Bible in 90 Days

1 ¶ God, having spoken many times and in many ways in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

² has in these last times spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the ages;

³ who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his substance and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

⁴ ¶ being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

⁵ For unto which of the angels did he say at any time, Thou art my Son, this day I have begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

⁶ And again, when he brought in the firstbegotten into the world, he said, And let all the angels of God worship him.

⁷ And of the angels he said, Who makes his angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire.

⁸ But unto the Son he said, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a rod of equity is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

⁹ Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore, God, even thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

¹⁰ And Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

¹¹ they shall perish; but thou dost remain; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

¹² and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall never fail.

¹³ But to which of the angels did he say at any time, Sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

¹⁴ Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth in service for the love of those who are the heirs of saving health?

2 ¶ Therefore, it is necessary that we with more diligence keep the things which we have heard, so that we do not fall.

² For if the word spoken by the ministry of angels was steadfast and every rebellion and disobedience received a just recompense of reward,

³ how shall we escape, if we belittle such great saving health? Which, having begun to be published by the Lord, has been confirmed unto us by those that heard him,

⁴ God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders and with diverse miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit, distributing them according to his own will.

⁵ ¶ For unto the angels he has not subjected the world to come, of which we speak.

⁶ But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou dost visit him?

⁷ Thou didst make him a little lower than the angels; thou didst crown him with glory and honour and didst set him over the works of thy hands.

⁸ Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not see yet that all things are put under him.

⁹ But we see this same Jesus, crowned with glory and honour, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

¹⁰ ¶ For it was expedient that he, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, preparing to bring forth many sons in his glory, should perfect the author of their saving health through sufferings.

¹¹ For both he that sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

¹² saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee.

¹³ And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God has given me.

¹⁴ ¶ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the empire of death, that is, the devil,

¹⁵ and deliver those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to slavery.

¹⁶ For verily he did not take the angels, but he took the seed of Abraham.

¹⁷ Therefore in all things he should be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.

¹⁸ For in that he himself has suffered and was tempted, he is also powerful to help those that are tempted.

3 ¶ Therefore, brethren, saints, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus,

² who was faithful to him that appointed him over all his house, as also Moses was faithful.

³ For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who has built the house has more honour than the house.

⁴ For every house is built by someone, but he that created all things is God.

⁵ And Moses verily was faithful over all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after,

⁶ but Christ as a son over his own house, which house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the glorious hope firmly until the end.

⁷ ¶ Therefore, as the Holy Spirit saith, Today if ye will hear his voice,

⁸ harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

⁹ Where your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

¹⁰ Therefore, I was indignant with that generation and said, They do always err from their heart, and they have not known my ways.

¹¹ So I swore in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.

¹² Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unfaithfulness, to depart from the living God.

¹³ But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

¹⁴ For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;

¹⁵ while it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

¹⁶ For some of those that came out of Egypt with Moses, when they had heard, did provoke; howbeit not all.

¹⁷ But with whom was he indignant forty years? Was it not with those that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?

¹⁸ And to whom he swore that they should not enter into his rest, but to those that disobeyed?

¹⁹ So we see that they could not enter in because of their unbelief.

4 ¶ Let us, therefore, fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

² For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them, but it did not profit those that heard the word without mixing it with faith.

³ (For we who have believed do enter into the rest) as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

⁴ For he spoke in a certain place of the seventh day like this, And God rested the seventh day from all his works.

⁵ And in this place again, They shall not enter into my rest.

⁶ Seeing, therefore, it remains that some must enter therein, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter in because of disobedience;

⁷ Again, he determines a certain day, saying, Today, by David so long a time afterward; as it is said, Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

⁸ For if Joshua had given them rest, then he would not afterward have spoken of another day.

⁹ There remains therefore a rest {Gr. Sabbatismos} for the people of God.

¹⁰ For he that is entered into his rest, he also has ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

¹¹ ¶ Let us therefore make haste to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.

¹² For the word of God is alive and efficient and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

¹³ Neither is there any created thing that is not manifested in his presence, but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him of whom we speak.

¹⁴ Having, therefore, a great high priest who penetrated the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast this profession of our hope.

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

¹⁶ Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of his grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

5 ¶ For every high priest is taken from among men, constituted on behalf of men in things relating to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins,

² who can have compassion on the ignorant and on those that are in error; for he himself is also compassed with weakness.

³ And by reason of this he ought, as for the people so also for himself, to offer for sins.

⁴ And no one takes this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

⁵ So also the Christ did not glorify himself to make himself high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son; today have I begotten thee.

⁶ As he said also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

⁷ Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, was heard because of his reverent fear;

⁸ although he was the Son of God, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered;

⁹ and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal saving health unto all those that hearken unto him,

¹⁰ ¶ named by God high priest after the order of Melchisedec.

¹¹ Of whom we have many things to say and difficult to declare, seeing ye are hard of hearing.

¹² For you should now be teaching others, if we look at the time, yet you need to be taught again which are the first elements of the oracles of God and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong food.

¹³ For any one that uses milk is not qualified in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

¹⁴ But strong food belongs to those that are perfect, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

6 ¶ Therefore, leaving now the word of the beginning of the establishment of the Christ, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from works of death, and of faith in God,

² of the doctrine of the baptisms, and of the laying on of hands, and of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

³ And this we will indeed do, if God permits.

⁴ For it is impossible that those who once received the light and tasted of that heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit

⁵ and likewise have tasted the good word of God and the virtue of the age to come,

⁶ and have backslidden, be renewed again by repentance, crucifying again for themselves the Son of God and putting him to an open shame.

⁷ For the earth which drinks in the rain that comes often upon it and brings forth herbs in season for those by whom it is dressed receives blessing from God;

⁸ but that which bears thorns and briers is rejected and is near unto cursing, whose end shall be by fire.

⁹ ¶ But, beloved, we expect better things than these of you, things near unto saving health, though we thus speak.

¹⁰ For God is not unjust to forget your work and labour of charity which ye have showed in his name, having helped the saints and helping them.

¹¹ But we desire that each one of you show the same diligence until the end for the fulfillment of your hope,

¹² that ye not become slothful, but imitators of those who by faith and patience inherit the promises.

¹³ For when God promised unto Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swore by himself,

¹⁴ saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee.

¹⁵ And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

¹⁶ For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all controversy.

¹⁷ In which God, desiring to show more abundantly unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath,

¹⁸ that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us,

¹⁹ which we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters even into that which is within the veil,

²⁰ where our precursor, Jesus, has entered for us and is made high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

7 ¶ For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,

² to whom Abraham also gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace;

³ without father, without mother, without lineage, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God; abides a priest continually.

⁴ Now consider how great this one was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

⁵ And verily those that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they also have come out of the loins of Abraham;

⁶ but he whose descent is not counted in those took tithes from Abraham and blessed him that had the promises.

⁷ And without any contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

⁸ In the same manner, here men that die take tithes; but there he received them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.

⁹ And as I may so say, Levi also, who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham.

¹⁰ For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

¹¹ ¶ If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec and not be called after the order of Aaron?

¹² For the priesthood being transposed, there is made of necessity a translation also of the law.

¹³ For he of whom these things are spoken pertains to another tribe, of which no one presided at the altar.

¹⁴ For it is manifest that our Lord sprang out of Juda, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning priesthood.

¹⁵ And it is yet far more manifest: if there arises another priest who is like unto Melchisedec,

¹⁶ who is not made according to the law of a carnal commandment, but by the virtue of an indissoluble life;

¹⁷ for the testimony is of this manner, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

¹⁸ For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness of it;

¹⁹ for the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by which we draw near unto God.

²⁰ And even more, inasmuch as it is not without an oath

²¹ (for the others indeed without an oath were made priests, but this one with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord swore and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec);

²² by so much better testament is Jesus made surety.

²³ And the others, truly, were many priests because they were not able to continue by reason of death:

²⁴ but this man, because he continues forever, has the intransmissible priesthood.

²⁵ Therefore he is able also to save to the uttermost those that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.

²⁶ For it was expedient that we have such a high priest, who is holy, innocent, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens,

²⁷ who needs not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins and then for the people’s; for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

²⁸ For the law makes men high priests who have weakness; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, has made perfect a Son forever.

8 ¶ Now of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum: We have such a high priest who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

² a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

³ For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; therefore, it is also necessary that this one have something to offer.

⁴ For if he were on earth, he should not even be a priest, being present still the other priests that offer gifts according to the law,

⁵ (who serve as an example and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed unto thee in the mount);

⁶ ¶ but now a more excellent ministry is his, in that he is the mediator of a better testament, which was established upon better promises.

⁷ For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place should have been sought for the second.

⁸ For finding fault with them, he said, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new testament with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,

⁹ not according to the testament that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my testament, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

¹⁰ For this is the testament that I will ordain to the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will give my laws into their soul and write them upon their hearts, and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

¹¹ and no one shall teach his neighbour nor anyone his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

¹² For I will reconcile their iniquities and their sins, and their iniquities I will remember no more.

¹³ In that he says, New, he has made the first old. Now that which decays and waxes old is ready to vanish away.

9 ¶ Nevertheless the first had its justifications of worship and its worldly sanctuary.

² For there was a tabernacle made: the first, in which was the lampstand and the table and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary.

³ And after the second veil was the tabernacle which is called the holy of holies,

⁴ which had a golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, in which was the golden urn that had the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the testament,

⁵ and over it the cherubim of glory shadowing the seat of reconciliation, of which we cannot now speak particularly.

⁶ Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

⁷ But into the second the high priest went alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for his own ignorance, and for that of the people:

⁸ ¶ The Holy Spirit signifying in this, that the way into the sanctuary was not yet made manifest, as long as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

⁹ Which was a figure of that time present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience,

¹⁰ but in foods and drinks and different washings and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of correction.

¹¹ But Christ being now come, high priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation,

¹² neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the sanctuary designed for eternal redemption.

¹³ For if the blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh,

¹⁴ how much more shall the blood of the Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from the works of death to serve the living God?

¹⁵ ¶ And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, so that death intervening for the redemption of the rebellions that took place under the first testament, those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

¹⁶ For where a testament is, there must also of necessity intervene the death of the testator.

¹⁷ For a testament is confirmed by the death: otherwise it is not valid as long as the testator lives.

¹⁸ From which came that not even the first one was dedicated without blood.

¹⁹ For when Moses had read every commandment of the law to all the people, taking the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, he sprinkled both the book and all the people,

²⁰ saying, This is the blood of the testament which God has commanded unto you.

²¹ Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry.

²² And almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

²³ ¶ So that it was necessary that the figures of the heavenly things should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

²⁴ For Christ is not entered into the sanctuary made with hands (which is a figure of the true), but into the heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us,

²⁵ nor yet that he should offer himself many times (as the high priest enters into the sanctuary each year with blood that is not his own);

²⁶ otherwise it would have been necessary for him to suffer many times since the foundation of the world; but now once in the consummation of the ages he has appeared to abolish sin by the sacrifice of himself.

²⁷ And as it is appointed unto men to die once, and after this the judgment;

²⁸ so also the Christ is offered once to take away the sins of many; and unto those that wait for him without sin he shall appear the second time unto saving health.

10 ¶ For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never make perfect those who come by the same sacrifices which they offer year by year continually.

² Otherwise, they would cease to offer them, because those that sacrifice, once purged, would have no more conscience of sin.

³ But in these sacrifices each year the same remembrance of sins is made.

⁴ For the blood of bulls and of goats cannot take away sins.

⁵ Therefore when he came into the world, he said, Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire, but a body hast thou prepared me;

⁶ in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

⁷ ¶ Then said I, Behold, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God.

⁸ Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou dost not desire, neither hadst pleasure therein, which are offered by the law;

⁹ then he said, Behold, I come to do thy will, O God. He took away the first, that he may establish the second.

¹⁰ In this will, we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus, the Christ, once for all.

¹¹ And so every priest stands daily ministering and offering many times the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,

¹² but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, is seated at the right hand of God,

¹³ waiting for that which follows, that is, until his enemies are made his footstool.

¹⁴ For by one offering he has perfected for ever those that are sanctified.

¹⁵ Likewise the Holy Spirit gives us the same witness, who afterwards said,

¹⁶ This is the testament that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will give my laws in their hearts, and in their souls will I write them;

¹⁷ and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

¹⁸ Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

¹⁹ ¶ Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus,

²⁰ by a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

²¹ and having that great priest over the house of God,

²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts purified from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water;

²³ let us hold fast the profession of our hope without wavering (for he is faithful that promised).

²⁴ And let us consider one another to provoke unto charity and unto good works,

²⁵ not forsaking our gathering together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more, when ye see that day approaching.

²⁶ For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,

²⁷ but a certain fearful hope of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

²⁸ He that despised the law of Moses died without mercy under two or three witnesses:

²⁹ Of how much greater punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden underfoot the Son of God and has counted the blood of the covenant, with which he was sanctified, an unholy thing and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

³⁰ For we know who he is that has said, Vengeance belongs to me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.

³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

³² But bring to memory the former days, in which, after ye received the light, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

³³ on the one hand ye were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and on the other ye became companions of those that were so used.

³⁴ For ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing that in yourselves ye have a better substance in the heavens, and that abides.

³⁵ Do not lose, therefore, this your confidence, which has great recompense of reward;

³⁶ for patience is necessary, so that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

³⁷ For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come and will not tarry.

³⁸ Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

³⁹ But we are not of those who draw back unto perdition, but faithful unto the saving of the soul.

11 ¶ Faith, therefore, is the substance of things waited for, the evidence of things not seen.

² For by it the elders obtained a good report.

³ Through faith we understand that the ages were framed by the word of God, that which is seen being made of that which was not seen.

⁴ ¶ By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and by it he being dead yet speaks.

⁵ By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death, and was not found because God had translated him, for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please God; for he that comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him.

⁷ By faith Noah, having received revelation of things not seen as yet, with great care prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by which he condemned the world and was made heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

⁸ By faith Abraham, being called, hearkened to go out into the place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he went.

⁹ By faith he sojourned in the promised land, as in a strange country, dwelling in booths with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise;

¹⁰ for he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹ By faith also Sara herself being sterile received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she believed him to be faithful who had promised.

¹² Therefore there sprang even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but seeing them afar off and believing them and embracing them and confessing that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

¹⁴ For those that say such things declare plainly that they seek their native country.

¹⁵ And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from which they came out, they might have had time to have returned.

¹⁶ But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one; therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac, and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

¹⁸ of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called,

¹⁹ accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence he also received him in a figure.

²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning what they should become.

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph, and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

²² By faith Joseph, as he died, made mention of the departing of the sons of Israel, and gave a commandment concerning his bones.

²³ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents because they saw he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,

²⁵ choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,

²⁶ esteeming the reproach of the Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt, for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.

²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

²⁸ By faith he kept the passover and the sprinkling of the blood lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, which the Egyptians attempted to do and were drowned.

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days.

³¹ By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish together with the disobedient, having received the spies with peace.

³² ¶ And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon and of Barak and of Samson and of Jephthae, of David also and Samuel and of the prophets,

³³ who by faith won kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

³⁴ quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered from infirmities, were made valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of foreign enemies;

³⁵ women received their dead raised to life again, and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection;

³⁶ and others experienced cruel mockings and scourgings, and added to this, bonds and imprisonment;

³⁷ they were stoned; they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; poor, afflicted, mistreated,

³⁸ (of whom the world was not worthy); they wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And these all, approved by testimony of faith, received not the promise,

⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

12 ¶ Therefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, leaving behind all the weight of the sin which surrounds us, let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who having been offered joy, endured the cross,{Gr. stauros-stake} despising the shame and was seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself lest ye be wearied in your souls and faint.

⁴ ¶ Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, fighting against sin.

⁵ And ye have quite forgotten the consolation which speaks unto you as unto sons, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art reproved of him:

⁶ for whom the Lord loves, he chastens and scourges everyone whom he receives as a son.

⁷ If ye endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father does not chasten?

⁸ But if ye are without chastisement, of which all the sons are partakers, then ye are bastards, and not sons.

⁹ Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence; is it not much better to be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and we shall live?

¹⁰ For they verily for a few days chastened us as it seemed good unto them, but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

¹¹ It is true that no chastening at present seems to be cause for joy, but rather for grief; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto those who are exercised by it.

¹² Therefore, lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,

¹³ and make straight steps unto your feet, so that which is lame will not turn out of the way, but let it rather be healed.

¹⁴ Follow peace with everyone and holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord:

¹⁵ looking diligently that no one deviate from the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up impede you, and thereby many be defiled,

¹⁶ lest there be any fornicator or profane person as Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.

¹⁷ For ye know how that afterward, desiring to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

¹⁸ ¶ For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched and that burned with fire nor unto blackness and darkness and tempest

¹⁹ and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, which voice those that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more;

²⁰ (for they could not endure that which was commanded, and if so much as a beast should touch the mountain, it shall be stoned or thrust through with a dart:

²¹ and so terrible was the sight that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake);

²² but ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

²³ to the congregation of the called out ones of the firstborn, who are registered in the heavens and to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect

²⁴ and to Jesus, the mediator of the new testament and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better than that of Abel.

²⁵ See that you do not refuse him that speaks. For if those who refused him that spoke on earth did not escape, much less shall we escape, if we turn away from him that speaks from the heavens,

²⁶ whose voice then shook the earth; but now he has promised, saying, Yet even once, I shall shake not the earth only, but also the heaven.

²⁷ And this word, Yet even once, signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

²⁸ Therefore, receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us hold fast to the grace, by which we serve God, pleasing him with reverence and godly fear:

²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire.

13 ¶ Let brotherly love continue.

² Do not forget to show hospitality; for thereby some, having entertained angels, were kept.

³ Remember those that are in bonds as bound with them and those who suffer adversity as being yourselves also in the body.

⁴ Let marriage be honourable in all and the bed undefiled; but the fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

⁵ Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have; for he has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

⁶ So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

⁷ Remember your pastors, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation:

⁸ Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and for the ages.

⁹ Be not taken out of the way with diverse and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with foods which have not profited those that have been occupied with them.

¹⁰ We have an altar, of which those who serve the tabernacle have no faculty to eat.

¹¹ For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.

¹² Therefore, Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate.

¹³ Let us go forth, therefore, unto him outside the camp, bearing his reproach.

¹⁴ For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one that is coming.

¹⁵ By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips confessing his name.

¹⁶ Do not forget to do good and to fellowship; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

¹⁷ Listen to your pastors, and do not resist them, for they watch for your souls as those that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.

¹⁸ ¶ Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience in all things desiring to conduct ourselves well.

¹⁹ And I beseech you all the more to do this, that I may be restored unto you sooner.

²⁰ Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the eternal testament,

²¹ make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for the ages of the ages. Amen.

²² And I beseech you, brethren, that ye receive this word of exhortation, that I have written unto you briefly.

²³ Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.

²⁴ Salute all thy pastors and all the saints. The brethren of Italy salute you.

²⁵ Grace be with you all. Amen.

1 ¶ James, {Gr. Jacob} a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus, the Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

² ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse trials,

³ knowing that the proving of your faith works patience,

⁴ and the patience finishes the work, that ye may be perfect and entire, not lacking in anything.

⁵ And if any of you lacks wisdom, let them ask of God (who gives abundantly to all, and without reproach), and it shall be given them.

⁶ But ask in faith, not doubting anything. For he that doubts is like the wave of the sea which is driven of the wind and is tossed from one side to another.

⁷ For let not such a man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.

⁸ The double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

⁹ Let the brother of low degree rejoice in his high status;

¹⁰ and he who is rich, in his low status, because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

¹¹ For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and its flower falls, and the beautiful appearance of it perishes: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

¹² Blessed is the man that patiently endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those that love him.

¹³ ¶ Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither does he tempt anyone:

¹⁴ But each one is tempted, when they are drawn away of their own lust and enticed.

¹⁵ Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death.

¹⁶ Do not err, my beloved brethren.

¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning.

¹⁸ He, of his own will, has begotten us with the word of truth, that we should be the firstfruits of his creatures.

¹⁹ ¶ Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

²⁰ for the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God.

²¹ So then, leave all uncleanness and remains of malice and receive with meekness the word ingested within you, which is able to cause your souls to be saved.

²² But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

²³ For if anyone hears the word and does not put it into practice, this same is like unto the man beholding his natural face in a mirror:

²⁴ For he considered himself and went his way and in one hour forgot what he was like.

²⁵ But whosoever has looked attentively into the perfect law of liberty and has persevered in it, not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, the same shall be blessed in their deed.

²⁶ If anyone among you thinks to be religious and does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, his religion is vain.

²⁷ The pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their tribulation and to keep thyself unspotted from this world.

2 ¶ My brethren, do not have the faith of our Lord Jesus, the glorious Christ, with respect of persons.

² For if a man with a gold ring and in precious apparel comes into your synagogue and a poor person in vile raiment also comes in,

³ and ye have respect to him that wears the precious clothing and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there or sit here under my footstool:

⁴ Are ye not then judging in yourselves and are become judges of evil thoughts?

⁵ Hearken, my beloved brethren, Has not God chosen the poor of this world that they might be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which he has promised to those that love him?

⁶ But ye have despised the poor. Do not the rich oppress you with tyranny and draw you with violence to the courts?

⁷ Do they not blaspheme that worthy name by which ye are called?

⁸ ¶ If ye truly fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well;

⁹ but if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin and are accused of the law as rebels.

¹⁰ For whosoever shall have kept the whole law, and then offends in one point is made guilty of all.

¹¹ For he that said, Thou shalt not commit adultery, said also, Thou shalt not murder. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou commit murder, thou art become a transgressor of the law.

¹² So speak ye and so do as those that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

¹³ For judgment without mercy shall be done unto the one that has shown no mercy; and mercy boasts against judgment.

¹⁴ ¶ My brethren, What shall it profit though someone says that they have faith and do not have works? Shall this type of faith be able to save them?

¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,

¹⁶ and one of you says unto them, Depart in peace; be ye warmed and filled; but ye do not give them those things which are needful for the body; what shall it profit them?

¹⁷ Even so faith, if it does not have works, is dead in and of itself.

¹⁸ But someone may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works; show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.

¹⁹ Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well; the demons also believe and tremble.

²⁰ But, O vain man, dost thou desire to know that faith without works is dead?

²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the altar?

²² Dost thou not see how the faith worked together with his works, and the faith was complete by the works?

²³ And that the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness, and he was called the Friend of God.

²⁴ Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.

²⁵ Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

3 ¶ My brethren, make not unto yourselves many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

² For we all offend in many things. If any man offends not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to govern the whole body with restraint.

³ Behold, we put bits (or restraint) in the horses’ mouths to persuade them, and we govern their whole body.

⁴ Behold also the ships, which though they are so great are driven of fierce winds, yet they are governed with a very small rudder, wherever the governor desires.

⁵ In the same manner, the tongue is a very small member and boasts of great things. Behold, how great a forest a little fire kindles!

⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

⁷ For every nature of beasts and of birds and of serpents and of beings in the sea may be tamed and is tamed by mankind,

⁸ but no man can tame the tongue, which is an evil that cannot be restrained and is full of deadly poison.

⁹ With it we bless God, even the Father; and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God.

¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

¹¹ Does a fountain send forth at the same place both sweet and bitter water?

¹² Can the fig tree, my brethren, produce olive berries? or the vine, figs? In the same manner no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.