For the law, possessing a shadow of the good [things] that are about to come, not the form of things itself, [is] never able {year by year} by means of the same sacrifices which they offer without interruption to make perfect those who draw near.

But in those sacrifices sins are recalled to memory year after year.

Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

and then there is added-- 'See, I have come to do thy will.' The former sacrifices are set aside to be replaced by the latter.

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

and every priest, indeed, hath stood daily serving, and the same sacrifices many times offering, that are never able to take away sins.

from now on waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet.

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

And, when these are forgiven, there is no further need of an offering for sin.

not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.

Call to remembrance the days that are passed in the which, after ye had received light, ye endured a great fight in adversities,

but you will need endurance if you are to carry out God's will and receive the blessing he has promised.

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the sign that the things not seen are true.

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

now without faith it is impossible to please him; for he who comes to God must believe that he is, and that he ever rewards those who are seeking.

for he had in view the city, whose foundations are sure, the architect and founder being God.

Therefore indeed they were born of one, and those things of one having died, as the stars of heaven for multitude, and as the sands which are by the sea, which are innumerable.

In faith died all these, not having received the promises, but from afar having seen them, and having been persuaded, and having saluted them, and having confessed that strangers and sojourners they are upon the earth,

For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own.

But, now, after a better one, are they reaching, that is, a heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be invoked as, their God, - for he hath prepared for them, a city.

For he counted 'the reproaches that are heaped upon the Christ' of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, looking forward, as he did, to the reward awaiting him.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

and you have forgotten the divine word of encouragement which is addressed to you as sons,

“My son, do not make light of the discipline of the Lord,
And do not lose heart and give up when you are corrected by Him;

The sufferings that you are enduring are for your discipline. God is dealing with you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

For this cause let the hands which are hanging down be lifted up, and let the feeble knees be made strong,

And keep your feet in straight paths, so that limbs that are lame may not be dislocated but instead be cured.

Look carefully [at how you are living] so that no one falls away from God's unearned favor, and that no "poisonous plant sprouts up" to cause trouble and corrupt many people [Note: This is an analogy from Deut. 29:16-18 being used as a warning against the evil influence of wicked people],

For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Therefore, [since we] are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be thankful, through which let us serve God acceptably, with awe and reverence.

Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

Marriage should be considered honorable among all people and its sexual responsibilities should be faithfully kept. For God will judge [and condemn] those people who are sexually immoral and who are sexually unfaithful to their mates.

Let your disposition be without covetousness: be content with the things that are present; for he hath said, No, I will not leave thee: verily I will not forsake thee.

So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say,

“The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”

Be mindful of them who are guiding you, who, indeed, have spoken unto you, the word of God: the outgoing of whose behaviour, reviewing, be imitating, their faith.

With teachings, manifold and strange, be not carried aside; for it is, noble, that, with gratitude, should, the heart, be getting confirmed, - not with matters of food, in which, they who are walking, have not been profited.

we have an altar, of which to eat they have no authority who the tabernacle are serving,

For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.

For here we have no lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.

Let our sacrifice then, which we are to offer to God by Jesus Christ, be that of incessant praises, the offering of our lips, which celebrate his name:

Do not neglect to do good, to contribute [to the needy of the church as an expression of fellowship], for such sacrifices are always pleasing to God.

Obey your [spiritual] leaders and submit to them [recognizing their authority over you], for they are keeping watch over your souls and continually guarding your spiritual welfare as those who will give an account [of their stewardship of you]. Let them do this with joy and not with grief and groans, for this would be of no benefit to you.

Pray for us: for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things.

Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who are from Italy greet you.

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials.

Let him make his request in faith, doubting nothing; for he who has doubt in his heart is like the waves of the sea, which are troubled by the driving of the wind.

a man is instigated, and drawn into the snare by his own vicious passions, which once indulg'd, are productive of sin,

all we are given is good, and all our endowments are faultless, descending from above, from the Father of the heavenly lights, who knows no change of rising and setting, who casts no shadow on the earth.

It was God's purpose to bring us into being [spiritually] by the message of truth, so that we could become a kind of "firstfruits" of those He created. [Note: "Firstfruits" here suggests either that Christians are the best of all of God's creatures (Num. 18:12), or that they were the first to be converted, with many more to come].

When a man appears to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue, but imposes upon his own conscience, that man's religious observances are valueless.

The religion which is holy and free from evil in the eyes of our God and Father is this: to take care of children who have no fathers and of widows who are in trouble, and to keep oneself untouched by the world.

My brethren, you must not make distinctions between one man and another while you are striving to maintain faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our glory.

For if a man comes into your meeting place wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes also comes in,

And you are deferential to the man who is wearing grand clothes, and say--"There is a good seat for you here," but to the poor man--"You must stand; or sit down there by my footstool,"

Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?

Hearken, my beloved brethren; did not God choose them that are poor as to the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to them that love him?

But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich exploiting you and they themselves dragging you into the courts?

Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

However, if you carry out the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing well.

But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. So if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you are a lawbreaker.

So speak ye, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty.

And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

Some one, indeed, may say--"You are a man of faith, and I am a man of action." "Then show me your faith," I reply, "apart from any actions, and I will show you my faith by my actions."

You believe that God is one, and you are quite right: evil spirits also believe this, and shudder."

But are you willing to recognize, you foolish [spiritually shallow] person, that faith without [good] works is useless?

Many of you, my brothers, should avoid becoming teachers, because you know that we teachers are going to be judged with stricter judgment than other people.

For, oft, are we stumbling, one and all: If anyone, in word, doth not stumble, the same, is a mature man, able to curb even the whole body.

you see how manageable horses are made by the application of a bit, which makes them take what motion we please.

Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

so the tongue is but a small part of the body, yet how grand are its pretensions. a spark of fire! what quantities of timber will it blow into a flame?

For all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and ocean creatures are being subdued and have been subdued by mankind,

Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

In a fountain, are fresh water and bitter sent forth from the same opening?

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.

But if you are cherishing bitter jealousy and rivalry in your hearts, do not pride yourselves on that ??and be false to the truth.

For where jealousy and faction are, there is confusion and every vile deed.

[People who are] peacemakers sow [seeds of] peace and it produces a crop of righteousness [in the lives of others].

Whence are wars and fightings among you? not thence -- out of your passions, that are as soldiers in your members?

Ye lust and have not: ye kill and are full of envy, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war; ye have not because ye ask not.

You continue to ask and do not receive, because you are asking with a wrong purpose, in order to spend it upon your pleasures.

You adulteresses [disloyal sinners—flirting with the world and breaking your vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend [that is, loving the things of the world] is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

But He gives us more and more grace [through the power of the Holy Spirit to defy sin and live an obedient life that reflects both our faith and our gratitude for our salvation]. Therefore, it says, “God is opposed to the proud and haughty, but [continually] gives [the gift of] grace to the humble [who turn away from self-righteousness].”

Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people].

Believers, do not speak against or slander one another. He who speaks [self-righteously] against a brother or judges his brother [hypocritically], speaks against the Law and judges the Law. If you judge the Law, you are not a doer of the Law but a judge of it.

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy [the one God who has the absolute power of life and death]; but who are you to [hypocritically or self-righteously] pass judgment on your neighbor?

Go, now, ye who are saying, 'To-day and to-morrow we will go on to such a city, and will pass there one year, and traffic, and make gain;'

whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. What is your life? For ye are a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

But the right thing to say would be, If it is the Lord's pleasure and if we are still living, we will do this and that.

Whereas, now, are ye boasting in your pretensions: - All boasting like this, is, wicked,

Come now, ye rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you.

Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.

Your gold and your silver are rusted; and their rust shall be for a testimony against you, and shall eat your flesh as fire. Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days.

Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.