1 Let love of the brethren continue.
2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
3 Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.
4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”
6 so that we confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”
7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
9 Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp.
12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.
15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.
19 And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.
20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord,
21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
22 But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.
23 Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you.
24 Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from
25 Grace be with you all.
“Let love of the brethren continue.” Do not fail to love your brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus died for the church and we should love the church second only to Christ. Continue to suffer for the church – do not go weary in doing good for the body. Continue to care for the prisoners and for the weak. Love them as you would want to be loved and love them as Christ loved us – sacrificing His own life for His bride.
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Be a person who is hospitable to strangers. Anyone can love and be giving to a friend, but Christ has called us to show kindness to the stranger. By this you are giving a testimony to the world that Christ is no respecters of persons, but that the offer of grace is for all. So be like Christ and be kind to everyone, even those who persecute you and hate you. For by being kind to strangers, some will entertain angels whom God has sent for His purposes. You never know who that stranger might be – so show kindness and hospitality to all.
“Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.” Care for the prisoners. Help them in their needs and think of them as if you were right beside them. Think of the loneliness you would feel. Think of the pains of the beating. Think of the sorrows of missing your family. Think of them always and the stress and pain that you would endure so that you care for them more. Love them and care for them. And remember that they are apart of your body. When a member of a body is hurt the whole body is weakened. So care for them and also for those who are mistreated that they might be strengthened and thus the whole body strengthened.
“Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” Marriage is good and a gift of God. However, keep the marriage bed undefiled. Guard yourselves and know the weaknesses of the flesh and the temptation of the devil. Keep yourself from all wickedness. Help the single remain strong and pure and pray for the married that the devil might not allow them to grow weak. Remember that marriage is to be a picture of Christ and His church – guard it with everything you have.
“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,’ so that we confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?’” The Lord is good and kind and gives us all we need. Therefore do not be bitter when you see the wicked man who has much. Do not long for money and make it your God that you might have abundance and security. But give thanks to God for what He has given you. Remain content with what you have, even if little. Remember that this world is but a vapor, the end is quickly approaching and all of this will be wiped away. Treasure that which can never be taken from you – which is Christ your God. “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25-26). Christ has given us the greatest gift we could ever imagine. He has given us Himself. In Matthews 28 He commissions His people to go and gives us this promise, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (20). He is with you. Why would you desire anything else in this world? So don’t strive and work for riches, but strive and long for Christ. Glorify God by showing that all in this world is vain, but Christ is glorious. Live in such a way that people will see that your heart is not set on the things of this world, but your heart is set on the things in heaven. Glorify God by not striving for money and working for a better life, but by giving thanks for what you have and being willing to turn from this world and live a life of suffering and afflictions for the sake of the name – that the name of Christ might be glorified in all the earth.
“Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.” Give thanks to God for those whom He placed over you. Remember them and pray for them who led you in this live that you might find Him and live for His glory. Praise God for those who spoke the word of God to you. If they are still alive give praise and thanks to them. Remember the life they lived. Remember how it was honorable and good and glorifying to Christ. Imitate them that you might be worthy as they were. And imitate their faith, a faith that trusted in Christ above all things and endured to the end.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.” Jesus is the same today as He was a hundred years ago. He will never change. So do not be carried away by ever new and strange teaching. Keep your heart steadfast on the things that have been taught to you. And it is good for your heart to be strengthened by grace, but do not think of foods as a means to gain strength. No food can give courage to your heart when it is weak. No food can help you live better today than it did yesterday. But seek grace – approach the throne of grace that you might find help in time of need. It is by grace that you are saved, so long for God and for His grace and do not try to use anything of this world to strengthen you.
“We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.” And to not consider yourself apart of the Old Covenant community, because we have a better alter and a better sacrifice to eat from. They bring goats and calves, but we have the Son of the Living God. And just as the animals were taken outside the camp to be offered, so was Christ. He did not suffer His reproach from within, but was forced out.
“So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Let us go outside the camp where we are left vulnerable. Go with Him to where there is shame and reproach. Do not seek for yourself a place of comfort and ease, but see the lasting city which is to come. Do not try to make this world a paradise, but live in the hardest parts of this world that those who have never heard of Christ might know Him and find grace in His sight and that He might be seen as glorious among the nations. Do not make this world look like heaven, but show that you are longing for heaven by giving praise to God and doing good for all men, even – especially when it makes life hard on you.
“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.” Obey your elders and submit to their authority. They will one day stand before the God of this world and will give an account for the words they have spoken and the actions they have made. So honor them as men of a high position. And let them serve as your leader with joy and not grief. Don’t make life on them hard, but give them many reasons for praise to God because of you. There is no good in you making life hard on your elders, so live in such a way that you make them happy and they are encouraged by you.
“Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.” Pray for those who are about the Lord’s work. Ask God to increase their ministry and for Him to guide their footsteps.
”Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” Oh, how might we long that God would work in us to do what is pleasing in His sight. How blessed we are that He gave His only Son to die for us that we might be brought into the New and Eternal Covenant. Might He bless us to make up apt for every good work He has prepared for us that we might living for Him and that be would receive glory forever and ever.
“But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from
“Grace be with you all.”
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