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14 But without thy mind would I do nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but willingly.

15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him forever;

16 Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lord ?

17 If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;

19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it; albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own self besides.

of Philemon.

20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord; refresh my bowels in the Lord.

21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.

22 But withal prepare me also a lodging; for I trust that through your prayers I shall be given unto you.

23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellow-prisoner in Christ Jesus;

24 Mareus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow-labourers.

25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

¶ Written from Rome to Philemon, by Onesimus a servant.

PREFATORY REMARKS

TO THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE HEBREWS.

THIS Epistle was written in Italy, probably at Rome A. D. 61 or 62, and sent to the Jews, living in Judea, who in the apostle's days were called Hebrews, to distinguish them from the Jews living in Gentile countries, who were called Hellenists or Grecians, as appears from Acts vi. 1. ix. 29. xi. 20.

The purpose, for which this Epistle was written, was to prove what the learned doctors, and scribes, and elders in Jerusalem denied, namely, that Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had lately put to death, is Christ the Son of God; and that the Gospel, of which Jesus is both the subject and author, is of divine origin, and universal obligation. All the arguments and objections by which those, who put Jesus to death, endeavoured to set his claim aside, and overturn the Gospel, are introduced, examined, and confuted ;-his title and authority, as

1

Hebrews.

Prefatory remarks. lawgiver, to abolish the institutions of Moses, and to substitute the Gospel dispensation in its stead, is established ;-the absolute inefficacy of the Levitical atonements to procure the pardon of sin, is demonstrated;-the reality of Christ's offering himself a sacrifice for sin, and its efficacy and acceptableness with God, are clearly proved;-and under all these considerations the unbelieving Jews were exhorted to forsake the law of Moses, and embrace the Gospel; and such of the nation as had already embraced it, were cautioned against apostacy. Paul, who was himself a learned Doctor of the law, likewise proves in this Epistle, that the same God, who spake the former revelations to the fathers of the Jewish nation by the prophets, had, in these last days, spoken the Gospel to all mankind by his Son consequently these revelations could not possibly contradict each other; that although the Son, when he spake the Gospel, was clothed with flesh, he was still the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of his person; that being appointed of God to expiate our sins by the sacrifice of himself, we are cleansed from our sins by that sacrifice, and not by the Levitical sin-offerings: and that after offering the sacrifice of himself, he sat down at the right hand of God, as High Priest of the heavenly holy place, and as Governor of the world.

But as these great truths were contrary to all the religious opinions of the Jews, and were of course rejected by them, as overturning their former revelations, Paul, the more effectually to convince the unbelieving Jews of the truth of these things, proves them by testimonies from their own scriptures, in which the revelations of God are recorded.

As these great and leading doctrines of the Gospel are more expressly asserted, and more fully explained in this Epistle, than in any of the inspired writings; and as it contains profound discoveries concerning the most important articles of our faith, and opens to us the sources of our best hopes, it is an inestimable treasure to every sincere inquiring Christian, and to the world.

¶ THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE, TO THE HEBREWS.

CHAP. I.

4 Christ in these last times coming to us from the Father, 4 is preferred before

angels, both in person and office.

G

YOD, who at sundry times, and in divers manners,

Christ preferred

Chap. i.

spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days a spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 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 on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son ?

6 And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.b

above all angels.

Thy throne, O God is forever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom;

9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

11 They shall perish, but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old, as doth a garment;

12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them, who shall be heirs of salvation ?

CHAP. II.

8 But unto the Son he saith, 1 We ought to be obedient unto

a Hath in these last days of the Mosaic dispensation. The phrase last days not here being prophetic, does not signify the same, that it does 2

Tim. iii. 1.

b But of the angels he saith nothing more, than that he made them spiritual beings, and ministers of the utmost activity in his service.

Christ Jesus, 5 and that because he vouchsafed to take our nature upon him.

THEREFORE we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things, which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

2 For if the word spoken

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by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;

3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

6 But one in a certain place testified, a saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?

7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

8 Thou hast 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 see not yet all things put under him:

9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace

a In a certain place, &c. Ps. viii. 4.

to Christ, &c.

of God should taste death for every man.

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one ;b for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren;

12 Saying,c I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

18 And again,d I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the pow er of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them, who, through fear of death, were all their life time subject to bondage.

16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

b For both he that sanctifieth, that is, Jesus Christ, and they, who are sanctified, are, according to the flesh, all of

one father, namely, Abraham. See verse 16.

e Saying, Ps. xxii. 22.
d Again, Isa, viii. 17,

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than Moses.

servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

6 But Christ as a Son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

7 Wherefore, (as the Holy Ghost saith,d To-day, if ye will hear his voice,

8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,e in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.

10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do always err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)f

12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called, Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

d As the Holy Ghost saith, Ps. xcv. 7. e Provocation. See Exod. xvi. 4, xvii. 2-9. xxxii. 10. Num. x. 33, & numerous other places, where we read, that the Israelites provoked God by their disobedience.

f Should not enter into my rest in Canaan, see Num. xiv. 28-35 and Ps. xcv. 7-II.

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