Final Appeals
13 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Don’t forget to welcome outsiders. By doing that, some people have welcomed angels without knowing it. 3 Keep on remembering those in prison. Do this as if you were together with them in prison. And remember those who are treated badly as if you yourselves were suffering.
4 All of you should honor marriage. You should keep the marriage bed pure. God will judge the person who commits adultery. He will judge everyone who commits sexual sins. 5 Don’t be controlled by love for money. Be happy with what you have. God has said,
“I will never leave you.
I will never desert you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
6 So we can say boldly,
“The Lord helps me. I will not be afraid.
What can mere human beings do to me?” (Psalm 118:6,7)
7 Remember your leaders. They spoke God’s word to you. Think about the results of their way of life. Copy their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
9 Don’t let all kinds of strange teachings lead you astray. It is good that God’s grace makes our hearts strong. Don’t try to grow strong by eating foods that the law requires. They have no value for the people who eat them. 10 The priests, who are Levites, worship at the holy tent. But we have an altar that they have no right to eat from.
11 The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Room. He brings their blood as a sin offering. But the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12 Jesus also suffered outside the city gate. He suffered to make the people holy by spilling his own blood. 13 So let us go to him outside the camp. Let us be willing to suffer the shame he suffered. 14 Here we do not have a city that lasts. But we are looking for the city that is going to come.
15 So let us never stop offering to God our praise through Jesus. Let us talk openly about our faith in him. Then our words will be like an offering to God. 16 Don’t forget to do good. Don’t forget to share with others. God is pleased with those kinds of offerings.
17 Trust in your leaders. Put yourselves under their authority. Do this, because they keep watch over you. They know they are accountable to God for everything they do. Do this, so that their work will be a joy. If you make their work a heavy load, it won’t do you any good.
18 Pray for us. We feel sure we have done what is right. We desire to live as we should in every way. 19 I beg you to pray that I may return to you soon.
Final Blessing and Greetings
20 Our Lord Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep. The God who gives peace brought him back from the dead. He did it because of the blood of the eternal covenant. Now may God 21 supply you with everything good. Then you can do what he wants. May he do in us what is pleasing to him. We can do it only with the help of Jesus Christ. Give him glory for ever and ever. Amen.
22 Brothers and sisters, I beg you to accept my word. It tells you to be faithful. Accept my word because I have written to you only a short letter.
23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been set free. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.
24 Greet all your leaders. Greet all the Lord’s people.
The believers from Italy send you their greetings.
25 May grace be with you all.