American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
For I would have you know how greatly I strive for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
And when {Greek: the}this epistle hath been read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye also read the epistle from Laodicea.
I counsel thee to buy of me gold refined by fire, that thou mayest become rich; and white garments, that thou mayest clothe thyself, and that the shame of thy nakedness be not made manifest; and eyesalve to anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
My son, despise not the {Or, instruction}chastening of Jehovah;Neither be weary of his reproof:
For whom Jehovah loveth he reproveth;Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every {Or, encumbrance}weight, and the sin which {Or, doth closely cling to us Or, is admired of many}doth so easily beset us, and let us run with {Or, stedfastness}patience the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus the {Or, captain}author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against {Many ancient authorities read themselves. Compare Numbers 16:38.}himself, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls.
Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin:
and ye have forgotten the exhortation which reasoneth with you as with sons, {Proverbs 3:11 f.}My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord,Nor faint when thou art reproved of him;
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
{Or, Endure unto chastening}It is for chastening that ye endure; God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father chasteneth not?
But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of {Or, our spirits}spirits, and live?
For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness.
Wherefore {Greek: make straight.}lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees;
and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not {Or, put out of joint}turned out of the way, but rather be healed.
Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord:
looking carefully {Or, whether}lest there be any man that {Or, falleth back from}falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;
{Or, whether}lest there be any fornication, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright.
For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was {Or, rejected (for he found no place of repentance), &c. Or, rejected; for…of repentance &c. Compare chapter 6:6; 2 Esdr. 9.11; Wisd. 12.10.}rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind in his father, though he sought it diligently with tears.
For ye are not come unto {Or, a palpable and kindled fire}a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them;
for they could not endure that which was enjoined, {Exodus 19:12 f.}If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;
and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, {Deuteronomy 9:19.}I exceedingly fear and quake:
but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, {Or, and to innumerable hosts, the general assembly of angels, and the church &c.}and to {Greek: myriads of angels.}innumerable hosts of angels,
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 just men made perfect,
and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better {Or, than Abel}than that of Abel.
See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape who turn away from him {Or, that is from heaven}that warneth from heaven:
whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, {Haggai 2:6.}Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven.
And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.
Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have {Or, thankfulness Compare 1 Corinthians 10:30.}grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with {Or, godly fear Compare chapter 5:7.}reverence and awe:
for our God is a consuming fire.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.
And when one of them that {Greek: reclined. Compare chapter 7:36, 37, margin.}sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many:
and he sent forth his {Greek: bondservant.}servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
And the {Greek: bondservant.}servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his {Greek: bondservant.}servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame.
And the {Greek: bondservant.}servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room.
And the lord said unto the {Greek: bondservant.}servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that my house may be filled.
For I say unto you, that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper.
And when one of them that {Greek: reclined. Compare chapter 7:36, 37, margin.}sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many:
and he sent forth his {Greek: bondservant.}servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
And the {Greek: bondservant.}servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his {Greek: bondservant.}servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame.
And the {Greek: bondservant.}servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room.
And the lord said unto the {Greek: bondservant.}servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that my house may be filled.
For I say unto you, that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper.
And when one of them that {Greek: reclined. Compare chapter 7:36, 37, margin.}sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.
But he said unto him, A certain man made a great supper; and he bade many:
and he sent forth his {Greek: bondservant.}servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a field, and I must needs go out and see it; I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them; I pray thee have me excused.
And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.
And the {Greek: bondservant.}servant came, and told his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his {Greek: bondservant.}servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor and maimed and blind and lame.
And the {Greek: bondservant.}servant said, Lord, what thou didst command is done, and yet there is room.
And the lord said unto the {Greek: bondservant.}servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and constrain them to come in, that my house may be filled.
For I say unto you, that none of those men that were bidden shall taste of my supper.