December 25

Hebrews 12-13

King James Version (KJV)

12 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 and 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 as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

^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 exercised 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, and 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 bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

^16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

^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 intreated 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,

^23 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,

^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.

^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.

^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.

 

13 Let brotherly love continue.

^2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels 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 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.

^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, and for ever.

^9 Be not carried about with divers 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, 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 burned 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 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 live 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,

^21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

^22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in 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.

 

2 John

^1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

^2 For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.

^3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

^4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.

^5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

^6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

^7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

^8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

^9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

^10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

^11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

^12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

^13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

 

3 John

^1 The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

^2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

^3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

^4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

^5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

^6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:

^7 Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

^8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

^9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

^10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.

^11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

^12 Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

^13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee:

^14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.