Hebrews 13:5-17

Don’t love money. Be happy with what you have because God has said, “I will never abandon you or leave you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid. What can mortals do to me?” Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. Think about how their lives turned out, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Don’t get carried away by all kinds of unfamiliar teachings. Gaining inner strength from God’s kindness  is good for us. This strength does not come from following rules about food, rules that don’t help those who follow them. Those who serve at the tent have no right to eat what is sacrificed at our altar. The chief priest brings the blood of animals into the holy place as an offering for sin. But the bodies of those animals were burned outside the Israelite camp. That is why Jesus suffered outside the gates of Jerusalem. He suffered to make the people holy with his own blood. So we must go to him outside the camp and endure the insults he endured. We don’t have a permanent city here on earth, but we are looking for the city that we will have in the future. Through Jesus we should always bring God a sacrifice of praise, that is, words that acknowledge him. Don’t forget to do good things for others and to share what you have with them. These are the kinds of sacrifices that please God. Obey your leaders, and accept their authority. They take care of you because they are responsible for you. Obey them so that they may do this work joyfully and not complain about you. (Causing them to complain would not be to your advantage.)