The effects of faith Hebrews. 22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones. 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months by his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's command ment. 24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season: 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured,a as seeing him who is invisible. 23 Tirough faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red sea by dry land; which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days. a Endured, persevered. Assaying, attempting, in the fathers of old, 31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. 32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets. 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again; and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings & scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they sawn asunder, tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy;) they wandered in desarts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And these all, having Exhortations to faith, Chap. xii. patience, and godliness. obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. CHAP. XII. 1 An exhortation to constant faith, patience, & godliness. 22 A commendation of the new testament above the old. 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, 2 Looking unto Jesus, the author & finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation, which speaketh unto you,a as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. a Speaketh unto you, Prov. iii. 11. 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 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 exereised thereby. 12 Wherefore, lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all men, & holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitter Exhortations and Hebrews. ness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16 Lest there be any forni cator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birth-right.b 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. 18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake :) 22 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, b Birthright, before the law was given the first-born in the family of Abraham had a right to the priesthood, Exod. xix. 22, and to a double portion, Deut. xxi. 17, and in the family of Isaac, he was lord, over his brethren. 'commandments. 23 To the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not, who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven; 26 Whose voice then shook the earth; but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.c 27 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. c I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. It is supposed that earth is here put figuratively for heathen idolatry, & heaven for the Levitical worand that the shaking of the earth ship and the political state of the Jews; signifies, the destruction of that idolatry; and the shaking of heaven, the abolition & removal of the Jewish worship and government. That this is the true meaning appears from verse 27, where the things which cannot be shaken, signifies the Gospel, which is to remain to the end of the world, as the only form of relig ion acceptable to God. Divers admonitions, as Chap. xiii. to charity, chastity, &c. 28 Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God is a consuming fire. CHAP. XIII. 1 Divers admonitions, as to charity, 4 to chastity, 5 to avoid covetousness, 7 to regard God's preachers, 9 to take heed of strange dectrines, 10 to confess Christ. LET brotherly love continue. 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels a unawares. 3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. 4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. 5 Let your conversation b be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. a Entertained angels, Paul here refers to Gen. xviii. 2. b Conversation, behaviour. 7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation; 8 Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, & forever. 9 Be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrines; for it is a good thing, that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 10 We have an altar, c whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burnt without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth, therefore, unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 15 By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. 16 But to do good, and to c We have an altar, &c. We have a sacrifice, that is, Jesus Christ, of which they have no right to eat, who think to obtain pardon by Jewish rites, performed in the tabernacle. communicate, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you. 18 Pray for us; for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to do honestly. 19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, admonitions. 21 Make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing, in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever & ever. Amen. 22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation; for I have written a letter unto you in a few words. 23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. 24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. 25 Grace be with you all. Amen. Written to the Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy. PREFATORY REMARKS TO THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JAMES. St. James, the author of this Epistle, surnamed the less or younger, was the son of Alpheus, or according to the Hebrew orthography and pronunciation, Cleophas. He was a relation of Jesus Christ; and because the Jews called relation brethren, he is called the Lord's brother. He was eminent among the Apostles, and was appointed to reside in Jerusalem, and to superintend the churches there; hence by the ancients he was stiled bishop of Jerusalem. There are various conjectures concerning his death; the general opinion however is, that he suffered martyrdom a. D. 62, a short time after he wrote this Epistle. As many of the converted Jews were formerly of the sect of the Pharisees, who held the doctrines of fate, they brought in |
