1   Never cease to love your fellow-Christians.

2   Remember to show hospitality. There are some who, by so doing, have entertained angels without knowing it.

3   Remember those in prison as if you were there with them; and those who are being maltreated, for you like them are still in the world.

4   Marriage is honourable; let us all keep it so, and the marriage-bond inviolate; for God's judgement will fall on fornicators and adulterers.

5   Do not live for money; be content with what you have; for God himself has said, ‘I will never leave you or desert you’; 6   and so we can take courage and say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not fear; what can man do to me?’

A call to faith

7   Remember your leaders, those who first spoke God's message to you; and reflecting upon the outcome of their life and work, follow the example of their faith.

8    9   Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever. So do not be swept off your course by all sorts of outlandish teachings; it is good that our souls should gain their strength from the grace of God, and not from scruples about what we eat, which have never done any good to those who were governed by them.

10   Our altar is one from which ^note the priests of the sacred tent have no right to eat. 11   As you know, those animals whose blood is brought as a sin-offering by the high priest into the sanctuary, have their bodies burnt outside the camp, 12   and therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, to consecrate the people by his own blood. 13   Let us then go to him outside the camp, bearing the stigma that he bore. 14   For here we have no permanent home, but we are seekers after the city which is to come. 15   Through Jesus, then, let us continually offer up to God the sacrifice of praise, that is, the tribute of lips which acknowledge his name, 16   and never forget to show kindness and to share what you have with others; for such are the sacrifices which God approves.

17   Obey your leaders and defer to them; for they are tireless in their concern for you, as men who must render an account. Let it be a happy task for them, and not pain and grief, for that would bring you no advantage.

18   Pray for us; for we are convinced that our conscience is clear; our one desire is always to do what is right. 19   All the more earnestly I ask for your prayers, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

20   May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21   make you perfect in all goodness so that you may do his will; and may he make of us what he would have us be through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever! Amen.

22   I beg you, brothers, bear with this exhortation; for it is after all a short letter. 23   I have news for you: our friend Timothy has been released; and if he comes in time he will be with me when I see you.

24   Greet all your leaders and all God's people. Greetings to you from our Italian friends.

25   God's grace be with you all!

Previous section