If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, 5 it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, 6 it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. 9 For we know partially and we prophesy partially, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial w...

Therefore, brothers, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary 20 by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, 21 and since we have “a great priest over the house of God,” 22 let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. 25 We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near.  26 If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment and a flaming fire that is going to consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who rejects the law of Moses is put to...

Do not say: “It was God’s doing that I fell away,” for what he hates he does not do. 12 Do not say: “He himself has led me astray,” for he has no need of the wicked. 13 Abominable wickedness the Lord hates and he does not let it happen to those who fear him. 14 God in the beginning created human beings and made them subject to their own free choice. 15 If you choose, you can keep the commandments; loyalty is doing the will of God. 16 Set before you are fire and water; to whatever you choose, stretch out your hand. 17 Before everyone are life and death, whichever they choose will be given them. 18 Immense is the wisdom of the Lord; mighty in power, he sees all things. 19 The eyes of God behold his works, and he understands every human deed. 20 He never commands anyone to sin, nor shows leniency toward deceivers. The sinner cannot attain wisdom from God (Ecclus. 15:7) so can one say that the sinner sins because God did not grant him wisdom?  No, God cannot be held responsible for...

Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; 13 now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated. 15 The holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying: 16 “This is the covenant I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord: ‘I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them upon their minds,’” 17 he also says: “Their sins and their evildoing I will remember no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin. The OT priestly sacrificial services were continually offered but those ritual sacrifices could not permanently remove sins.  Jesus, who replaced the many priests, offered himself as one, eternal, unrepeatable sacrifice on the cross for all sins once and for all ...