Dec 21 - Hebrews 10-11
Hebrews
Chapter 10
1For the law contains the shadow of future good things, not the very image of these things. So, by the very same sacrifices which they offer ceaselessly each year, they can never cause these to approach perfection2Otherwise, they would have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, once cleansed, would no longer be conscious of any sin3Instead, in these things, a commemoration of sins is made every year4For it is impossible for sins to be taken away by the blood of oxen and goats5For this reason, as Christ enters into the world, he says: "Sacrifice and oblation, you did not want. But you have fashioned a body for me6Holocausts for sin were not pleasing to you7Then I said, ‘Behold, I draw near.’ At the head of the book, it has been written of me that I should do your will, O God.8In the above, by saying, "Sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts for sin, you did not want, nor are those things pleasing to you, which are offered according to the law9then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,’ " he takes away the first, so that he may establish what follows10For by this will, we have been sanctified, through the one time oblation of the body of Jesus Christ11And certainly, every priest stands by, ministering daily, and frequently offering the same sacrifices, which are never able to take away sins12But this man, offering one sacrifice for sins, sits at the right hand of God forever13awaiting that time when his enemies will be made his footstool14For, by one oblation, he has brought to fulfillment, for all time, those who are sanctified15Now the Holy Spirit also testifies for us about this. For afterward, he said16"And this is the testament which I will commit to them after those days, says the Lord. I will instill my laws in their hearts, and I will inscribe my laws on their minds17And I will no longer remember their sins and iniquities.18Now, when there is a remission of these things, there is no longer an oblation for sin19And so, brothers, have faith in the entrance into the Holy of Holies by the blood of Christ20and in the new and living Way, which he has initiated for us by the veil, that is, by his flesh21and in the Great Priest over the house of God22So, let us draw near with a true heart, in the fullness of faith, having hearts cleansed from an evil conscience, and bodies absolved with clean water23Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope, without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful24And let us be considerate of one another, so as to prompt ourselves to charity and to good works25not deserting our assembly, as some are accustomed to do, but consoling one another, and even more so as you see that the day is approaching26For if we sin willingly, after receiving knowledge of the truth, there is no sacrifice remaining for sins27but instead, a certain terrible expectation of judgment, and the rage of a fire that shall consume its adversaries28If someone dies for acting against the law of Moses, and is shown no compassion because of two or three witnesses29how much more, do you think, someone would deserve worse punishments, if he has tread upon the Son of God, and has treated the blood of the testament, by which he was sanctified, as unclean, and has acted with disgrace toward the Spirit of grace30For we know that he has said: "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people.31It is dreadful to fall into the hands of the living God32But call to mind the former days, in which, after being enlightened, you endured a great struggle of afflictions33And certainly, in one way, by insults and tribulations, you were made a spectacle, but in another way, you became the companions of those who were the object of such behavior34For you even had compassion on those who were imprisoned, and you accepted with gladness being deprived of your goods, knowing that you have a better and more lasting substance35And so, do not lose your confidence, which has a great reward36For it is necessary for you to be patient, so that, by doing the will of God, you may receive the promise37"For, in a little while, and somewhat longer, he who is to come will return, and he will not delay38For my just man lives by faith. But if he were to draw himself back, he would not please my soul.39So then, we are not sons who are drawn away to perdition, but we are sons of faith toward the securing of the soul
Chapter 11
1Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not apparent2For this reason, the ancients were given testimony3By faith, we understand the world to be fashioned by the Word of God, so that the visible might be made by the invisible4By faith, Abel offered to God a much better sacrifice than that of Cain, through which he obtained testimony that he was just, in that God offered testimony to his gifts. And through that sacrifice, he still speaks to us, though he is dead5By faith, Enoch was transferred, so that he would not see death, and he was not found because God had transferred him. For before he was transferred, he had testimony that he pleased God6But without faith, it is impossible to please God. For whoever approaches God must believe that he exists, and that he rewards those who seek him7By faith, Noah, having accepted an answer about those things which were not yet seen, being afraid, fashioned an ark for the salvation of his house. Through the ark, he condemned the world, and was established as the heir of the justice that occurs through faith8By faith, the one called Abraham obeyed, going out to the place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going9By faith, he stayed in the Land of the Promise as if in a foreign land, dwelling in cottages, with Isaac and Jacob, co-heirs of the same promise10For he was awaiting a city having firm foundations, whose designer and builder is God11By faith also, Sarah herself, being barren, received the ability to conceive offspring, even though she was past that age in life. For she believed him to be faithful, who had promised12Because of this, there were also born, from one who himself was as if dead, a mulititude like the stars of heaven, who are, like the sand of the seashore, innumerable13All of these passed away, adhering to faith, not having received the promises, yet beholding them from afar and saluting them, and confessing themselves to be sojourners and guests upon the earth14For those who speak in this way are themselves indicating that they seek a homeland15And if, indeed, they had been mindful of the very place from which they departed, they certainly would have returned in time16But now they hunger for a better place, that is, Heaven. For this reason, God is not ashamed to be called their God. For he has prepared a city for them17By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered Isaac, so that he who had received the promises was offering up his only son18To him, it was said, "Through Isaac, shall your offspring be summoned,19indicating that God is even able to raise up from the dead. And thus, he also established him as a parable20By faith, also, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, concerning future events21By faith, Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph; and he reverenced the summit of his rod22By faith, Joseph, as he was dying, recalled the departure of the sons of Israel, and gave a commandment concerning his bones23By faith, Moses, after being born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they had seen that he was a graceful infant, and they did not fear the king’s edict24By faith, Moses, after growing up, denied himself a place as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter25choosing to be afflicted with the people of God, rather than to have the pleasantness of sin for a time26valuing the reproach of Christ to be a greater wealth than the treasures of the Egyptians. For he looked forward to his reward27By faith, he abandoned Egypt, not dreading the animosity of the king. For he pressed on, as if seeing him who is unseen28By faith, he celebrated the Passover and the shedding of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn might not touch them29By faith, they crossed the Red Sea, as if on dry land, yet when the Egyptians attempted it, they were swallowed up30By faith, the walls of Jericho collapsed, after being encircled for seven days31By faith, Rahab, the harlot, did not perish with the unbelievers, after receiving the spies with peace32And what should I say next? For time is not sufficient for me to give an account of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the Prophets33those who, by faith, conquered kingdoms, accomplished justice, obtained promises, closed the mouths of lions34extinguished the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered from infirmities, showed strength in battle, turned back the armies of foreigners35Women received their dead by means of resurrection. But others suffered severe punishment, not yet receiving redemption, so that they would find a better resurrection36Truly, others were tested by mocking and lashes, and moreover by chains and imprisonment37They were stoned; they were cut; they were tempted. With the slaughter of the sword, they were killed. They wandered about in sheepskin and in goatskin, in dire need, in anguish afflicted38Of them, the world was not worthy, wandering in solitude on mountains, in the caves and caverns of the earth39And all these, having been proven by the testimony of faith, did not receive the Promise40God’s Providence holds something better for us, so that not without us would they be perfected