and to the church in thyhouse: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

8

4 I thank my God always, making mention of thee in 5 my prayers, hearing of 1thy love, and of the faith which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the 6 saints; that the fellowship of thy faith may become effectual, in the knowledge of every good thing which is 7 in 2you, unto Christ. For I had much joy and comfort in thy love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through thee, brother. Wherefore, though I have all boldness in Christ to enjoin thee that which is be9 fitting, yet for love's sake I rather beseech, being such a one as Paul 3 the aged, and now a prisoner also of Christ 10 Jesus: I beseech thee for my child, whom I have begotten 11 in my bonds, 4 Onesimus, who was aforetime unprofitable to thee, but now is profitable to 12 thee and to me: whom I have sent back to thee in his own person, that is, my very 13 heart: whom I would fain have kept with me, that in thy behalf he might minister unto me in the bonds of the 14 gospel: but without thy mind I would do nothing; that thy

goodness should not be as of necessity, but of free will. For perhaps he was therefore 15 parted from thee for a season, that thou shouldest have him for ever; no longer as a 5ser- 16 vant, but more than a 5servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much rather to thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord. If 17 then thou countest me a partner, receive him as myself. But if he hath wronged 18 thee at all, or oweth thee aught, put that to mine account; I Paul write it with 19 mine own hand, I will repay it: that I say not unto thee how that thou owest to me even thine own self besides. Yea, brother, let me have 20 joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ. Having confidence in thine 21 obedience I write unto thee, knowing that thou wilt do even beyond what I say. But withal prepare me also 22 a lodging: for I hope that through your prayers I shall be granted unto you.

Epaphras, my fellow-pri- 23 soner in Christ Jesus, saluteth thee; and so do Mark, 24 Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow-workers.

The grace of our Lord Je- 25 sus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

11 GOD, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, 2 hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the 2worlds; 3 who being the effulgence of his glory, and 3 the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the 4 Majesty on high; having become by so much better than the angels, as he hath inherited a more excellent name 5 than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time,

Thou art my Son,

This day have I begotten thee?

and again,

I will be to him a Father, And he shall be to me a Son? 64 And when he again "bringeth in the firstborn into the world he saith, And let all the angels

4 Or,

And thy years shall not fail. 13 But of which of the angels hath he said at any time,

Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet? 14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?

21

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from 2 them. For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; 3 how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them 4 that heard; God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders, and by manifold powers, and by 1gifts of the 2 Holy Ghost, according to his own will. 5 For not unto angels did he subject the world to come, whereof we speak. But one hath somewhere testified, saying,

7

What is man, that thou art mindful of him?

5 And didst set him over

the works of thy hands: Thou didst put all things 8 in subjection under his feet.

For in that he subjected all things unto him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we see not yet all things subjected to him. But we behold him 9 who hath been made a little lower than the angels, even Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, that by the grace of God he should taste death for every man. For it became 10 him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth 11 and they that are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying,

I will declare thy name

unto my brethren,

In the midst of the 8con-
gregation will I sing thy
praise.

12

thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; Thou crownedst him with glory and honour,

1 Gr. distributions.

Since then the children are 14 sharers in 9flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same; that through death he 1omight bring

did provoke? nay, did not all they that came out of Egypt 17 by Moses? And with whom was he displeased forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose carcases fell 18 in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that were diso19 bedient? And we see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief. 41 Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to 2 have come short of it. For indeed we have had 2good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because they were not united by faith with them 3 that heard. For we which have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said,

As I sware in my wrath,
5 They shall not enter into
my rest:

although the works were finished from the foundation 4 of the world. For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day 5 from all his works; and in this place again,

my rest.

into, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, he 7 again defineth a certain day, 7saying in David, after so long a time, To-day, as it hath been before said,

To-day if ye shall hear his
voice,

Harden not your hearts. For if 8 Joshua had given & them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. There remaineth there- 9 fore a sabbath rest for the people of God. For he that 10 is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. Let us therefore give diligence 11 to enter into that rest, that no man fall 9 after the same example of disobedience. For 12 the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. And 13 there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Having then a great high 14