26 Now that we have learned what is true about Jesus, we must turn away from sin. If we still choose to do wrong things, there is no other sacrifice that will take away our sins. 27 We should then be very afraid because we know that God will judge us. He will punish everyone who is against him. That punishment will be a hot fire of God's anger that destroys people. 28 In the old covenant, if anyone refused to obey the laws that God gave to Moses, he had to die. If two or three people said that he had done this, he had to die as punishment. They would not forgive him.
29 So 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 covenant seem like something bad. It was Christ's death on the cross that made that person clean, so that he would belong to God. But now that person has insulted God's Spirit, who brings God's kind help to us. 30 We know God and his message. And God said this: ‘I am the one who will punish people for their sins. I will punish them as they deserve.’ God also said this: ‘The Lord will judge his people.’
31 Yes, if God takes hold of you to punish you, that will make you very afraid! He is the powerful God who lives for ever.
When we suffer, we still need to trust God
32 Remember 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. 33 Sometimes people insulted you. They caused you to suffer very much. Sometimes you chose to help other Christians who suffered like that. Their troubles became your troubles. 34 You 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.
10:34Nobody can take away what God has given to Christians. They know that they will always live with God.
35 So continue to be strong in your thoughts. If you continue to trust God, you will receive great things. 36 You 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. 37 This is what the Bible says:
‘In a very short time,
my special servant will come.
He is the one that I promised to send to you.
He will not be late.
38 The righteous person will live because he trusts me.
But if anyone is afraid and he turns back,
I will not be pleased with that person.’
39 But we are not like those people who are afraid and who turn back. If we were, God would destroy us. But we are people who continue to trust God. And so, our lives are safe with God.
