Dec 19 - Hebrews 1-5
Hebrews
1In many places and in many ways, in past times, God spoke to the fathers through the Prophets2lastly, in these days, he has spoken to us through the Son, whom he appointed as the heir of all things, and through whom he made the world3And since the Son is the brightness of his glory, and the figure of his substance, and is carrying all things by the Word of his virtue, thereby accomplishing a purging of sins, he sits at the right hand of Majesty on high4And having been made so much better than the Angels, he has inherited a name so much greater than theirs5For to which of the Angels has he ever said: "You are my Son; today have I begotten you?" Or again: "I will be a Father to him, and he shall be a Son to me?6And again, when he brings the only-begotten Son into the world, he says: "And let all the Angels of God adore him.7And about the Angels, certainly, he says: "He makes his Angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.8But about the Son: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of equity9You have loved justice, and you have hated iniquity. Because of this, God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of exultation, above your companions.10And: "In the beginning, O Lord, you founded the earth. And the heavens are the work of your hands11These shall pass away, but you will remain. And all will grow old like a garment12And you will change them like a cloak, and they shall be changed. Yet you are ever the same, and your years will not diminish.13But to which of the Angels has he ever said: "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool?14Are they not all spirits of ministration, sent to minister for the sake of those who shall receive the inheritance of salvation
1For this reason, it is necessary for us to observe more thoroughly the things that we have heard, lest we let them slip away2For if a word that was spoken through the Angels has been made firm, and every transgression and disobedience has received the recompense of a just retribution3in what way might we escape, if we neglect such a great salvation? For though initially it had begun to be described by the Lord, it was confirmed among us by those who heard him4with God testifying to it by signs and wonders, and by various miracles, and by the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, in accord with his own will5For God did not subject the future world, about which we are speaking, to the Angels6But someone, in a certain place, has testified, saying: "What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the Son of man, that you visit him7You have reduced him to a little less than the Angels. You have crowned him with glory and honor, and you have set him over the works of your hands8You have subjected all things under his feet." For in as much as he has subjected all things to him, he has left nothing not subject to him. But in the present time, we do not yet perceive that all things have been made subject to him9Yet we understand that Jesus, who was reduced to a little less than the Angels, was crowned with glory and honor because of his Passion and death, in order that, by the grace of God, he might taste death for all10For it was fitting for him, because of whom and through whom all things exist, who had led many children into glory, to complete the authorship of their salvation through his Passion11For he who sanctifies, and those who are sanctified, are all from One. For this reason, he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying12"I will announce your name to my brothers. In the midst of the Church, I will praise you.13And again: "I will be faithful in him." And again: "Behold, I and my children, whom God has given to me.14Therefore, because children have a common flesh and blood, he himself also, in like manner, has shared in the same, so that through death, he might destroy him who held the dominion of death, that is, the devil15and so that he might free those who, through the fear of death, had been condemned to servitude throughout their entire life16For at no time did he take hold of the Angels, but instead he took hold of the offspring of Abraham17Therefore, it is fitting for him to be made similar to his brothers in all things, so that he might become a merciful and faithful High Priest before God, in order that he might bring forgiveness to the offenses of the people18For in as much as he himself has suffered and has been tempted, he also is able to assist those who are tempted
1Therefore, holy brothers, sharers in the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus2He is faithful to the One who made him, just as Moses also was, with his entire house3For this Jesus was considered worthy of greater glory than Moses, so much so that the house which he has built holds a greater honor than the former one4For every house is built by someone, but God is the One who has created all things5And certainly Moses was faithful, with his entire house, like any servant, as a testimony to those things that would soon be said6Yet truly, Christ is like a Son in his own house. We are that house, if we firmly retain the faithfulness and the glory of hope, even unto the end7Because of this, it is just as the Holy Spirit says: "If today you hear his voice8harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, the very day of temptation, in the desert9where your fathers tested me, even though they had seen and examined my works for forty years10For this reason, I was enraged against this generation, and I said: They always wander astray in heart. For they have not known my ways11So it is as I swore in my wrath: They shall not enter into my rest!12Be cautious, brothers, lest perhaps there may be, in any of you, an evil heart of unbelief, turning aside from the living God13Instead, exhort one another every day, while it is still called ‘today,’ so that none of you may become hardened through the falseness of sin14For we have been made participants in Christ. This is only so, if we firmly retain the beginning of his substance, even unto the end15For it has been said: "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts, in the same manner as in the former provocation.16For some of those listening did provoke him. But not all of these had set forth from Egypt through Moses17So against whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not those who had sinned, whose dead bodies lay prostrate in the desert18But to whom did he swear that they would not enter into his rest, except to those who were incredulous19And so, we perceive that they were not able to enter because of unbelief
1Therefore, we should be afraid, lest the promise of entering into his rest may be relinquished, and some of you may be judged to be lacking2For this was announced to us in a similar manner as to them. But the mere hearing of the word did not benefit them, since it was not joined together with a faith in those things that they heard3For we who have believed shall enter into rest, in the same manner as he said: "So it is as I have sworn in my wrath: They shall not enter into my rest!" And certainly, this is when the works from the foundation of the world have been finished4For, in a certain place, he spoke about the seventh day in this manner: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.5And in this place again: "They shall not enter into my rest!6Therefore, this is because certain ones remain who are to enter into it, and those to whom it was announced first did not enter into it, because of unbelief7Again, he defines a certain day, after so much time, saying in David, "Today," just as it was stated above, "If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.8For if Jesus had offered them rest, he would never have spoken, afterward, about another day9And so, there remains a Sabbath of rest for the people of God10For whoever has entered into his rest, the same has also rested from his works, just as God did from his11Therefore, let us hasten to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall into the same example of unbelief12For the Word of God is living and effective: more piercing than any two-edged sword, reaching to the division even between the soul and the spirit, even between the joints and the marrow, and so it discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart13And there is no created thing that is invisible to his sight. For all things are naked and open to the eyes of him, about whom we are speaking14Therefore, since we have a great High Priest, who has pierced the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, we should hold to our confession15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to have compassion on our infirmities, but rather one who was tempted in all things, just as we are, yet without sin16Therefore, let us go forth with confidence toward the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy, and find grace, in a helpful time
1For every high priest, having been taken from among men, is appointed on behalf of men toward the things which pertain to God, so that he may offer gifts and sacrifices on behalf of sins2he is able to commiserate with those who are ignorant and who wander astray, because he himself is also encompassed by infirmity3And because of this, he also must make such offerings for sins even for himself, in the same manner as for the people4Neither does anyone take up this honor himself, but rather he who is called by God, just as Aaron was5Thus, even Christ did not glorify himself, so as to become High Priest, but instead, it was God who said to him: "You are my Son. Today I have begotten you.6And similarly, he says in another place: "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.7It is Christ who, in the days of his flesh, with a strong cry and tears, offered prayers and supplications to the One who was able to save him from death, and who was heard because of his reverence8And although, certainly, he is the Son of God, he learned obedience by the things that he suffered9And having reached his consummation, he was made, for all who are obedient to him, the cause of eternal salvation10having been called by God to be the High Priest, according to the order of Melchizedek11Our message about him is great, and difficult to explain when speaking, because you have been made feeble when listening12For even though it is the time when you ought to be teachers, you are still lacking, so that you must be taught the things that are the basic elements of the Word of God, and so you have been made like those who are in need of milk, and not of solid food13For anyone who is still feeding on milk is still unskillful in the Word of Justice; for he is like an infant14But solid food is for those who are mature, for those who, by practice, have sharpened their mind, so as to discern good from evil