14 me during my being in bonds for the glad tidings; but I would not do any thing without thy consent, that the benefit derived from thee might not be as it were forced, but of free will. For 15 perhaps he was separated from thee for a short time for this very purpose, that thou mightest have him ever after, not as a 16 slave, but above a slave, as a brother beloved in a special man ner by me, (and how much more ought he to be by thee) both 17 in flesh, and in the Lord. If therefore thou esteemest me as a companion, receive him as thou wouldst myself. And if he 18 hath wronged thee, or oweth thee any thing, place it to my 19 account. I Paul myself have written with my own hand. I will make compensation. Not to mention to thee that thou owest 20 me even thine own self. I beseech thee, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: gratify my tender affections in the Lord. I have written to thee in a confidence of thy compliance, 22 knowing that thou wilt do even more than I express. In the mean while prepare a lodging for me, for I hope that, by means of your prayers, I shall be granted to you. 21 23 Epaphras my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, Marcus, 24 Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow labourers, salute thee. 26 The favour of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREW S. I. GOD, who in sundry parcels and in divers manners spake 2 in time past to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by a son whom he hath constituted heir of all things, by whom also he made the ages; who being an ef3 fulgence of the glory, and an impress of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, having by himself made a purification of our sins, sat down on the right 4 hand of the majesty on high, being made as much superior to the heavenly messengers as the name he hath inherited is 5 more excellent than theirs: for to which of those messengers did he ever say, "Thou art my son, this day I have begotten 6 thee.*" And again, "I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son." And again when he would bring the first born into the world, he saith, "And let all God's messengers 7 worship him." Now in respect to the messengers it is said, "Who maketh winds his messengers, and flaming fire his ministers: but with respect to the son, 9 10 Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: The sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of rectitude: Therefore God, thy God anointed thee With the oil of joy above thy associates.|" Again, "Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foun dation of the earth, *Ps. 2. 7. † 2 Sam. 7. 14. Deut. 32. 43. Ps. 104. 4. Ps. 45. 6, 7. 11 12 13 14 II. And the heavens are the work of thy hand. They shall all wax old like a garment, And like a mantle thou wilt fold them up and they shall be changed: But as for thee, thou art the same And thy years shall have no end.*” And to which of these messengers did he ever say, "Sit at my right hand Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.+" Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth on service on the account of them who are to be heirs of salvation? For this cause we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest we, through negligence, 2 let them slip. For if the word spoken by messengers was firm, and every transgression and disobedience received as its reward a correspondent requital, how shall we escape, if we 3 neglect so great a salvation, which was first published by the Lord, and confirmed for us by them who heard him, 4 God giving a joint testimony, by signs, and wonders, and divers miracles, and distributions of a holy spirit, according to 5 his own will. For he did not subject to angels the dispensa6 tion to come, of which we are speaking; but one in a certain place hath testified, saying, 8 9 "What is man, that thou shouldst be mindful of him! Thou hast put all things under his feet.”‡ For when he put all things under his feet, he left nothing which was not put in subjection to him. him. (0) But now we do not yet see all things subjected to (a) But we see him who was made a little lower than *Ps. 102. 25. Ps. 8. 4, &c. † Ps. 110. 1. angels [namely] JESUS, on account of suffering death crowned with glory and honour, that so he by the favour of 10 God might taste death for every man. For it became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, when bringing many sons to glory to make the leader of their salvation 11 perfect by sufferings. For both he who sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, 12 13 "I will declare thy name to my brethren, In the midst of a congregation I will praise thee."* And, again: "I will trust in him;"+ and, again: "Here am 14 I and the children whom God hath given me.”† As the children therefore were partakers of flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same in order that he might, 15 by his death, put a stop to the operation of him who hath the power of death, that is the devil; and deliver from bondage 16 them who were all their lives liable to the fear of death. For he indeed doth not take hold of angels, but taketh hold of the 17 seed of Abraham, whence it behoved him to be made like his brethren in all things; that he might be a merciful and faithful chief priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement 18 for the sins of the people. For by what he himself suffered when he was tried he can help them who are tried. III. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly invi tation, consider attentively this apostle and chief priest of our 2 profession, [namely] Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him 3 who appointed him, even as Moses was, in his whole house. For he hath been counted worthy of as much greater honour 4 than Moses, as he who hath builded a house hath more honour than the house. For every house hath some builder, but 5 he who builded all things is God. Now Moses was faithful in this whole house of his as a servant for a testimony of those 6 things to be spoken; but Christ as a son over his own house, whose house we are, if we stedfastly maintain this confidence, 7 and the boast of this hope, firm to the end. Wherefore as the Holy Spirit saith, 8. 9 10 11 12 "To-day since you have heard his voice, Let not your hearts be refractory as at Bitterness- They proved me, though they saw my works. Forty years. For which cause I was incensed with that generation; And said, They do always err with the heart, And have not known my ways: So in mine indignation I solemnly said, They shall not enter into my rest."* Take heed, brethren, that there be not in any of you an 13 evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but while this to-day is proclaimed, that none of you may be ren 14 dered obstinate by the deceitfulness of sin (for we are made associates of the Christ if we retain the beginning of this confi15 dence firm to the end) exhort one another daily by its being said, "To-day since you have heard his voice let not your 16 hearts be refractory as at Bitterness." For some hearers pro voked him; but did they not all come out of Egypt by Moses? 17 Now, against whom was he incensed forty years? Was it not 18 against them who sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he solemnly say that they should not 19 enter into his rest, but to them who were disobedient. So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. IV. Let us therefore be afraid, lest having a promise left of 2 entering into HIS REST any of us should fall short of it. For we have had the glad tidings proclaimed to us, as they also had; but the word which they heard did not profit them; as it 3 was not mixed up with belief by the hearers. For we who have believed enter into that rest spoken of in this passage, “So in my indignation I said they shall not enter into MY REST;" 4 namely, THAT from the works done at the foundation of the world. For where speaking of the seventh day the scripture 5 said thus, "And on the seventh day God rested from all HIS 6 works. And again in this place: "They shall not enter into MY REST." Therefore since it is left for some to enter into |