But when the kindness of our Savior, God, and his love to men appeared, "not because of works that we had done in righteousness, but out of his own mercy he saved us through the bath of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that we might be declared righteous by his grace and become heirs with the hope of life eternal." That is a trustworthy saying.

I wish you to insist on these things so that those who have put their faith in God may give earnest attention to honorable work. These things are honorable and also useful to men. But avoid foolish disputes and genealogies and strife and quarrels about the Law; for they are unprofitable and futile. If a man is factious, after one or two warnings, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a one is perverted and goes on sinning though self-condemned.

When I send Artemas to you or Tychicus, try to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to pass the winter there. Do your best in helping Zenas, the lawyer, and Apollos forward on their journey so that they may lack nothing. Our people too must learn to give attention to honorable work, so as to be able to meet pressing needs, that they may not be fruitless.

All who are with me send you their greetings. Give our greetings to those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with all of you.

PAUL'S LETTER TO PHILEMON

I

PAUL, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon, our beloved fellow worker, and to Apphia, our sister, and to Archippus, our fellow soldier, and to the Church that meets at your house:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, for I hear of the love and the loyalty that you have to the Lord Jesus Christ and to all the holy. I pray that your fellowship in the faith may become effective in the knowledge of all the good there is in us in our relation to Christ. For I have had great joy and encouragement in your love, because the hearts of the holy have been refreshed by you, brother.

Therefore, though I might have great boldness in Christ to command you what is fitting, I beg you rather for love's sake, as Paul the old man and now the prisoner of Christ Jesus-I beg you in behalf of my child Onesimus, born to me in my chains, who once was useless1 to you, but now is useful to you and to me. I am sending him back to you, though he is my very heart. I should like to have him for my own, to serve me in my chains for the good news, as your representative, but without your consent I am unwilling to do anything, so that your goodness may not be of necessity but of free will.

Perhaps it was for this that he was separated from you for a time, that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a brother beloved, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. If then you hold me for a partner, receive him as you would me. If he has wronged you in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write it with my 1 This is a play on the name Onesimus, which in Greek means "Helpful."

own hand. I will pay it - not to mention to you that you owe me your own self besides. Yes, brother, let me have this help1 from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ.

I am writing to you confident of your obedience and knowing that you will do more than I say. At the same time I want you to prepare a lodging for me, for I hope that through your prayers I shall be given back to you.

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, and Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers, send you their greetings.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirits.

1 Again a play on the name Onesimus, "Helpful.".

THE LETTER TO THE HEBREWS

I

MANY times and in many ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but at the end of these days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things and through whom he made the world, who is the reflection of his glory and the expression of his nature and sustains all things by his word of power, and who, when he had made purification from sins, took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited surpasses theirs.

For to which of the angels did he ever say, "Thou art my son; I have to-day become thy Father"? and again, "I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son"? And again when he brings his first-born into the world of men he says. "And let all the angels of God bow down to him." Referring to the angels he says, "He makes his angels winds, his servants a flame of fire." But regarding the Son he says, "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. Thy royal scepter is a scepter of justice. Thou lovest righteousness and hatest lawlessness, therefore God, thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness beyond thy companions." And, "Thou, in the beginning, O Lord, didst found the earth, and the heavens are works of thy hands. They will perish, but thou wilt endure. They all will grow old like a garment and like a mantle thou wilt roll them up. But thou art the same and thy years will never end." To which of the angels did he ever say, "Sit at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool"? Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth for service in behalf of those who are to inherit salvation?

II

For this reason we should give special attention to the things that we have heard, so as not to drift away from them. For if

the message spoken through angels was sure and every violation and disobedience received merited punishment, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the beginning was spoken by the Lord and was confirmed to us by those who heard him, while God added his testimony by signs and wonders and many kinds of miracles and impartations of the Holy Spirit according to his will?

For he has not subjected to angels the coming world of which we speak. But somewhere one says, "What is man that thou rememberest him? Or the son of man that thou carest for him? Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels. With glory and honor thou hast crowned him. All things thou hast put under his feet." When he put all things under him he left nothing that was not put under him. We do not yet see all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death that by the grace of God he might taste of death for every man, now crowned with glory and honor. For it was fitting that he through whom are all things and for whom are all things, when leading many sons to glory, should make the great Leader of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For he who makes holy and they who are made holy are all of one. For this cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, "I will tell thy name to my brothers. In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to thee," and again, "I will trust in him," and again, "Here am I and the children whom God has given me."

Since then the children share in blood and flesh, he himself in the same way shared in them, in order that through death he might defeat him who had the power of death, that is, the Devil, and set free all those who through fear of death were all their lives doomed to slavery. For he does not come to the help of angels, but he comes to the help of the descendants of Abraham. And for that reason he had to be made like his brethren in everything, so as to be a compassionate and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since he himself has suffered when tempted he is able to help those who are tempted.