Service That Pleases God
1 Keep being concerned about each other as the Lord's followers should.
2 Be sure to welcome strangers into your home. By doing this, some people have welcomed angels as guests, without even knowing it.
3 Remember the Lord's people who are in jail and be concerned for them. Don't forget those who are suffering, but imagine you are there with them.
4 Have respect for marriage. Always be faithful to your partner, because God will punish anyone who is immoral or unfaithful in marriage.
5 Don't fall in love with money. Be satisfied with what you have. The Lord has promised that he will not leave us or desert us. 6 This should make you feel like saying,
“The Lord helps me!
Why should I be afraid
of what people
can do to me?”
7 Don't forget about your leaders who taught you God's message. Remember what kind of lives they lived and try to have faith like theirs.
8 Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Don't be fooled by any kind of strange teachings. It is better to receive strength from God's gift of undeserved grace than to depend on certain foods. After all, these foods don't really help the people who eat them. 10 But we have an altar where even the priests who serve in the place of worship have no right to eat.
11 After the high priest offers the blood of animals as a sin offering, the bodies of those animals are burned outside the camp. 12 Jesus himself suffered outside the city gate, so his blood would make people holy. 13 This is why we should go outside the camp to Jesus and share in his disgrace. 14 On this earth we don't have a city that lasts forever, but we are waiting for such a city.
15 Our sacrifice is to keep offering praise to God in the name of Jesus. 16 But don't forget to help others and to share your possessions with them. This too is like offering a sacrifice that pleases God.
17 Obey your leaders and do what they say. They are watching over you, and they must answer to God. So don't make them sad as they do their work. Make them happy. Otherwise, they won't be able to help you at all.
18 Pray for us. Our consciences are clear, and we always try to live right. 19 I especially want you to pray that I can visit you again soon.
Final Prayers and Greetings
20 God gives peace, and he raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death. Now Jesus is like a Great Shepherd whose blood was used to make God's eternal agreement with his flock. 21 I pray God will make you ready to obey him and that you will always be eager to do right. May Jesus help you do what pleases God. To Jesus Christ be glory forever and ever! Amen.
22 My friends, I have written only a short letter to encourage you, and I beg you to pay close attention to what I have said.
23 By now you surely must know that our friend Timothy is out of jail. If he gets here in time, I will bring him with me when I come to visit you.
24 Please give my greetings to your leaders and to the rest of the Lord's people.
His followers from Italy send you their greetings.
25 I pray that God will be kind to all of you!
Dievam tīkama kalpošana
1 Lai arī turpmāk jūsu vidū ir brāļu mīlestība! 2 Neaizmirstiet viesmīlību! Svešiniekus uzņemdami, daži, pašiem nezinot, ir uzņēmuši eņģeļus. 3 Atcerieties tos, kas cietumā, it kā paši būtu tiem līdzi saistīti, atcerieties arī tos, kas pakļauti ciešanām, jo paši, būdami miesā, esat pakļauti ciešanām. 4 Laulība lai ir pie visiem godā, un laulības gulta lai ir neaptraipīta. Netiklos un laulības apgānītājus Dievs tiesās. 5 Lai jūsu domas ir brīvas no mantkārības, lai jums pietiek ar to, kas jums ir! Pats Dievs taču ir sacījis:
es tevi nekad neatstāšu un nekad nepametīšu, –
6 tā ka mēs varam droši teikt:
Kungs ir mans palīgs,
tādēļ es neizbīšos –
ko gan cilvēks man padarīs?
7 Pieminiet savus vadītājus, kas jums ir Dieva vārdu sludinājuši, un, rūpīgi vērodami viņu dzīves iznākumu, esiet tādā pašā ticībā! 8 Jēzus Kristus ir tas pats vakar, šodien un mūžos! 9 Neļaujiet sevi aizraut ar dažādām svešām mācībām! Ir labi, kad sirds top stiprināta ar Dieva žēlastību, bet noteikumi ēšanā nav atnesuši nekādu labumu tiem, kas pēc šiem priekšrakstiem dzīvo. 10 Mums ir tāds altāris, no kura nav atļauts ēst tiem, kas vēl kalpo teltī. 11 Augstais priesteris ieiet svētnīcā ar grēku upura asinīm, bet upurdzīvnieku miesas tiek sadedzinātas ārpus apmetnes. 12 Tādēļ arī Jēzus, lai ar savām paša asinīm darītu tautu svētu, ir cietis ārpus vārtiem. 13 Tādēļ iziesim pie viņa ārpus nometnes un būsim kopā ar viņu šajā pazemojumā. 14 Un mums taču šeit nav paliekama pilsēta, bet mēs meklējam nākamo. 15 Tad nu vienmēr caur viņu nesīsim Dievam pateicības upuri, tas ir, mūsu lūpu augļus, kas apliecina viņa vārdu. 16 Neaizmirstiet labdarību un līdzdalību citu vajadzībās, tādi upuri ir tīkami Dievam. 17 Paļaujieties uz saviem vadītājiem un paklausiet tos, viņi ir nomodā par jūsu dvēselēm, un viņiem būs jādod par tām norēķins. Lai viņi to var darīt ar prieku, nevis ar vaimanām; tas jums nenāktu pa labu. 18 Lūdziet par mums! Mēs esam pārliecināti, ka esam ar tīru sirdsapziņu, visās lietās cenzdamies izturēties labi. 19 Vēl jo vairāk jūs uz to pamudinu, lai es jums drīz tiktu atdots. 20 Bet miera Dievs, kas caur mūžīgās derības asinīm uzvedis augšā no mirušiem lielo Avju ganu, mūsu Kungu Jēzu, 21 lai stiprinātu jūs visā labajā, tā ka jūs piepildāt viņa gribu, lai jūsos piepilda to, kas viņam ir tīkams caur Jēzu Kristu, kam gods mūžu mūžos! Āmen!
Sveicieni
22 Es lūdzu, brāļi, pieņemiet šos pamudinājuma vārdus, es esmu jums rakstījis pēc iespējas īsi. 23 Ziniet, ka mūsu brālis Timotejs ir atbrīvots. Ja viņš atnāks drīz, kopā ar viņu es jūs apciemošu. 24 Sveiciniet visus savus vadītājus un visus ticīgos! Jūs sveicina ticīgie Itālijā. 25 Žēlastība lai ar jums visiem!
