66

5 against sin; and ye have forgotten the exhortation, which reasoneth with you as with sons: My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when reproved by him; 6 for whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth; and scourgeth 7 every son whom he receiveth."* It is for chastening that ye endure; God dealeth with you as with sons; for what 8 son is he, whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye arc without chastening, of which all have been made partak9 ers, then are ye bastards and not sons. Furthermore, we

were chastened by the fathers of our flesh, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much rather be in subjec10 tion to the Father of spirits, and live? For they indeed

for a few days chastened us, according as it seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we might be partak11 ers of his holiness. Now all chastening for the present indeed seemeth to be not joyous, but grievous; but afterward it yieldeth the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby.

12

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the 13 feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, that the lame may not be turned out of the way, but may 14 rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holi15 ness, without which no one will see the Lord; looking

diligently, lest any one come short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and 16 the many be thereby defiled; lest there be any fornicator,

or profane person as Esau, who for one meal sold even his 17 birthright. For ye know that when he afterward wished

Chap. XII. 7. It is for chastening that ye endure; otherwise, imperatively, Endure for chastening. Dr. Noyes had overlooked this reading of Tischendorf, and it is uncertain which construction he would have preferred. The words translated "chasten" and "chastening" are derived from one which signifies "child," and have particular reference to the training and discipline suitable for children. - A.

* Prov. iii. 11, 12.

18

to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it earnestly with

tears.

For ye have not come to a mount that can be touched, and burning with fire, and to blackness, and darkness, and 19 tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which voice they who heard, entreated that no more should 20 be spoken to them; for they could not bear that which

was commanded, "If even a beast touch the mountain, it 21 shall be stoned; "* and, so terrible was the sight, Moses 22 said: "I exceedingly fear and tremble;" but ye have

come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, 23 the heavenly Jerusalem; and to myriads, the general assembly of angels; and to the church of the first-born, who are enrolled in heaven; and to God the Judge of 24 all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect; and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant; and to a sprinkling with that blood which speaketh something better than Abel.

25

See that ye refuse not him who speaketh. For if they did not escape, who refused him who spoke his will on earth, much more shall not we, if we turn away from 26 him who speaketh from heaven; whose voice then shook the earth; but now he hath promised, saying, "Yet once more will I shake, not the earth only, but also the hea27 ven." And this expression, "Yet once more," signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, in order that those things which ars

Ver. 17. - he found no place for repentance; i e. he could not by repentance get back from his father the blessing of the first-born, which he had forfeited. Less agreeably to usage, he found no place for a change of mind in his father Isaac.

Ver. 18. — can be touched; i.e. a tangible, or material, in contradistinction from a spiritual mountain.

Exod. xix. 13.

↑ Haggai ii. 6.

28 not shaken may abide. Wherefore receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.*

XIII. Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to en2 tertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels

unawares.

3 Remember those in bonds, as bound with them; those in distress, as being yourselves also in the body.

4

Let marriage be honored in all respects, and the bed be undefiled; but whoremongers and adulterers God will 5 judge. Let your disposition be without covetousness, and be content with what ye have; for he hath said, "I will 6 never leave thee, nor forsake thee;"† so that we boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear; what 7 shall man do to me?" Remember your leaders, who spoke to you the word of God; and considering well the end of their manner of life, imitate their faith.

8

Jesus Christ is yesterday and to-day the same, and for 9 ever. Be not carried aside with various and strange teachings; for it is good that the heart be established with grace, not with meats, in which those who walked were not profited.

10

We have an altar, of which they cannot eat who 11 serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high12 priest are burned without the camp. § Wherefore Jesus

also, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, 13 suffered without the gate. Let us then go forth to him 14 without the camp, bearing his reproach; for here we have

Chap. XIII. 4.

Ver. 9.

in all respects, &c. Or, among all.

in which; i.e. in the observance of rules respecting meats. Deut. iv. 24. † See Deut. xxxi. 6, 8; Josh. i 5. Ps. cxviii. 6.

§ See Lev. xvi. 27.

no abiding city, but are seeking that which is to come. 15 Through him therefore let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips giving thanks 16 to his name. But works of kindness and liberality forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

17

18

Obey your leaders, and submit yourselves to them; for they keep watch in behalf of your souls, as those who must give an account; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief; for this is not for your advantage.

Pray for us; for we are persuaded that we have a good conscience, desiring in all things to conduct ourselves well; 19 but I the more earnestly entreat you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

20

Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood 21 of an everlasting covenant, even our Lord Jesus, make you perfect in every good work, to do his will, doing in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.

22

23

24

But I beseech you, brethren, bear with the word of my exhortation; for I have written to you in few words. Know that the brother Timothy hath been set at liberty, with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.

Salute all your leaders, and all the saints. Those from 25 Italy salute you. Grace be with you all. Amen.

THE GENERAL EPISTLES.

THE EPISTLE OF JAMES.

2

JAMES, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. Count it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into various 3 temptations; knowing that the trying of your faith work4 eth endurance. But let endurance have a perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting in nothing. 5 But if any one of you is wanting in wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally, and upbraideth 6 not; and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting; for he that doubteth is like a wave 7 of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything from he 8 Lord, a double-minded man as he is, unstable in all his

ways.

9 Let the brother of low degree glory in that he is 10 exalted; but the rich, in that he is made low; because 11 as the flower of the grass he will pass away. For the

sun rose with its burning heat, and withered the grass, and its flower fell off, and the beauty of its appearance

Chap. I. 3.

endurance. Comp. Matt. xxiv. 13.