Day 70 of 365

¹Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest.

²For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard did not profit them, because they were not united by faith with those who heard.

³For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest;" although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

⁴For he has said this somewhere about the seventh day, "God rested on the seventh day from all his works;"

⁵and in this place again, "They will not enter into my rest."

⁶Seeing therefore it remains that some should enter therein, and they to whom the good news was before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience,

⁷he again defines a certain day, "Today," saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), "Today if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."

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

⁹There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

¹⁰For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his.

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

¹²For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

¹³There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

¹⁴Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.

¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.

¹⁶Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.

¹For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.

²The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness.

³Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself.

⁴Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was.

⁵So also Christ did not glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, "You are my Son. Today I have become your father."

⁶As he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."

⁷He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear,

⁸though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered.

⁹Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation,

¹⁰named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

¹¹About him we have many words to say, and hard to interpret, seeing you have become dull of hearing.

¹²For when by reason of the time you ought to be teachers, you again need to have someone teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God. You have come to need milk, and not solid food.

¹³For everyone who lives on milk is not experienced in the word of righteousness, for he is a baby.

¹⁴But solid food is for those who are full grown, who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.

¹Therefore leaving the doctrine of the first principles of Christ, let us press on to perfection-not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works, of faith toward God,

²of the teaching of washings, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

³This will we do, if God permits.

⁴For concerning those who were once enlightened and tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

⁵and tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the age to come,

⁶and then fell away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify the Son of God for themselves again, and put him to open shame.

⁷For the land which has drunk the rain that comes often on it, and brings forth a crop suitable for them for whose sake it is also tilled, receives blessing from God;

⁸but if it bears thorns and thistles, it is rejected and near being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

⁹But, beloved, we are persuaded of better things for you, and things that accompany salvation, even though we speak like this.

¹⁰For God is not unrighteous, so as to forget your work and the love which you showed toward his name, in that you served the saints, and still do serve them.

¹¹We desire that each one of you may show the same diligence to the fullness of hope even to the end,

¹²that you won't be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherited the promises.

¹³For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he swore by himself,

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

¹⁵Thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

¹⁶For men swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.

¹⁷In this way God, being determined to show more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, interposed with an oath;

¹⁸that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.

¹⁹This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil;

²⁰where as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

¹Hurry, God, to deliver me. Come quickly to help me, Lord.

²Let them be disappointed and confounded who seek my soul. Let those who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.

³Let them be turned because of their shame Who say, "Aha! Aha!"

⁴Let all those who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation continually say, "Let God be exalted!"

⁵But I am poor and needy. Come to me quickly, God. You are my help and my deliverer. Lord, do not delay.

¹Doesn't wisdom cry out? Doesn't understanding raise her voice?

²On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.

³Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:

⁴"To you men, I call! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

⁵You simple, understand prudence. You fools, be of an understanding heart.

⁶Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.

⁷For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

⁹They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰Receive my instruction rather than silver; knowledge rather than choice gold.

¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can't be compared to it.

¹²"I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.

¹³The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.

¹⁴Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.

¹⁵By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

¹⁶By me princes rule; nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.

¹⁷I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.

¹⁸With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.

¹⁹My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold; my yield than choice silver.

²⁰I walk in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice;

²¹That I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.

²²"The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.

²³I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.

²⁴When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.

²⁵Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was brought forth;

²⁶while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

²⁷When he established the heavens, I was there; when he set a circle on the surface of the deep,

²⁸when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,

²⁹when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth;

³⁰then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,

³¹Rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.

³²"Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.

³³Hear instruction, and be wise. Do not refuse it.

³⁴Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.

³⁵For whoever finds me, finds life, and will obtain favor from the Lord.

³⁶But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death."