HEBREËRS 13
Die Christelike lewenswandel
1 As broers moet julle mekaar altyd liefhê. 2 Moenie nalaat om gasvry te wees nie, want deur gasvry te wees, het sommige mense sonder dat hulle dit geweet het, engele as gaste gehuisves. 3 Dink aan die gevangenes asof julle self ook gevangenes is, en aan dié wat mishandel word, asof julle self ook mishandel word.
4 Die huwelik moet deur almal eerbaar gehou word. Wees in die huwelikslewe getrou aan mekaar, want ontugtiges en egbrekers sal onder die oordeel van God kom.
5 Hou julle lewe vry van geldgierigheid; wees tevrede met wat julle het. God self het gesê: “Ek sal jou nooit verlaat nie, jou nooit in die steek laat nie.”t 6 Daarom kan ons met vertroue sê:
“Die Here is my helper,
ek ken geen vrees nie:
wat kan 'n mens aan my doen?”t
Loof God deur Jesus Christus
7 Dink aan julle voorgangers wat die woord van God aan julle verkondig het. Let op hulle lewenswandel tot die einde toe, en volg die voorbeeld van geloof wat hulle gestel het.
8 Jesus Christus is gister en vandag dieselfde en tot in ewigheid.
9 Moet julle nie laat meevoer deur allerhande vreemde leringe nie. Die goeie is daarin geleë dat die hart deur genade versterk word, nie deur eetgebruike nie. Dié wat hulle aan hierdie gebruike gehou het, het niks daarby gebaat nie.
10 Ons het 'n altaar waarvan dié wat nog die offerdiens volgens die ou orde verrig, nie die reg het om te eet nie. 11 Die bloed van die offerdiere word deur die hoëpriester in die heiligdom ingebring vir die sonde, maar hulle liggame word buitekant die laer verbrand. 12 Daarom het Jesus ook buitekant die stadspoort gely om die volk deur sy eie bloed van hulle sonde te reinig. 13 Laat ons dan nou uitgaan na Hom toe buitekant die laer en die smaad dra wat Hy gedra het, 14 want ons het in hierdie wêreld geen vaste verblyfplek nie, ons is op soek na die toekomstige. 15 Laat ons dan onophoudelik deur Jesus aan God 'n offer van lof bring, dié lof wat aan Hom gebring word deur die lippe wat sy Naam bely. 16 Moenie nalaat om goed te doen en mededeelsaam te wees nie, want dít is die offers wat vir God aanneemlik is.
17 Julle voorgangers hou wag oor julle lewe en moet aan God rekenskap gee. Wees gehoorsaam en onderdanig aan hulle, want dan sal hulle hulle werk met vreugde kan doen en nie kla nie; anders het dit vir julle geen nut nie.
18 Hou aan om vir ons te bid, want ons is daarvan oortuig dat ons gewete skoon is, omdat ons in elke opsig probeer doen wat reg is. 19 Veral dring ek by julle daarop aan om te bid dat God my gou na julle toe sal laat terugkom.
Gebed vir die lesers
20 God wat vrede gee, het ons Here Jesus wat deur die bloed van die ewige verbond die groot Herder van sy kudde is, uit die dood teruggebring. 21 Mag dié God julle toerus met alles wat goed is, sodat julle sy wil kan doen. Mag Hy deur Jesus Christus in ons tot stand bring wat vir Hom aanneemlik is. Aan Hom behoort die heerlikheid tot in alle ewigheid! Amen.
Laaste versoek en groete
22 Broers, dit is my dringende versoek: Julle moet geduldig na hierdie woorde luister waarmee ek julle bemoedig het, al het ek dit net kortliks aan julle geskrywe.
23 Julle weet seker al dat ons broer Timoteus vrygelaat is. As hy gou genoeg kom, bring ek hom saam wanneer ek julle besoek.
24 Groete aan al julle voorgangers en aan al die gelowiges. Dié wat van Italië afkomstig is, stuur ook vir julle groete.
25 Die genade van God sal by julle almal wees!
Hebrews 13
1 LET LOVE for your fellow believers continue and be a fixed practice with you [never let it fail].2 Do not forget or neglect or refuse to extend hospitality to strangers [in the brotherhood--being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously], for through it some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are in prison as if you were their fellow prisoner, and those who are ill-treated, since you also are liable to bodily sufferings.4 Let marriage be held in honor (esteemed worthy, precious, of great price, and especially dear) in all things. And thus let the marriage bed be undefiled (kept undishonored); for God will judge and punish the unchaste [all guilty of sexual vice] and adulterous.5 Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] 6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me? 7 Remember your leaders and superiors in authority [for it was they] who brought to you the Word of God. Observe attentively and consider their manner of living (the outcome of their well-spent lives) and imitate their faith (their conviction that God exists and is the Creator and Ruler of all things, the Provider and Bestower of eternal salvation through Christ, and their leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness).8 Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages).9 Do not be carried about by different and varied and alien teachings; for it is good for the heart to be established and ennobled and strengthened by means of grace (God’s favor and spiritual blessing) and not [to be devoted to] foods [rules of diet and ritualistic meals], which bring no [spiritual] benefit or profit to those who observe them.10 We have an altar from which those who serve and worship in the tabernacle have no right to eat.11 For when the blood of animals is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin, the victims’ bodies are burned outside the limits of the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also suffered and died outside the [city’s] gate in order that He might purify and consecrate the people through [the shedding of] His own blood and set them apart as holy [for God].13 Let us then go forth [from all that would prevent us] to Him outside the camp [at Calvary], bearing the contempt and abuse and shame with Him. 14 For here we have no permanent city, but we are looking for the one which is to come.15 Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name. 16 Do not forget or neglect to do kindness and good, to be generous and distribute and contribute to the needy [of the church as embodiment and proof of fellowship], for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.17 Obey your spiritual leaders and submit to them [continually recognizing their authority over you], for they are constantly keeping watch over your souls and guarding your spiritual welfare, as men who will have to render an account [of their trust]. [Do your part to] let them do this with gladness and not with sighing and groaning, for that would not be profitable to you [either].18 Keep praying for us, for we are convinced that we have a good (clear) conscience, that we want to walk uprightly and live a noble life, acting honorably and in complete honesty in all things.19 And I beg of you [to pray for us] the more earnestly, in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.20 Now may the God of peace [Who is the Author and the Giver of peace], Who brought again from among the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood [that sealed, ratified] the everlasting agreement (covenant, testament), 21 Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (the Messiah); to Whom be the glory forever and ever (to the ages of the ages). Amen (so be it).22 I call on you, brethren, to listen patiently and bear with this message of exhortation and admonition and encouragement, for I have written to you briefly.23 Notice that our brother Timothy has been released [from prison]. If he comes here soon, I will see you along with him.24 Give our greetings to all of your spiritual leaders and to all of the saints (God’s consecrated believers). The Italian Christians send you their greetings [also].25 Grace (God’s favor and spiritual blessing) be with you all. Amen (so be it).