Therefore, since we have
so
great
a cloud
of witnesses
surrounding
us, let us also
alay
aside
every
encumbrance
and the sin
which so easily
entangles
us, and let us brun
with cendurance
the race
that is set
before
us,
1fixing our eyes
on Jesus
, the 2 aauthor
and perfecter
of faith
, who
for the joy
set
before
Him bendured
the cross
, cdespising
the shame
, and has dsat
down
at the right
hand
of the throne
of God
.
For aconsider Him who has endured
such
hostility
by sinners
against
Himself
, so
that you will not grow
weary
1 band lose
heart
.
aYou have not yet resisted
1 bto the point
of shedding blood
in your striving
against
sin
;
and you have forgotten the exhortation
which
is addressed
to you as sons
, " aMY SON
, DO NOT REGARD
LIGHTLY
THE DISCIPLINE
OF THE LORD
, NOR
bFAINT
WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED
BY HIM;
aFOR THOSE bWHOM THE LORD
LOVES
HE DISCIPLINES
, AND HE SCOURGES
EVERY
SON
WHOM
HE RECEIVES
."
It is for discipline that you endure
; aGod
deals
with you as with sons
; for what
son
is there whom
his father
does not discipline
?
But if you are without
discipline
, aof which
all
have become
partakers
, then
you are illegitimate
children
and not sons
.
Furthermore, we had
1earthly
fathers
to discipline
us, and we arespected
them; shall we not much
rather
be subject
to bthe Father
of 2spirits
, and clive
?
For they disciplined us for a short
time
as seemed
best
to them, but He disciplines us for our good
, aso
that we may share
His holiness
.
All discipline
afor the moment
seems
not to be joyful
, but sorrowful
; yet
to those
who have been trained
by it, afterwards
it yields
the bpeaceful
fruit
of righteousness
.
Therefore, 1 astrengthen
the hands
that are weak
and the knees
that are feeble
,
and amake straight
paths
for your feet
, so
that the limb which is lame
may not be put
out of joint
, but rather
bbe healed
.
aPursue peace
with all
men
, and the bsanctification
without
which
no
one
will csee
the Lord
.
See to it that no
one
acomes
short
of the grace
of God
; that no
broot
of bitterness
springing
up causes
trouble
, and by it many
be cdefiled
;
that there be no aimmoral
or
bgodless
person
like
Esau
, cwho
sold
his own
birthright
for a single meal
.
For you know that even
afterwards
, awhen he desired
to inherit
the blessing
, he was rejected
, for he found
no
place
for repentance
, though
he sought
for it with tears
.
aFor you have not come to ba mountain that can be touched
and to a blazing
fire
, and to darkness
and gloom
and whirlwind
,
and to the ablast of a trumpet
and the bsound
of words
which
sound was such that those
who heard
cbegged
that no
further
word
be spoken
to them.
For they could not bear the command
, " aIF
EVEN
A BEAST
TOUCHES
THE MOUNTAIN
, IT WILL BE STONED
."
And so terrible
was the sight
, that Moses
said
, " aI AM
FULL
OF FEAR
and trembling
."
But ayou have come to Mount
Zion
and to bthe city
of cthe living
God
, dthe heavenly
Jerusalem
, and to emyriads
of 1angels
,
to the general assembly
and achurch
of the firstborn
who bare enrolled
in heaven
, and to God
, cthe Judge
of all
, and to the dspirits
of the righteous
made
perfect
,
and to Jesus, the amediator
of a new
covenant
, and to the bsprinkled
blood
, which speaks
better
than
cthe blood of Abel
.
aSee to it that you do not refuse
Him who is bspeaking
. For cif
those
did not escape
when they drefused
him who ewarned
them on earth
, 1much
less
will we escape who turn
away
from Him who ewarns from heaven
.
And aHis voice shook
the earth
then
, but now
He has promised
, saying
, " bYET
ONCE
MORE
I WILL SHAKE
NOT ONLY
THE EARTH
, BUT ALSO
THE HEAVEN
."
This expression, "Yet
once
more
," denotes
athe removing
of those
things which can be shaken
, as of created
things
, so
that those
things which cannot
be shaken
may remain
.
Therefore, since we receive
a akingdom
which cannot
be shaken
, let us 1show
gratitude
, by which
we may boffer
to God
an acceptable
service
with reverence
and awe
;
for aour God is a consuming
fire
.