perfected for ever those that are sanctified.

for after He had said, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and on their minds will I inscribe them;

the new and living way which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say,

If any one that violateth the law of Moses, dieth without mercy under two or three witnesses,

for ye sympathized with me in my bonds, and ye took joyfully the plundering of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

For ye have need of patience, that having done the will of God ye may receive the promise.

For yet a little while, and He, that is coming, will come, and will not delay:

But we are not of those who withdraw to perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, for the things which are seen were not made of things which appear.

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God bearing witness to his gifts: and by it, though dead, he yet speaketh.

By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God:

whereas without faith it is impossible to please Him; for he that cometh to God must believe, that He is, and is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

So that there descended even from one, and him in a manner dead, a posterity like the stars of heaven for multitude, and as the sand on the sea shore, innumerable.

These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but seen them from afar, and been persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth.

Now they that say such things shew plainly that they are seeking their own country:

and if they had been mindful of that from which they came, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

But they desire a better, that is, an heavenly one; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city.