Mwenendo Wa Mkristo

13 Endeleeni kupendana kama ndugu. Msiache kuwakaribisha wageni, maana kwa kufanya hivyo watu wengine waliwakaribisha mal aika pasipo kujua. Wakumbukeni waliofungwa gerezani kama vile mmefungwa pamoja nao; pia wakumbukeni wanaoteswa, kwa kuwa na ninyi bado mnaishi katika mwili.

Ndoa iheshimiwe na watu wote, na wenye ndoa wawe waaminifu kwa wenzi wao ; maana Mungu atawahukumu wazinzi na waasherati.

Maisha yenu yasitawaliwe na tamaa ya kupenda fedha, na mridhike na mlivyo navyo; kwa kuwa yeye mwenyewe amesema, “Sita kupungukia kamwe wala sitakuacha.” Kwa hiyo tunaweza kusema kwa ujasiri, “Bwana ni msaada wangu, sitaogopa kitu, mwanadamu anaweza kunifanya nini?”

Wakumbukeni viongozi wenu, wale waliowaambia neno la Mungu. Tafakarini jinsi walivyoishi na matokeo ya mwenendo wao, mkaige imani yao. Yesu Kristo ni yule yule, jana, leo na hata milele. Msipotoshwe na mafundisho ya kigeni ya namna mbalimbali. Ni vema mioyo yenu iimarishwe kwa neema, na wala si kwa kutii mash arti kuhusu vyakula, ambavyo havina faida kwa wanaovila. 10 Sisi tunayo madhabahu ambayo wale wanaohudumu katika hema ya kuabudia hawana haki ya kula vitu vilivyowekwa juu yake.

11 Nyama za hao wanyama ambao damu yao huletwa na kuhani mkuu katika Patakatifu pa Patakatifu kama dhabihu ya dhambi, huchomwa nje ya kambi. 12 Kwa hiyo Yesu naye aliteswa nje ya mlango wa mji ili awatakase watu kwa damu yake. 13 Kwa hiyo tum wendee nje ya kambi, tukashiriki aibu aliyostahimili. 14 Maana hapa hatuna mji wa kudumu, bali tunautafuta ule mji ujao.

15 Basi, kwa njia ya Yesu, tuendelee kumtolea Mungu dhabihu ya sifa, yaani, matunda ya midomo ya watu wanaokiri jina lake. 16 Msiache kutenda mema na kushirikiana mlivyo navyo, kwa maana sadaka kama hizi ndizo zinazompendeza Mungu.

17 Watiini viongozi wenu na kufanya wanavyowaagiza. Wao wanachunga roho zenu, kama watu ambao watatoa ripoti ya huduma yao. Watiini kusudi wafanye kazi yao kwa furaha, na wala si kama mzigo, maana hiyo haitakuwa na faida kwenu.

18 Tuombeeni, kwa maana tuna hakika kwamba tunayo dhamiri safi na tunapenda kufanya yaliyo sawa daima. 19 Ninawasihi zaidi mniombee ili nirudishwe kwenu upesi zaidi.

Sala

20 Basi, Mungu wa amani aliyemleta tena kutoka kwa wafu Bwana wetu Yesu, Mchungaji Mkuu wa kondoo, kwa damu ya agano la milele, 21 awape ninyi kila kitu chema, ili mpate kutimiza mapenzi yake akifanya ndani yenu lile linalopendeza machoni pake, kwa njia ya Yesu Kristo; yeye apewe utukufu milele na milele.

Maneno Ya Mwisho

22 Basi, ndugu zangu, nawasihi mpokee vema maonyo haya, maana nimewaandikia kwa ufupi.

23 Napenda kuwafahamisha kwamba ndugu yetu Timotheo amefun guliwa kutoka gerezani. Akifika mapema, nitakuja naye kuwaona.

24 Wasalimuni viongozi wenu wote pamoja na watu wote wa Mungu. Salamu zenu kutoka kwa ndugu wa Italia.

Concluding Exhortations

13 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.(A) Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers,(B) for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.(C) Continue to remember those in prison(D) as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Marriage should be honored by all,(E) and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.(F) Keep your lives free from the love of money(G) and be content with what you have,(H) because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.”[a](I)

So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?”[b](J)

Remember your leaders,(K) who spoke the word of God(L) to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate(M) their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.(N)

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.(O) It is good for our hearts to be strengthened(P) by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods,(Q) which is of no benefit to those who do so.(R) 10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle(S) have no right to eat.(T)

11 The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering,(U) but the bodies are burned outside the camp.(V) 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate(W) to make the people holy(X) through his own blood.(Y) 13 Let us, then, go to him(Z) outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.(AA) 14 For here we do not have an enduring city,(AB) but we are looking for the city that is to come.(AC)

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice(AD) of praise—the fruit of lips(AE) that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others,(AF) for with such sacrifices(AG) God is pleased.

17 Have confidence in your leaders(AH) and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you(AI) as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

18 Pray for us.(AJ) We are sure that we have a clear conscience(AK) and desire to live honorably in every way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.(AL)

Benediction and Final Greetings

20 Now may the God of peace,(AM) who through the blood of the eternal covenant(AN) brought back from the dead(AO) our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,(AP) 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will,(AQ) and may he work in us(AR) what is pleasing to him,(AS) through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.(AT)

22 Brothers and sisters, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly.(AU)

23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy(AV) has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.

24 Greet all your leaders(AW) and all the Lord’s people. Those from Italy(AX) send you their greetings.

25 Grace be with you all.(AY)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 13:5 Deut. 31:6
  2. Hebrews 13:6 Psalm 118:6,7