d“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
But a body You have prepared for Me.
6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
You had no pleasure.
7Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—
In the volume of the book it is written of Me—
To do Your will, O God.’ ”
8Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law),
9then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, 2O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second.
10eBy that will we have been 3sanctified fthrough the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Christ’s Death Perfects the Sanctified
11And every priest stands gministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12hBut this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down iat the right hand of God,
13from that time waiting jtill His enemies are made His footstool.
14For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being 4sanctified.
15But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
16k“This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”
17then He adds, l“Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
18Now where there is 5remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.
Hold Fast Your Confession
19Therefore, brethren, having mboldness6 to enter nthe Holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20by a new and oliving way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,
21and having a High Priest over the house of God,
22let us pdraw near with a true heart qin full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for rHe who promised is faithful.
24And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25snot forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and tso much the more as you see uthe Day approaching.
The Just Live by Faith
26For vif we sin willfully wafter we have received the knowledge of the truth, there xno longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and yfiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.
28Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three zwitnesses.
29aOf how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, bcounted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, cand insulted the Spirit of grace?
30For we know Him who said, d“Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” 7says the Lord. And again, e“The LORD will judge His people.”
31fIt is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32But grecall the former days in which, after you were 8illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:
33partly while you were made ha spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while iyou became companions of those who were so treated;
34for you had compassion on 9me jin my chains, and kjoyfully accepted the plundering of your 10goods, knowing that lyou have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves 11in heaven.
35Therefore do not cast away your confidence, mwhich has great reward.
36nFor you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, oyou may receive the promise:
37“For pyet a little while,
And qHe12 who is coming will come and will not 13tarry.
38Now rthe14 just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in him.”
39But we are not of those swho draw back to 15perdition, but of those who tbelieve to the saving of the soul.
Hebrews 11
By Faith We Understand
1Now faith is the 1substance of things hoped for, the 2evidence aof things not seen.
2For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
3By faith we understand that bthe 3worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.
Faith at the Dawn of History
(Gen. 4:1–16; 5:18–24; 6:5—8:22)
4By faith cAbel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still dspeaks.
5By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, e“and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
7By faith fNoah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, gprepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of hthe righteousness which is according to faith.
Faithful Abraham
(Gen. 15:1–6; 21:1–7)
8By faith iAbraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
9By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, jdwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, kthe heirs with him of the same promise;
10for he waited for lthe city which has foundations, mwhose builder and maker is God.
11By faith nSarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and oshe4 bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him pfaithful who had promised.
12Therefore from one man, and him as good as qdead, were born as many as the rstars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.
The Heavenly Hope
13These all died in faith, snot having received the tpromises, but uhaving seen them afar off 5were assured of them, embraced them and vconfessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14For those who say such things wdeclare plainly that they seek a homeland.
15And truly if they had called to mind xthat country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.
16But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed yto be called their God, for He has zprepared a city for them.
The Faith of the Patriarchs
(Gen. 22:1–14; 48:8–16; 50:22–25)
17By faith Abraham, awhen he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
186of whom it was said, b“In Isaac your seed shall be called,”
19concluding that God cwas able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.
20By faith dIsaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21By faith Jacob, when he was dying, eblessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22By faith fJoseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.
The Faith of Moses
(Ex. 2:1–10; 12:31–51)
23By faith gMoses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s hcommand.
24By faith iMoses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Phara
oh’s daughter,
25choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the 7passing pleasures of sin,
26esteeming jthe 8reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures 9in Egypt; for he looked to the kreward.
27By faith lhe forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.
28By faith mhe kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29By faith nthey passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
By Faith They Overcame
30By faith othe walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days.
31By faith pthe harlot Rahab did not perish with those who 10did not believe, when qshe had received the spies with peace.
32And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of rGideon and sBarak and tSamson and uJephthah, also of vDavid and wSamuel and the prophets:
33who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, xstopped the mouths of lions,
34yquenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35zWomen received their dead raised to life again. Others were atortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
36Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and bof chains and imprisonment.
37cThey were stoned, they were sawn in two, 11were tempted, were slain with the sword. dThey wandered about ein sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—
38of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, fin dens and caves of the earth.
39And all these, ghaving obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,
40God having provided something better for us, that they should not be hmade perfect apart from us.
Hebrews 12
The Race of Faith
1Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, alet us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and blet us run cwith endurance the race that is set before us,
2looking unto Jesus, the 1author and 2finisher of our faith, dwho for the joy that was set before Him eendured the cross, despising the shame, and fhas sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
The Discipline of God
(Prov. 3:11, 12)
3gFor consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, hlest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
4iYou have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
5And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:
j“My son, do not despise the 3chastening of the LORD,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
6For kwhom the LORD loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”
7lIf4 you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what mson is there whom a father does not chasten?
8But if you are without chastening, nof which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
9Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to othe Father of spirits and live?
10For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, pthat we may be partakers of His holiness.
11Now no 5chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields qthe peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Renew Your Spiritual Vitality
(Gen. 25:29–34; 27:30–40)
12Therefore rstrengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,
13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
14sPursue peace with all people, and holiness, twithout which no one will see the Lord:
15looking carefully lest anyone ufall short of the grace of God; lest any vroot of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
16lest there be any wfornicator or 6profane person like Esau, xwho for one morsel of food sold his birthright.
17For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was yrejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.
The Glorious Company
18For you have not come 7to zthe mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and 8darkness and tempest,
19and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it abegged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore.
20(For they could not endure what was commanded: b“And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned 9or shot with an arrow.”
21And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, c“I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)
22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels,
23to the 10general assembly and church of dthe firstborn ewho are registered in heaven, to God fthe Judge of all, to the spirits of just men gmade perfect,
24to Jesus hthe Mediator of the new covenant, and to ithe blood of sprinkling that speaks better things jthan that of Abel.
Hear the Heavenly Voice
25See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For kif they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,
26whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, l“Yet once more I 11shake not only the earth, but also heaven.”
27Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the mremoval of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we 12may nserve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
29For oour God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 13
Concluding Moral Directions
1Let abrotherly love continue.
2bDo not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing csome have unwittingly entertained angels.
3dRemember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.
4eMarriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; fbut fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
5Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, g“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
6So we may boldly say:
h“The LORD is my helper;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?”
Concluding Religious Directions
7Remember those who 1rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
8Jesus Christ is ithe same yesterday, today, and forever.
9Do not be carried 2about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
10We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
11For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.
12Therefore Jesus also, that He might 3sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
13Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing jHis reproach.
14For here we h
ave no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
15kTherefore by Him let us continually offer lthe sacrifice of praise to God, that is, mthe fruit of our lips, 4giving thanks to His name.
16nBut do not forget to do good and to share, for owith such sacrifices God is well pleased.
17pObey those who 5rule over you, and be submissive, for qthey watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
Prayer Requested
18rPray for us; for we are confident that we have sa good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.
19But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Benediction, Final Exhortation, Farewell
20Now may tthe God of peace uwho brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, vthat great Shepherd of the sheep, wthrough the blood of the everlasting covenant,
21make you 6complete in every good work to do His will, xworking in 7you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
22And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words.
23Know that our brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly.
24Greet all those who 8rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.
25Grace be with you all. Amen.
Hebrews Commentaries
Hebrews 1
1:1 various times. The meaning is “many portions” (as of books). Over the course of possibly 1,800 years (from Job, ca. 2200 B.C. [?] to Nehemiah, ca. 400 B.C.) the OT was written in 39 different books reflecting different historical times, locations, cultures, and situations. various ways. These included visions, symbols, and parables, written in both poetry and prose. Though the literary form and style varied, it was always God’s revelation of what He wanted His people to know. The progressive revelation of the OT described God’s program of redemption (1 Pet. 1:10–12) and His will for His people (Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17).
1:2 last days. Jews understood the “last days” to mean the time when Messiah (Christ) would come (cf. Num. 24:14; Jer. 33:14–16; Mic. 5:1, 2; Zech. 9:9, 16). The fulfillment of the messianic prophecies commenced with the advent of the Messiah. Since He came, it has been the “last days”(cf. 1 Cor. 10:11; James 5:3; 1 Pet. 1:20; 4:7; 1 John 2:18). In the past God gave revelation through His prophets, but in these times, beginning with the Messiah’s advent, God spoke the message of redemption through the Son. heir. Everything that exists will ultimately come under the control of the Son of God, the Messiah (cf. Pss. 2:8, 9; 89:27; Rom. 11:36; Col. 1:16). This “inheritance” is the full extension of the authority which the Father has given to the Son (cf. Dan. 7:13, 14; Matt. 28:18), as the “firstborn” (see note on v. 6). worlds. The word can also be translated “ages.” It refers to time, space, energy, and matter—the entire universe and everything that makes it function (cf. John 1:3).
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 637