Gore Blvd Church of Christ

Ephesians 1

The Blessings of Redemption

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus ^[a]by the will of God,

To the ^[b]saints who are ^[c]at Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus: ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before ^[d]Him. In love ^5 [e]He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. ⁷ In ^[f]Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace ⁸ which He ^[g]lavished on ^[h]us. In all wisdom and insight ⁹ He ^[i]made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He set forth in Him, ¹⁰ regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things ^[j]in the heavens and things on the earth. ^11 [k]In Him we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things in accordance with the plan of His will, ¹² to the end that ^[l]we who were the first to hope in the ^[m]Christ would be to the praise of His glory. ¹³ In ^[n]Him, ^[o]you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also ^[p]believed, you were sealed in ^[q]Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, ¹⁴ who is a first installment of our inheritance, in regard to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

¹⁵ For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and ^[r]your love for all the ^[s]saints, ¹⁶ do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the ^[t]knowledge of Him. ¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart ^[u]may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the ^[v]saints, ¹⁹ and what is the ^[w]boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might ²⁰ which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. ²² And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church, ²³ which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Footnotes

1. Ephesians 1:1 Lit through
2. Ephesians 1:1 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
3. Ephesians 1:1 Three early mss do not contain at Ephesus
4. Ephesians 1:4 Or Him, in love. He
5. Ephesians 1:5 Lit having predestined
6. Ephesians 1:7 Lit whom
7. Ephesians 1:8 Lit made abundant toward
8. Ephesians 1:8 Or us in all wisdom and insight. He
9. Ephesians 1:9 Lit making known
10. Ephesians 1:10 Lit upon
11. Ephesians 1:11 Lit In whom also
12. Ephesians 1:12 I.e., Jewish believers
13. Ephesians 1:12 I.e., Messiah
14. Ephesians 1:13 Lit whom
15. Ephesians 1:13 I.e., Gentile believers
16. Ephesians 1:13 Or believed in Him, you were sealed
17. Ephesians 1:13 Lit whom
18. Ephesians 1:15 Three early mss do not contain your love
19. Ephesians 1:15 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
20. Ephesians 1:17 Or true knowledge
21. Ephesians 1:18 Lit having been
22. Ephesians 1:18 See note 2 v 15
23. Ephesians 1:19 Lit surpassing

Hebrews 13

The Changeless Christ

13 Let love of the brothers and sisters continue. ² Do not neglect hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. ³ Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are badly treated, since you yourselves also are in the body. ⁴ Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers. ⁵ Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you,” ⁶ so that we confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”

⁷ Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the ^[a]result of their way of life, imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever. ⁹ Do not be misled by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who ^[b]were so occupied were not benefited. ¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who serve the ^[c]tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹ For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the Holy Place by the high priest as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. ¹² Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood. ¹³ So then, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. ¹⁴ For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.

God-pleasing Sacrifices

¹⁵ Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name. ¹⁶ And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

¹⁷ Obey your leaders and submit to them—for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they may do this with joy, not ^[d]groaning; for this would be unhelpful for you.

¹⁸ Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. ¹⁹ And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you more quickly.

Benediction

²⁰ Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep ^[e]through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, ²¹ equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

²² But I urge you, brothers and sisters, ^[f]listen patiently to ^[g]this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. ²³ Know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you. ²⁴ Greet all of your leaders and all the ^[h]saints. Those from Italy greet you.

²⁵ Grace be with you all.

Footnotes

1. Hebrews 13:7 Or end of their life
2. Hebrews 13:9 Lit walked
3. Hebrews 13:10 Or sacred tent
4. Hebrews 13:17 Or sighing
5. Hebrews 13:20 Lit in
6. Hebrews 13:22 Or listen to
7. Hebrews 13:22 Lit the
8. Hebrews 13:24 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people

Hebrews 12

Jesus, the Example

12 Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking only at Jesus, the ^[a]originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary ^[b]and lose heart.

A Father’s Discipline

⁴ You have not yet resisted ^[c]to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; ⁵ and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor faint when you are punished by Him;
⁶ For whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He punishes every son whom He accepts.”

⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had ^[d]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of ^[e]spirits, and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. ¹¹ For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

¹² Therefore, ^[f]strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, ¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

¹⁴ Pursue peace with all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; ¹⁶ that there be no sexually immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. ¹⁷ For you know that even afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Contrast of Sinai and Zion

¹⁸ For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, ¹⁹ and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words, which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not ^[g]cope with the command, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” ²¹ And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.” ²² But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of ^[h]angels, ²³ to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

The Unshaken Kingdom

²⁵ See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, ^[i]much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns us from heaven. ²⁶ And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” ²⁷ This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s ^[j]show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; ²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire.

Footnotes

1. Hebrews 12:2 Or leader
2. Hebrews 12:3 Lit fainting in your souls
3. Hebrews 12:4 Lit as far as blood
4. Hebrews 12:9 Lit fathers of our flesh
5. Hebrews 12:9 Or our spirits
6. Hebrews 12:12 Lit make straight
7. Hebrews 12:20 Lit bear
8. Hebrews 12:22 Or angels in festive gathering, and to the church
9. Hebrews 12:25 Lit much rather we will not escape...
10. Hebrews 12:28 Lit have

Hebrews 11

The Triumphs of Faith

11 Now faith is the certainty of things ^[a]hoped for, a ^[b]proof of things not seen. ² For by it the people of old ^[c]gained approval.

³ By faith we understand that the ^[d]world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible. ⁴ By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he was attested to be righteous, God testifying ^[e]about his gifts, and through ^[f]faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. ⁵ By faith Enoch was taken up so that he would not see death; and he was not found because God took him up; for before he was taken up, he was attested to have been pleasing to God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him. ⁷ By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, ^[g]in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed ^[h]by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he left, not knowing where he was going. ⁹ By faith he lived as a stranger in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; ¹⁰ for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. ¹¹ By faith even Sarah herself received ^[i]ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised. ¹² Therefore even from one man, and one who was as good as dead ^[j]at that, there were born descendants who were just as the stars of heaven in number, and as the innumerable grains of sand along the seashore.

¹³ All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen and welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴ For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. ¹⁵ And indeed if they had been ^[k]thinking of that country which they left, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ^[l]ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and the one who had received the promises was offering up his ^[m]only son; ¹⁸ it was he to whom it was said, “Through Isaac your ^[n]descendants shall be named.” ^19 [o]He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back ^[p]as a ^[q]type. ²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. ²¹ By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. ²² By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.

²³ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. ²⁴ By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, ²⁵ choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin, ²⁶ considering the ^[r]reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. ²⁷ By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he persevered, as though seeing Him who is unseen. ²⁸ By faith he ^[s]kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch them. ²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red Sea as through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were ^[t]drowned.

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down ^[u]after the Israelites had marched around them for seven days. ³¹ By faith the prostitute Rahab did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies ^[v]in peace.

³² And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, ³³ who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. ³⁵ Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their ^[w]release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; ³⁶ and others ^[x]experienced mocking and flogging, and further, chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn in two, ^[y]they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented ³⁸ (people of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, on mountains, and sheltering in caves and holes ^[z]in the ground.

³⁹ And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive ^[aa]what was promised, ⁴⁰ because God had ^[ab]provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.

Footnotes

1. Hebrews 11:1 Or expected
2. Hebrews 11:1 Or conviction about
3. Hebrews 11:2 Lit obtained a good testimony
4. Hebrews 11:3 Or worlds were; lit ages
5. Hebrews 11:4 I.e., by receiving his gifts
6. Hebrews 11:4 Lit it
7. Hebrews 11:7 Or was reverent and prepared
8. Hebrews 11:8 Lit to go out
9. Hebrews 11:11 Lit power for the laying down of seed
10. Hebrews 11:12 Lit in these things
11. Hebrews 11:15 Or remembering
12. Hebrews 11:16 Lit ashamed of them, to be
13. Hebrews 11:17 I.e., only son with Sarah
14. Hebrews 11:18 Lit seed
15. Hebrews 11:19 Lit Considering
16. Hebrews 11:19 Lit in
17. Hebrews 11:19 I.e., of resurrection, figuratively, pointing to the future
18. Hebrews 11:26 I.e., insults like those later suffered by Christ
19. Hebrews 11:28 Lit has kept
20. Hebrews 11:29 Lit swallowed up
21. Hebrews 11:30 Lit after they had been encircled for
22. Hebrews 11:31 Lit with
23. Hebrews 11:35 Lit redemption
24. Hebrews 11:36 Lit received the trial of
25. Hebrews 11:37 One early ms does not contain they were tempted
26. Hebrews 11:38 Lit of
27. Hebrews 11:39 Lit the promise
28. Hebrews 11:40 Or foreseen

Hebrews 10

One Sacrifice of Christ Is Sufficient

10 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the ^[a]form of those things itself, ^[b]can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually every year, make those who approach perfect. ² Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? ³ But in ^[c]those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. ⁴ For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. ⁵ Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says,

“You have not desired sacrifice and offering,
But You have prepared a body for Me;
⁶ You have not taken pleasure in whole burnt offerings and offerings for sin.
⁷ Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come
(It is written of Me in the scroll of the book)
To do Your will, O God.’”

⁸ After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and offerings for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), ⁹ then He ^[d]said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. ¹⁰ By ^[e]this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.

¹¹ Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; ¹² but He, having offered one sacrifice for ^[f]sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ waiting from that time onward until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet. ¹⁴ For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are ^[g]sanctified. ¹⁵ And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,

¹⁶ “This is the covenant which I will make with them
After those days, declares the Lord:
I will put My laws upon their hearts,
And write them on their mind,”

He then says,

¹⁷ “And their sins and their lawless deeds
I will no longer remember.”

¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required.

A New and Living Way

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, through His flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let’s approach God with a ^[h]sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let’s hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴ and let’s consider how to ^[i]encourage one another in love and good deeds, ²⁵ not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Christ or Judgment

²⁶ For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who has ignored the Law of Moses is put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much more severe punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” ³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

³² But remember the former days, ^[j]when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, ³³ partly by being made a public spectacle through insults and distress, and partly by becoming ^[k]companions with those who were so treated. ³⁴ For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better and lasting possession. ³⁵ Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. ³⁶ For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive ^[l]what was promised.

³⁷ For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
³⁸ But My righteous one will live by faith;
And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.

³⁹ But ^[m]we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith for the safekeeping of the soul.

Footnotes

1. Hebrews 10:1 Lit image
2. Hebrews 10:1 One early ms they can
3. Hebrews 10:3 Lit them there is
4. Hebrews 10:9 Lit has said
5. Hebrews 10:10 Lit which
6. Hebrews 10:12 Or sins, forever sat down
7. Hebrews 10:14 Or being sanctified
8. Hebrews 10:22 Lit true
9. Hebrews 10:24 Or stir up
10. Hebrews 10:32 Lit in which
11. Hebrews 10:33 Or partners
12. Hebrews 10:36 Lit the promise
13. Hebrews 10:39 Lit we are not of shrinking back...but of faith