Day 72 of 365

¹For the Law, having a shadow of the good to come, not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make perfect those who draw near.

²Or else would not they have ceased to be offered, because the worshippers, having been once cleansed, would have had no more consciousness of sins?

³But in those sacrifices there is yearly reminder of sins.

⁴For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.

⁵Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but you prepared a body for me;

⁶You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.

⁷Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.'"

⁸Previously saying, "Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you did not desire, neither had pleasure in them" (those which are offered according to the Law),

⁹then he has said, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He takes away the first, that he may establish the second,

¹⁰by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

¹¹Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,

¹²but this one, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;

¹³from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet.

¹⁴For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

¹⁵The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,

¹⁶"This is the covenant that I will make with them: 'After those days,' says the Lord, 'I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;'" then he says,

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

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

¹⁹Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,

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

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

²²let us draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,

²³let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.

²⁴Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works,

²⁵not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.

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

²⁷but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and a fierceness of fire which will devour the adversaries.

²⁸A man who disregards the Law of Moses dies without compassion on the word of two or three witnesses.

²⁹How much worse punishment, do you think, will he be judged worthy of, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant with which he was sanctified an unholy thing, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?

³⁰For we know him who said, "Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay." Again, "The Lord will judge his people."

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

³²But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings;

³³partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions; and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so.

³⁴For you both had compassion on them that were in chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one.

³⁵Therefore do not throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.

³⁶For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

³⁷"In a very little while, he who comes will come, and will not wait.

³⁸But my righteous one will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."

³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.

¹Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.

²For by this, the elders obtained testimony.

³By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible.

⁴By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God testifying with respect to his gifts; and through it he, being dead, still speaks.

⁵By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he would not see death, and he was not found, because God took him away. For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God.

⁶Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him.

⁷By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

⁸By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance. He went out, not knowing where he went.

⁹By faith, he lived as a foreigner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

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

¹¹By faith he received power to procreate when he was past age, and Sarah herself was barren. He regarded him faithful who had promised.

¹²Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead.

¹³These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

¹⁴For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.

¹⁵If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return.

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

¹⁷By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son;

¹⁸even he to whom it was said, "In Isaac will your seed be called;"

¹⁹concluding that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead.

²⁰By faith, Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even concerning things to come.

²¹By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

²²By faith, Joseph, when his end was near, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel; and gave instructions concerning his bones.

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

²⁴By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,

²⁵choosing rather to share ill treatment with God's people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time;

²⁶accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

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

²⁸By faith, he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of the blood, that the destroyer of the firstborn should not touch them.

²⁹By faith, they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land. When the Egyptians tried to do so, they were swallowed up.

³⁰By faith, the walls of Jericho fell down, after they had been encircled for seven days.

³¹By faith, Rahab the prostitute, did not perish with those who were disobedient, having received the spies in peace.

³²What more shall I say? For the time would fail me if I told of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets;

³³who, through faith subdued kingdoms, worked out righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

³⁴quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, grew mighty in war, and caused foreign armies to flee.

³⁵Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

³⁶Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment.

³⁷They were stoned. They were sawn apart. They were slain with the sword. They went around in sheep skins and in goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated

³⁸(of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, mountains, caves, and the holes of the earth.

³⁹These all, having had testimony given to them through their faith, did not receive the promise,

⁴⁰God having provided some better thing concerning us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

¹Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

²looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³For consider him who has endured such hostility from sinners against himself, that you do not grow weary, fainting in your souls.

⁴You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin;

⁵and you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, "My son, do not take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him;

⁶For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives."

⁷It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

⁸But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then are you illegitimate, and not children.

⁹Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?

¹⁰For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

¹¹All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby.

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

¹³and make straight paths for your feet, so that which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

¹⁴Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,

¹⁵looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it;

¹⁶lest there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, like Esau, who sold his own birthright for one meal.

¹⁷For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears.

¹⁸For you have not come to something that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and darkness, gloom, and storm,

¹⁹the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them,

²⁰for they could not stand that which was commanded, "If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned;"

²¹and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, "I am terrified and trembling."

²²But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,

²³to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

²⁴to Jesus, the mediator of a New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.

²⁵See that you do not refuse him who speaks. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned on the Earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,

²⁶whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens."

²⁷This phrase, "Yet once more," signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.

²⁸So since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, through which we may offer service pleasing to God, with reverence and awe,

²⁹for our God is a consuming fire.

¹God, give the king your justice; your righteousness to the royal son.

²He will judge your people with righteousness, and your poor with justice.

³The mountains shall bring prosperity to the people. The hills bring the fruit of righteousness.

⁴He will judge the poor of the people. He will save the children of the needy, and will break the oppressor in pieces.

⁵They shall fear you while the sun endures; and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.

⁶He will come down like rain on the mown grass, as showers that water the earth.

⁷In his days, the righteous shall flourish, and abundance of peace, until the moon is no more.

⁸He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth.

⁹Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him. His enemies shall lick the dust.

¹⁰The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

¹¹Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him.

¹²For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper.

¹³He will have pity on the poor and needy. He will save the souls of the needy.

¹⁴He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight.

¹⁵They shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba. Men shall pray for him continually. They shall bless him all day long.

¹⁶There shall be abundance of grain throughout the land. Its fruit sways like Lebanon. Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field.

¹⁷His name endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun. Men shall be blessed by him. All nations will call him blessed.

¹⁸Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds.

¹⁹Blessed be his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and amen.

²⁰This ends the prayers by David, the son of Jesse.

¹The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.

²Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.

³The Lord will not allow the soul of the righteous to go hungry, but he thrusts away the desire of the wicked.

⁴He becomes poor who works with a lazy hand, but the hand of the diligent brings wealth.

⁵He who gathers in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during the harvest is a son who causes shame.

⁶Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

⁷The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.

⁸The wise in heart accept commandments, but a chattering fool will fall.

⁹He who walks blamelessly walks surely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out.

¹⁰One winking with the eye causes sorrow, but a chattering fool will fall.

¹¹The mouth of the righteous is a spring of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.

¹²Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all wrongs.

¹³Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has discernment, but a rod is for the back of him who is void of understanding.

¹⁴Wise men lay up knowledge, but the mouth of the foolish is near ruin.

¹⁵The rich man's wealth is his strong city. The destruction of the poor is their poverty.

¹⁶The labor of the righteous leads to life. The increase of the wicked leads to sin.

¹⁷He is in the way of life who heeds correction, but he who forsakes reproof leads others astray.

¹⁸He who hides hatred has lying lips. He who utters a slander is a fool.

¹⁹In the multitude of words there is no lack of disobedience, but he who restrains his lips does wisely.

²⁰The tongue of the righteous is like choice silver. The heart of the wicked is of little worth.

²¹The lips of the righteous feed many, but the foolish die for lack of understanding.

²²The Lord's blessing brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it.

²³It is a fool's pleasure to do wickedness, but wisdom is a man of understanding's pleasure.

²⁴What the wicked fear, will overtake them, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

²⁵When the whirlwind passes, the wicked is no more; but the righteous stand firm forever.

²⁶As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to those who send him.

²⁷The fear of the Lord prolongs days, but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.

²⁸The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hope of the wicked will perish.

²⁹The way of the Lord is a stronghold to the upright, but it is a destruction to the workers of iniquity.

³⁰The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not dwell in the land.

³¹The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

³²The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.