Judah and Tamar

38 At that time, Judah^(A) left his brothers and went down to stay with a man of Adullam^(B) named Hirah.^{(C) 2} There Judah met the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua.^(D) He married her and made love to her; ³ she became pregnant and gave birth to a son, who was named Er.^{(E) 4} She conceived again and gave birth to a son and named him Onan.^{(F) 5} She gave birth to still another son and named him Shelah.^(G) It was at Kezib that she gave birth to him.

⁶ Judah got a wife for Er, his firstborn, and her name was Tamar.^{(H) 7} But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the Lord’s sight;^(I) so the Lord put him to death.^(J)

⁸ Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.”^{(K) 9} But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother. ¹⁰ What he did was wicked in the Lord’s sight; so the Lord put him to death also.^(L)

¹¹ Judah then said to his daughter-in-law^(M) Tamar,^(N) “Live as a widow in your father’s household^(O) until my son Shelah^(P) grows up.”^(Q) For he thought, “He may die too, just like his brothers.” So Tamar went to live in her father’s household.

¹² After a long time Judah’s wife, the daughter of Shua,^(R) died. When Judah had recovered from his grief, he went up to Timnah,^(S) to the men who were shearing his sheep,^(T) and his friend Hirah the Adullamite^(U) went with him.

¹³ When Tamar^(V) was told, “Your father-in-law is on his way to Timnah to shear his sheep,”^{(W) 14} she took off her widow’s clothes,^(X) covered herself with a veil^(Y) to disguise herself, and then sat down^(Z) at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah.^(AA) For she saw that, though Shelah^(AB) had now grown up, she had not been given to him as his wife.

¹⁵ When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute,^(AC) for she had covered her face. ¹⁶ Not realizing^(AD) that she was his daughter-in-law,^(AE) he went over to her by the roadside and said, “Come now, let me sleep with you.”^(AF)

“And what will you give me to sleep with you?”^(AG) she asked.

¹⁷ “I’ll send you a young goat^(AH) from my flock,” he said.

“Will you give me something as a pledge^(AI) until you send it?” she asked.

¹⁸ He said, “What pledge should I give you?”

“Your seal^(AJ) and its cord, and the staff^(AK) in your hand,” she answered. So he gave them to her and slept with her, and she became pregnant by him.^{(AL) 19} After she left, she took off her veil and put on her widow’s clothes^(AM) again.

²⁰ Meanwhile Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite^(AN) in order to get his pledge^(AO) back from the woman, but he did not find her. ²¹ He asked the men who lived there, “Where is the shrine prostitute^(AP) who was beside the road at Enaim?”

“There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here,” they said.

²² So he went back to Judah and said, “I didn’t find her. Besides, the men who lived there said, ‘There hasn’t been any shrine prostitute here.’”

²³ Then Judah said, “Let her keep what she has,^(AQ) or we will become a laughingstock.^(AR) After all, I did send her this young goat, but you didn’t find her.”

²⁴ About three months later Judah was told, “Your daughter-in-law Tamar is guilty of prostitution, and as a result she is now pregnant.”

Judah said, “Bring her out and have her burned to death!”^(AS)

²⁵ As she was being brought out, she sent a message to her father-in-law. “I am pregnant by the man who owns these,” she said. And she added, “See if you recognize whose seal and cord and staff these are.”^(AT)

²⁶ Judah recognized them and said, “She is more righteous than I,^(AU) since I wouldn’t give her to my son Shelah.^(AV)” And he did not sleep with her again.

²⁷ When the time came for her to give birth, there were twin boys in her womb.^{(AW) 28} As she was giving birth, one of them put out his hand; so the midwife^(AX) took a scarlet thread and tied it on his wrist^(AY) and said, “This one came out first.” ²⁹ But when he drew back his hand, his brother came out,^(AZ) and she said, “So this is how you have broken out!” And he was named Perez.^{[a](BA) 30} Then his brother, who had the scarlet thread on his wrist,^(BB) came out. And he was named Zerah.^[b](BC)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run^(A) with perseverance^(B) the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus,^(C) the pioneer^(D) and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,^(E) scorning its shame,^(F) and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.^{(G) 3} Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary^(H) and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.^{(I) 5} And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.^(M) For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline^(N)—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits^(O) and live!^{(P) 10} They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.^{(Q) 11} No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace^(R) for those who have been trained by it.

¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.^{(S) 13} “Make level paths for your feet,”^[b](T) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.^(U)

Warning and Encouragement

¹⁴ Make every effort to live in peace with everyone^(V) and to be holy;^(W) without holiness no one will see the Lord.^{(X) 15} See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God^(Y) and that no bitter root^(Z) grows up to cause trouble and defile many. ¹⁶ See that no one is sexually immoral,^(AA) or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.^{(AB) 17} Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears,^(AC) he could not change what he had done.

The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy

¹⁸ You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;^{(AD) 19} to a trumpet blast^(AE) or to such a voice speaking words^(AF) that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,^{(AG) 20} because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”^{[c](AH) 21} The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”^[d](AI)

²² But you have come to Mount Zion,^(AJ) to the city^(AK) of the living God,^(AL) the heavenly Jerusalem.^(AM) You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, ²³ to the church of the firstborn,^(AN) whose names are written in heaven.^(AO) You have come to God, the Judge of all,^(AP) to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,^{(AQ) 24} to Jesus the mediator^(AR) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood^(AS) that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.^(AT)

²⁵ See to it that you do not refuse^(AU) him who speaks.^(AV) If they did not escape when they refused him who warned^(AW) them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?^{(AX) 26} At that time his voice shook the earth,^(AY) but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”^{[e](AZ) 27} The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken^(BA)—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

²⁸ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,^(BB) let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,^{(BC) 29} for our “God is a consuming fire.”^[f](BD)

Concluding Exhortations

13 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.^{(BE) 2} Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers,^(BF) for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.^{(BG) 3} Continue to remember those in prison^(BH) as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

⁴ Marriage should be honored by all,^(BI) and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.^{(BJ) 5} Keep your lives free from the love of money^(BK) and be content with what you have,^(BL) because God has said,

⁶ So we say with confidence,

⁷ Remember your leaders,^(BO) who spoke the word of God^(BP) to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate^(BQ) their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.^(BR)

⁹ Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.^(BS) It is good for our hearts to be strengthened^(BT) by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods,^(BU) which is of no benefit to those who do so.^{(BV) 10} We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle^(BW) have no right to eat.^(BX)

¹¹ The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering,^(BY) but the bodies are burned outside the camp.^{(BZ) 12} And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate^(CA) to make the people holy^(CB) through his own blood.^{(CC) 13} Let us, then, go to him^(CD) outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.^{(CE) 14} For here we do not have an enduring city,^(CF) but we are looking for the city that is to come.^(CG)

¹⁵ Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice^(CH) of praise—the fruit of lips^(CI) that openly profess his name. ¹⁶ And do not forget to do good and to share with others,^(CJ) for with such sacrifices^(CK) God is pleased.

¹⁷ Have confidence in your leaders^(CL) and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you^(CM) as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

¹⁸ Pray for us.^(CN) We are sure that we have a clear conscience^(CO) and desire to live honorably in every way. ¹⁹ I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.^(CP)

Benediction and Final Greetings

²⁰ Now may the God of peace,^(CQ) who through the blood of the eternal covenant^(CR) brought back from the dead^(CS) our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,^{(CT) 21} equip you with everything good for doing his will,^(CU) and may he work in us^(CV) what is pleasing to him,^(CW) through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.^(CX)

²² Brothers and sisters, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly.^(CY)

²³ I want you to know that our brother Timothy^(CZ) has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.

²⁴ Greet all your leaders^(DA) and all the Lord’s people. Those from Italy^(DB) send you their greetings.

²⁵ Grace be with you all.^(DC)