13
1 Continue to love each other. 2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to believers you don’t know. By doing this some believers have shown hospitality to angels without being aware of it. 3 Remember those in prison as if you were in prison with them. Remember those who are mistreated as if you were being mistreated.
4 Marriage is honorable in every way, so husbands and wives should be faithful to each other. God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.
5 Don’t love money. Be happy with what you have because God has said, “I will never abandon you or leave you.” 6 So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper.
I will not be afraid.
What can mortals do to me?”
7 Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. Think about how their lives turned out, and imitate their faith.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
9 Don’t get carried away by all kinds of unfamiliar teachings. Gaining inner strength from God’s kindness* is good for us. This strength does not come from following rules about food, rules that don’t help those who follow them. 10 Those who serve at the tent have no right to eat what is sacrificed at our altar.
11 The chief priest brings the blood of animals into the holy place as an offering for sin. But the bodies of those animals were burned outside the Israelite camp. 12 That is why Jesus suffered outside the gates of Jerusalem. He suffered to make the people holy with his own blood. 13 So we must go to him outside the camp and endure the insults he endured. 14 We don’t have a permanent city here on earth, but we are looking for the city that we will have in the future. 15 Through Jesus we should always bring God a sacrifice of praise, that is, words that acknowledge him. 16 Don’t forget to do good things for others and to share what you have with them. These are the kinds of sacrifices that please God.
17 Obey your leaders, and accept their authority. They take care of you because they are responsible for you. Obey them so that they may do this work joyfully and not complain about you. (Causing them to complain would not be to your advantage.)
18 Pray for us. We are sure that our consciences are clear because we want to live honorably in every way. 19 I especially ask for your prayers so that I may come back to you soon.
20 The God of peace brought the great shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, back to life through the blood of an eternal promise.† 21 May this God of peace prepare you to do every good thing he wants. May he work in us through Jesus Christ to do what is pleasing to him. Glory belongs to Jesus Christ forever. Amen.
Farewell
22 I urge you, brothers and sisters, to listen patiently to my encouraging words. I have written you a short letter. 23 You know that Timothy, our brother, has been freed. If he comes here soon, both of us will visit you.
24 Greet all your leaders and all God’s holy people. Those who are with us from Italy greet you.
25 May God’s good will‡ be with all of you!
* 13:9 Or “grace.” † 13:20 Or “covenant.” ‡ 13:25 Or “grace.”