New Testament

Hebrews 13

Pilgrims, Priests, and Parting Grace

7 passages

Overview

The author of Hebrews closes his letter by anchoring the community's heavenly vocation in concrete moral exhortation — hospitality, solidarity with the suffering, marital fidelity, and freedom from greed — then calls them to follow Christ outside the gate of the old order, declares their whole lives transformed into priestly offerings of praise and generous sharing, urges joyful obedience to their leaders and mutual prayer, and concludes with a benediction invoking the God of peace who raised Jesus through the blood of an eternal covenant, before exchanging personal greetings and a final blessing of grace.

Passages

1–6Anchored in Love: The Grammar of Christian Community 7–9The Unchanging Christ and the Faithful Tradition 10–14The New Altar, the Sacrifice Outside the Gate, and the Pilgrim City 15–16The Sacrifices Pleasing to God: Praise, Goodness, and Sharing 17–19Watchmen of Souls: On Ecclesial Obedience and Mutual Prayer 20–21The God of Peace and the Eternal Covenant 22–25A Letter's Final Embrace: Grace, Community, and the Bond of Faith

Study Resources

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Hebrews 13

¹Let brotherly love continue. ²Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it. ³Remember those who are in bonds, as bound with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you are also in the body. ⁴Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the bed be undefiled; but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.

⁵Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.” ⁶So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

⁷Remember your leaders, men who spoke to you the word of God, and considering the results of their conduct, imitate their faith. ⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ⁹Don’t be carried away by various and strange teachings, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.

¹⁰We have an altar from which those who serve the holy tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside of the camp. ¹²Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people through his own blood, suffered outside of the gate. ¹³Let’s therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach. ¹⁴For we don’t have here an enduring city, but we seek that which is to come. ¹⁵Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name. ¹⁶But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

¹⁷Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch on behalf of your souls, as those who will give account, that they may do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be unprofitable for you.

¹⁸Pray for us, for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring to live honorably in all things. ¹⁹I strongly urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you sooner.

²⁰Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, ²¹make you complete 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 the glory forever and ever. Amen.

²²But I exhort you, brothers, endure the word of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words. ²³Know that our brother Timothy has been freed, with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.

²⁴Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. The Italians greet you.

²⁵Grace be with you all. Amen.

Hebrews 12