Hebrews 10:23-36

23We know that we can trust God to do the things that he has promised. So we must continue to expect those things. We must tell other people that we trust God. We should not stop doing that.

24We should think about how we can help one another. We want everyone to show love to each other. We want everyone to do good things to help one another.

25Some people have stopped meeting with the group of Christians. But that is not good. We should all continue to meet together. We need to help one another to be strong and brave. That is now even more important, because the Lord's great day is coming. You know that the Lord will return soon.

26Now that we have learned what is true, we must continue to believe in Jesus. If we know God's true message, but we still choose to do wrong things, God will not forgive us. There is no other sacrifice that will take away our sins.

27We know that God will judge us, and that will make us very afraid. Because we know that God will punish everyone who is against him. That punishment will be a very hot fire that destroys people.

28In the old agreement, anyone who refused to obey Moses' rules had to die. If two or three people said that he had done a bad thing, that person had to die. They would not forgive him.

29So think about a person who has turned against the Son of God. That person's punishment will surely be much worse! He says that Christ's sacrifice has no value for him. He has made God's new agreement seem like something bad. It was Christ's death on the cross that made that person clean, so that he belonged to God. But now that person has insulted God's Spirit, who brings God's kind help to us.

30We know God and his message. And God said this: ‘I am the one who will punish people for their sins. I will give them the punishment that they ought to receive.’ God also said this: ‘The Lord will judge his people.’

31Yes, if God takes hold of you to punish you, that will make you very afraid! He is the powerful God who lives for ever.

32Remember what happened to you in those early days. When you first understood the message about Christ, you had many troubles. But you continued to be strong.

33Sometimes people insulted you. They made you ashamed in front of other people. Sometimes you chose to help other Christians who had trouble like that. Their troubles became your troubles.

34You were kind to Christians who were in prison. When people took away your own things, you still chose to be happy. You knew that you had something better that would belong to you for ever.

35So continue to be strong in your thoughts. If you continue to trust God, you will receive great things.

36You need to be patient and strong. Then you will continue to do what God wants. As a result, you will receive what God has promised.