But my righteous one will live by faith, and if he shrinks back, I take no pleasure in him.

Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going.

By faith he lived as a foreigner in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs of the same promise.

By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped as he leaned on his staff.

By faith, when Moses was born, his parents hid him for three months, because they saw the child was beautiful and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.

And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons? “My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline or give up when he corrects you.

For you know that later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing with tears.

Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.”

Do not be carried away by all sorts of strange teachings. For it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not ritual meals, which have never benefited those who participated in them.

All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change.

So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.

For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror.

For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law.

For we all stumble in many ways. If someone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect individual, able to control the entire body as well.

And if we put bits into the mouths of horses to get them to obey us, then we guide their entire bodies.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and not hypocritical.

Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you?

You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes.