Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today's reading is from the Epistle
of St. Paul to the Hebrews, chapters 1 through
4. Chapter 1 God, who at various times and in
various ways spoke in time past to the fathers
by the prophets, has in these last days spoken
to us by his Son. whom he has appointed heir
of all things through whom also he made the worlds
who being the brightness of his glory and the
express image of his person and upholding all
things by the word of his power when he had by
himself purged our sins sat down at the right
hand of the majesty on high having become so
much better than the angels as he has by inheritance
obtained a more excellent name than they for
to which of the angels did he ever say you are
my son Today I have begotten you, and again I
will be to him a father, and he shall be to me
a son. But when he again brings the firstborn
into the world, he says, Let all the angels of
God worship him. And of the angels he says, Who
makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a
flame of fire. But to the son he says, Your throne,
O God, is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness
is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved
righteousness and hated lawlessness. Therefore
God, your God, has anointed you with the oil
of gladness more than your companions. And you,
Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of
the earth, and the heavens are the work of your
hands. They will perish, but you remain, and
they will all grow old like a garment. Like a
cloak, you will fold them up, and they will be
changed. But you are the same, and your years
will not fail. but to which of the angels has
he ever said sit at my right hand till i make
your enemies your footstool are they not all
ministering spirits sent forth to minister for
those who will inherit salvation chapter two
therefore we must give the more earnest heed
to the things we have heard lest we drift away
for if the word spoken through angels proved
steadfast and every transgression and disobedience
received a just reward how shall we escape if
we neglect so great a salvation which at the
first began to be spoken by the lord and was
confirmed to us by those who heard him god also
bearing witness both with signs and wonders with
various miracles and gifts of the holy spirit
according to his will For he has not put the
world to come of which we speak in subjection
to angels, but one testified in a certain place,
saying, What is man that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man that you take care of him?
You have made him a little lower than the angels,
you have crowned him with glory and honor, and
set him over the works of your hands. You have
put all things in subjection under his feet.
For in that he put all in subjection under him,
he left nothing that is not put under him. But
now we do not yet see all things put under him,
but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower
than the angels, for the suffering of death,
crowned with glory and honor, that he, by the
grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
For it was fitting for him, for whom are all
things and by whom are all things, in bringing
many sons to glory, to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings. For both
he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified
are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed
to call them brethren, saying, I will declare
your name to my brethren in the midst of the
assembly, I will sing praise to you. And again,
I will put my trust in him. And again, here am
I and the children whom God has given me. inasmuch
then as the children have partaken of flesh and
blood he himself likewise shared in the same
that through death he might destroy him who had
the power of death that is the devil and release
those who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage for indeed he does
not give aid to angels but he does give aid to
the seed of abraham therefore in all things he
had to be made like his brethren that he might
be a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to god to make propitiation for the
sins of the people for in that he himself has
suffered being tempted he is able to aid those
who are tempted chapter three therefore holy
brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider
the apostle and high priest of our confession
Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him who appointed
him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house.
For this one has been counted worthy of more
glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who built the
house has more honor than the house. For every
house is built by someone, but he who built all
things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful
in all his house as a servant, for a testimony
of those things which would be spoken afterward.
but Christ as a son over his own house, whose
house we are if we hold fast the confidence and
the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. Therefore,
as the Holy Spirit says, Today, if you will hear
his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the
rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness,
where your fathers tested me, tried me, and saw
my works forty years. Therefore I was angry with
that generation, and said, They always go astray
in their heart, and they have not known my ways.
So I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter
my rest. Beware, brethren, lest there be in any
of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing
from the living God. But exhort one another daily,
while it is called today, lest any of you be
hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For
we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold
the beginning of our confidence steadfast to
the end. While it is said, Today, if you will
hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as
in the rebellion. For who, having heard, rebelled?
Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt,
led by Moses? Now with whom was he angry forty
years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose
corpses fell in the wilderness? and to whom did
he swear that they would not enter his rest but
to those who did not obey so we see that they
could not enter in because of unbelief chapter
four therefore since a promise remains of entering
his rest let us fear lest any of you seem to
have come short of it for indeed the gospel was
preached to us as well as to them but the word
which they heard did not profit them not being
mixed with faith in those who heard it for we
who have believed do enter that rest as he has
said so i swore in my wrath they shall not enter
my rest although the works were finished from
the foundation of the world for he has spoken
in a certain place of the seventh day in this
way and god rested on a seventh day from all
his works and again in this place they shall
not enter my rest Since therefore it remains
that some must enter it, and those to whom it
was first preached did not enter because of disobedience,
again he designates a certain day, saying in
David, Today, after such a long time as it has
been said, Today, if you will hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts. For if Joshua had
given them rest, then he would not afterward
have spoken of another day. There remains, therefore,
a rest for the people of God. For he who has
entered his rest has himself also ceased from
his works as God did from his. Let us, therefore,
be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall
according to the same example of disobedience.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and
sharper than any two -edged sword, piercing even
to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints
and marrow. and is a discerner of the thoughts
and intents of the heart. And there is no creature
hidden from his sight, but all things are naked
and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give
account. Seeing then that we have a great high
priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize
with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted
as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore
come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may
obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of
need. I hope you enjoyed today's reading as much
as I did and I look forward to seeing you again
tomorrow to continue on our journey. God bless
you and have a great day.