Hebrews 13

Sacrifices Pleasing to God

1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper;
    I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”

7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent[a] have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Benediction

20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us[b] that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

22 I appeal to you, brothers,[c] bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. 23 You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. 25 Grace be with all of you.

Footnotes:

1. Hebrews 13:10 Or tabernacle
2. Hebrews 13:21 Some manuscripts you
3. Hebrews 13:22 Or brothers and sisters

Observation Questions

Sacrifices Pleasing to God

What are we to let continue? (verse 1)

Did Paul say that we are not to show hospitality to some strangers? (verse 2)

Have some entertained angels unawares? (verse 2)

How are we to remember those who are in prison? (verse 3)

Is marriage to beheld in honor among all? (verse 4)

Why can we confidently say "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" (verse 5-6)

Are we to consider the outcome of our leaders' way of life? (verse 7)

Is Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever? (verse 8)

What are we not to be led away by? (verse 9)

What is it good for the heart to be strengthened by? (verse 9)

What do we have? (verse 10)

Where are the bodies of the animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin burned? (verse 11)

Where did Jesus suffer in order to sanctify the people through his own blood? (verse 12)

What are we to do? (verse 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, 13, 17, 18)

Do we have a lasting city here? (verse 14)

How are we to offer up a sacrifice of praise to God? (verse 15)

Why are we not to neglect to do good and to share what you have? (verse 16)

Why are we to obey our leaders and submit to them? (verse 17)

Benediction

Who brought our Lord Jesus again from the dead? (verse 20)

Who equips us with everything good that we may do His will? 

Final Greetings

How does Paul close his letter? (verse 22-25)

Interpretation

What does it mean to "Let brotherly love continue"?

What does it mean for us, right now, to "show hospitality to strangers"?

What does it mean that some have entertained angels unaware? 

If "Samaritans" are "neighbors", who are strangers?

What does it mean to remember those who are in prison as though we were in prison with them?

Practically, what does it mean to hold marriage in honor? 

What does it mean to keep the marriage bed undefiled? 

What does it mean to keep your life free from the love of money?

What does it mean for the Lord to be our helper? 

What does it look like to not be lead away by diverse, strange, teachings? 

What is the meaning of verse 10?

What does it mean to go to Jesus outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured?

What does it mean that we don't have a lasting city here?

What does it mean to seek the city that is to come?

What does it mean to continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God through Jesus?

What is the fruit of the lips that acknowledge his name?

What does it look like to not neglect to do good?

What does it look like to share what you have?

What does it look like to obey our leaders with joy?

What does a clear conscience look like?