Sacrifices Pleasing to God

1Continue in brotherly love.

2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by showing hospitality some have hosted angels without knowing it.

3Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them. Also remember those who are mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering with them.

4Marriage must be held in honor by all, and the marriage bed must be kept pure, ⁵⁷but God will judge fornicators and adulterers.

5Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for God has said, “I will never leave yoʋ or forsake yoʋ.”

6So we can say with confidence,
“The Lord is my ⁵⁸helper,
so I will not fear anything that man might do to me.”

7Remember your leaders, who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their conduct, and imitate their faith.

8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

9Do not be carried ⁵⁹away by various kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by regulations about food, which have not benefited those who follow them.

10We have an altar from which those who serve in the tabernacle have no right to eat.

11For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp.

12So Jesus also suffered outside the city gate in order to sanctify the people by his own blood.

13Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.

14For here we do not have a lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

15Through ⁶⁰Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.

16Do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

17Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who must give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no benefit to you.

18Pray for us, for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, desiring to live honorably in every way.

19I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you more quickly.

Benediction

20Now may the God of peace, who by the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep,

21equip you in every good ⁶¹work so that you may do his will. May he accomplish in ⁶²you what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever ⁶³and ever. Amen.

22Now I urge you, brothers, to bear with this brief word of exhortation that I have written to you.

23You should know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon, he will be with me when I see you.

24Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who are from Italy greet you.

25Grace be with you all. ⁶⁴Amen. ⁶⁵