But as it is,<n id="1" /> they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up.

For the bodies of those animals whose blood the high priest brings<n id="1" /> into the sanctuary as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp.

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name.

<p class="otpoetry">&#8220;<i><b>For this is the covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those daysb>, <b>says the Lordb>. <b>I will putb>i><n id="1" /> <b><i>my laws in their mindsi>b><n id="2" /> <i><b>and I will inscribe them on their heartsb>. <b>And I will be their God and they will be my peopleb>.i><n id="3" />p>

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in<n id="1" /> their humanity,<n id="2" /> so that through death he could destroy<n id="3" /> the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil),

So God<n id="1" /> again ordains a certain day, &#8220;Today,&#8221; speaking through David<n id="2" /> after so long a time, as in the words quoted before,<n id="3" /> &#8220;<i><b>Ob>, <b>that today you would listen as he speaks!b>i><n id="4" /> <b><i>Do not harden your heartsi>b>.&#8221;

For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on<n id="1" /> it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Now this <b><i>Melchizedeki>b>, <b><i>king of Salemi>b>, <b><i>priest of the most high Godi>b>, <b><i>met Abraham as he was returning from defeating the kingsi>b> and <b><i>blessed himi>b>.<n id="1" />

And those of the sons of Levi who receive the priestly office<n id="1" /> have authorization according to the law to collect a tithe from the people, that is, from their fellow countrymen,<n id="2" /> although they too are descendants of Abraham.<n id="3" />

He has no need to do every day what those priests do, to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people, since he did this in offering himself once for all.

<p class="bodytext">And so he is the mediator<n id="1" /> of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the eternal inheritance he has promised,<n id="2" /> since he died<n id="3" /> to set them free from the violations committed under the first covenant.

So in fact children<n id="1" /> were fathered by one man &#8211; and this one as good as dead &#8211; <i>like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sandi><n id="2" /> <i>on the seashorei>.<n id="3" />

These all died in faith without receiving the things promised,<n id="1" /> but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners<n id="2" /> on the earth.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,<n id="1" /> we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us,

<p class="bodytext">Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven?