bwe - Hebrews:11-13

bwe@Hebrews:11:1 @ If people believe God, then they know they have the things they hope to get. It is the proof of things we do not see.

bwe@Hebrews:11:2 @ There were people long ago believed God. He said they were good because they believed him.

bwe@Hebrews:11:3 @ We believe in God, so that is how we know that God made the world by his word. The things we see were made out of things that cannot be seen.

bwe@Hebrews:11:4 @ Because Abel believed God, he made a sacrifice that pleased God more than the one Cain made. Because Abel believed God, God showed that he was good. God was pleased with his gifts. Abel died. But because he believed God, he still speaks to us through his faith.

bwe@Hebrews:11:5 @ Because Enoch believed God, he was taken up into heaven without dying. The people could not find him because God had taken him. Before he was taken up, the holy writings say that he pleased God.

bwe@Hebrews:11:6 @ If a person does not believe God, he cannot please him. Anyone who comes to God must believe that God is real. And he must believe that God will bless those who try to find him. God will reward a person, if he really tries to find God.

bwe@Hebrews:11:7 @ God told Noah about things that would happen. These things had never happened before. Noah believed God; he respected God. He built a big house on a boat, and so his family was saved <FI>from the big flood<Fi>. By believing God he showed that the other people were wrong. He was put right with God because he believed.

bwe@Hebrews:11:8 @ God called Abraham to go away to a place which he would have as his own. Because Abraham believed God, he obeyed him. He went even though he did not know where he was to go.

bwe@Hebrews:11:9 @ Because he believed God, he lived like a stranger in the land God promised him. He lived in tents with Isaac and Jacob. They had the same promise he had.

bwe@Hebrews:11:10 @ Abraham was looking for a city which will last for ever. It was the city God planned and made.

bwe@Hebrews:11:11 @ Sarah also believed God, and she was able to have a baby even though she was too old to have children. But she trusted God to do what he had promised.

bwe@Hebrews:11:12 @ Abraham was too old to be a father, but a great nation was born from that one man. They are as many as the stars in the sky and as the sands on the seaside. No man can count them.

bwe@Hebrews:11:13 @ These people all died still believing God. They did not get the things God had promised them. But they saw them far away and were glad to see them. They said they did not belong to this world, but were only travelling in it.

bwe@Hebrews:11:14 @ People who say such things mean they are looking for a country which will be their own.

bwe@Hebrews:11:15 @ If they had wanted the country they left behind, they could have gone back to it.

bwe@Hebrews:11:16 @ But now they want a better country. They want a place in heaven. That is why God wants to be called their God. He has made a city ready for them.

bwe@Hebrews:11:17 @ Abraham believed God when he was tested. The test was to give Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham gave up his only son, even though God had made a promise to him about Isaac.

bwe@Hebrews:11:18 @ God had said to Abraham, Isaacs children will be called your family.

bwe@Hebrews:11:19 @ Abraham said in his heart that God could bring Isaac back to life. And so it was just as if he did get his son back.

bwe@Hebrews:11:20 @ Isaac believed God. He gave Jacob and Esau blessings that were to come.

bwe@Hebrews:11:21 @ Jacob believed God. When he was dying, he blessed Josephs two sons. He leaned on his walking stick as he worshipped God.

bwe@Hebrews:11:22 @ Joseph believed God. When he died, he remembered Gods promise and talked about the time the people of Israel would leave Egypt. He told them what to do with his bones when they left Egypt.

bwe@Hebrews:11:23 @ The father and mother of Moses believed God. When he was born, they hid him for three months because they saw that he was a very nice baby. They were not afraid of the kings orders.

bwe@Hebrews:11:24 @ Moses believed God. When he was grown up, he did not want to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter.

bwe@Hebrews:11:25 @ He chose to have troubles along with Gods people. He thought that was better than the fun which he could have living a wrong life. The fun would last only for a short time.

bwe@Hebrews:11:26 @ He thought it was better to take shame, as Christ did, than to be a rich man in Egypt. He was looking for Gods blessings.

bwe@Hebrews:11:27 @ He believed God and left Egypt. He was not afraid of the kings anger. He was strong because he saw the one who cannot be seen.

bwe@Hebrews:11:28 @ He believed God and obeyed his law about the Passover Feast, and put blood on the door posts. He did this so that the angel who killed the oldest sons of the Egyptians, would pass over. Then he would not kill the oldest sons in the families of the Jews.

bwe@Hebrews:11:29 @ The people believed God and went through the Red Sea on dry land. When the people of Egypt tried to do that, they were drowned.

bwe@Hebrews:11:30 @ The people believed God and walked around the walls of the city of Jericho for seven days. The walls fell down.

bwe@Hebrews:11:31 @ Rahab was a woman who used her body wrongly for sex to get money. But she believed in God, so she did not die with the people who did not believe in God. This was when the men came to spy out her country. She took them into her house in peace.

bwe@Hebrews:11:32 @ What more should I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets.

bwe@Hebrews:11:33 @ Men believed God and were able to win over other nations. They made people do what was right. They got what God promised them. They were not eaten by lions.

bwe@Hebrews:11:34 @ The big, hot fire did not burn them. They got away from men who wanted to kill them with long knives or swords. They were weak, but they became strong. They became very strong to fight. They drove away the armies of their enemies.

bwe@Hebrews:11:35 @ Women had children who died and were raised to life again. Some people allowed themselves to be beaten to death. They would not go free because they wanted to rise again to a better life.

bwe@Hebrews:11:36 @ Others were laughed at and beaten very hard. They were even tied with chains and put into prison.

bwe@Hebrews:11:37 @ They were killed with stones. They were tested. They were cut in pieces. They were killed with swords. They walked about wearing skins of sheep and goats. They were very poor. They were treated very badly. They were punished.

bwe@Hebrews:11:38 @ They were really too good to be in this world. They walked about in the desert and in the mountains, and in the holes in the hills and in the holes among the rocks on the earth.

bwe@Hebrews:11:39 @ All of these people had good things said about them because they believed God. But they did not get what God had promised.

bwe@Hebrews:11:40 @ God planned something better. They will be made perfect but only with us.

bwe@Hebrews:12:1 @ We have all these people all around us, proving to us that we should believe God. So then, like people running a race, we must take off everything that is heavy. We must put off all wrong, wrong things that get in our way. We must not stop running until we reach the mark that has been put in front of us.

bwe@Hebrews:12:2 @ We must keep our eyes on Jesus. He believed from first to last. What was put in front of him made him glad, so he did not give up when the people nailed him on a cross. He did not care about the shame. And now he is sitting beside God.

bwe@Hebrews:12:3 @ Think about him. He did not give up when bad people said wrong things about him. When you think about him, you will not become tired and your hearts will not give up.

bwe@Hebrews:12:4 @ You have been fighting against bad people. But you have not been hurt very much.

bwe@Hebrews:12:5 @ You have forgotten the words spoken to you as sons. My son, when the Lord punishes you, do not think it is a little thing. Do not give up when he tells you that you do wrong.

bwe@Hebrews:12:6 @ The Lord punishes the person he loves. And he beats every son he takes into his family.

bwe@Hebrews:12:7 @ Do not give up when you are punished. God is treating you like sons. Is there a son who has never been punished by his father?

bwe@Hebrews:12:8 @ You are punished like the other children in the family. If you are not, you do not belong to the family as the other children do.

bwe@Hebrews:12:9 @ And what is more, our fathers on earth punished us and we respected them. We should obey even more the Father of our spirits. If we do, we will live.

bwe@Hebrews:12:10 @ Our fathers on earth punished us for a short time the way they wanted to. But God punishes us the way it is good for us. He is holy and good, so he wants us to become holy also.

bwe@Hebrews:12:11 @ At the time a person is punished, he is not glad. He is sad. But after it is over, there is peace. Then those who are trained by it do what is right.

bwe@Hebrews:12:12 @ So lift up your hands that are hanging down. Make your weak knees strong.

bwe@Hebrews:12:13 @ Walk straight ahead. Then weak feet will not get worse, but will be made well.

bwe@Hebrews:12:14 @ Try to be at peace with all people. And try to be holy. If a person is not holy, he will not see the Lord.

bwe@Hebrews:12:15 @ Take care that no one loses Gods blessing. Take care so that no angry feeling starts to grow in anyone. It will make trouble and many people will become bad.

bwe@Hebrews:12:16 @ Take care that no one takes part in wrong ways of using sex. And take care that no one is like Esau and forgets God. He was the older son. But he sold all that he would get from his father. He sold it for a little food.

bwe@Hebrews:12:17 @ You know that later he wanted to get the blessing, but he did not get it. He could not turn back. He even cried as he begged for the blessing.

bwe@Hebrews:12:18 @ You have not come to the mountain that can be touched and is burning with a big fire. You have not come to the place of darkness and night and storm.

bwe@Hebrews:12:19 @ You have not come to a place where a loud trumpet or horn is blown, and a loud voice is talking. When the people heard the voice, they begged that God would not say anything more to them.

bwe@Hebrews:12:20 @ They were afraid of what he said. He said, If even an animal touches this mountain, it must be killed with stones.

bwe@Hebrews:12:21 @ Moses was afraid when he saw all this. He said, I fear very much and I tremble.

bwe@Hebrews:12:22 @ But you have come to a hill called Zion. You have come to the city of the living God. It is the Jerusalem in heaven. You have come to many thousands of angels in a happy gathering.

bwe@Hebrews:12:23 @ You have come to the church people. They are Gods first sons, and their names are written in heaven. You have come to God who is the judge of all people. You have come to the spirits of good people who have been made right.

bwe@Hebrews:12:24 @ You have come to Jesus who is the middle man of a new agreement. You have come to the place where the spilling of his blood has more power than Abels.

bwe@Hebrews:12:25 @ Take care that you listen to God who is talking now. The people were punished when they would not listen to the One who talked on earth. And we will be punished much worse if we will not listen to the One who talks from heaven.

bwe@Hebrews:12:26 @ That time his voice shook the earth. But now he has said, Only once more I will shake the earth and the sky also.

bwe@Hebrews:12:27 @ The words, Only once more mean that the things that are shaken will be taken away. They are things that were made. The things which are not shaken will stay.

bwe@Hebrews:12:28 @ We have a place in heaven that cannot be shaken. So let us be glad and worship God and please him. Let us respect and fear him.

bwe@Hebrews:12:29 @ Our God is a fire that can burn up.

bwe@Hebrews:13:1 @ Keep on loving your Christian brothers.

bwe@Hebrews:13:2 @ Take strangers to your home and care for them. Some people who have done this found out the strangers were angels.

bwe@Hebrews:13:3 @ Remember those who are in prison as if you were in prison with them. And remember those who are having troubles, as if you were having the same troubles.

bwe@Hebrews:13:4 @ Everyone must respect marriage. And the bed must be kept clean. God will punish those who use their bodies for wrong sex.

bwe@Hebrews:13:5 @ Do not let the love of money control your life. Be satisfied with what you have. God himself has said, I will never be away from you. I will never leave you alone.

bwe@Hebrews:13:6 @ So we can be strong and say, The Lord will help me. I will not be afraid. What can men do to me?

bwe@Hebrews:13:7 @ Remember your leaders. They have told you the word of God. Think about the way they lived and died, and keep on believing as they did.

bwe@Hebrews:13:8 @ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.

bwe@Hebrews:13:9 @ Do not listen to all kinds of different teaching and strange things. It is better to have a heart that is strong because of Gods blessing than a heart that is thinking about different kinds of food. Different kinds of food do not help people who put their trust in them.

bwe@Hebrews:13:10 @ We have a sacrifice. But priests who serve God on earth have no right to eat from this sacrifice.

bwe@Hebrews:13:11 @ The high priest takes into the Most Holy Place the blood of animals that are sacrificed. He gives it to God to pay for the wrong things people have done. The bodies of these animals are burned outside the town.

bwe@Hebrews:13:12 @ So also Jesus was put to death outside the town. Then he could make the people holy by his own blood.

bwe@Hebrews:13:13 @ So let us go to him outside the town and take the shame as he did.

bwe@Hebrews:13:14 @ Here we do not have a city that will last for ever, but we are looking for the city that will come.

bwe@Hebrews:13:15 @ Let us always give a sacrifice of praise to God through Jesus. We do it by thanking him for all that he has done and also by talking about him. That is the sacrifice we make with our lips to his name.

bwe@Hebrews:13:16 @ But do not forget to do good things for people, and to give what you have to those who need it. These are sacrifices that please God.

bwe@Hebrews:13:17 @ Obey your leaders and do what they tell you. They are watching over your souls. They must give a report. Obey them so they will be glad, and not sad, to give a report. If you make them sad, it is no help to you.

bwe@Hebrews:13:18 @ Talk to God about us. We know that what we do is right. We want to do what is right in every way.

bwe@Hebrews:13:19 @ Here is why I want very much that you talk to God about me. If you do, I will be free to come to you sooner.

bwe@Hebrews:13:20 @ God gives peace. He brought back our Lord Jesus from death. Our Lord Jesus cares for Gods people and he gave his blood for the agreement that stands for ever.

bwe@Hebrews:13:21 @ May God give you everything good so that you will do what he wants you to do. He will do in us, through Jesus Christ, what pleases him. Praise him for ever. May it be so!

bwe@Hebrews:13:22 @ Please, brothers, be patient with the words I have given to help you. I have written a short letter.

bwe@Hebrews:13:23 @ I want you to know that our brother Timothy is free. If he comes here soon, I will come with him to see you.

bwe@Hebrews:13:24 @ Greet all your leaders and all of Gods people. Those who belong to the country of Italy send you greetings.

bwe@Hebrews:13:25 @ May Gods loving kindness be with you all. Amen! May it be so!