Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of Faith

12 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, ^(A)laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us ^(B)run with ^(C)endurance the race that is set before us, ^2 [a]fixing our eyes on Jesus, the ^[b](D)author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him ^(E)endured the cross, ^(F)despising the shame, and has ^(G)sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ For ^(H)consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary, ^(I)fainting ^[c]in heart.

The Father’s Discipline

^4 (J)You have not yet resisted ^[d](K)to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin. ⁵ And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; ^(P)God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline, ^(Q)of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we ^[g]had ^[h]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we ^(R)respected them. Shall we not much rather be subject to ^(S)the Father of ^[i]spirits, and ^(T)live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our benefit, ^(U)so that we may share His holiness. ¹¹ And all discipline ^(V)for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful, but to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the ^(W)peaceful fruit of righteousness.

¹² Therefore, ^[j](X)strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, ¹³ and ^(Y)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather ^(Z)be healed.

^14 (AA)Pursue peace with all men, and the ^(AB)sanctification without which no one will ^(AC)see the Lord, ¹⁵ seeing to it that no one ^(AD)falls short of the grace of God; that no ^(AE)root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be ^(AF)defiled; ¹⁶ that also there be no ^(AG)sexually immoral or ^(AH)godless person like Esau, ^(AI)who sold his own birthright for a single meal. ¹⁷ For you know that even afterwards, ^(AJ)when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Contrast of Sinai and Zion

^18 (AK)For you have not come to ^(AL)a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, ¹⁹ and to the ^(AM)blast of a trumpet and the ^(AN)sound of words which was such that those who heard ^(AO)begged that no further word be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not bear what was being commanded, “^(AP)If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.” ²¹ And so terrible was what appeared, that Moses said, “^(AQ)I am full of fear and trembling.” ²² But ^(AR)you have come to Mount Zion and to ^(AS)the city of ^(AT)the living God, ^(AU)the heavenly Jerusalem, and to ^(AV)myriads of ^[k]angels, ²³ to the festal gathering and ^(AW)assembly of the firstborn who ^(AX)are enrolled in heaven, and to God, ^(AY)the Judge of all, and to the ^(AZ)spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, the ^(BA)mediator of a new covenant, and to the ^(BB)sprinkled blood, which speaks better than ^(BC)the blood of Abel.

An Unshakable Kingdom

^25 (BD)See to it that you do not refuse Him who is ^(BE)speaking. For ^(BF)if those did not escape when they ^(BG)refused him who ^(BH)warned them on earth, ^[l]much less will we escape who turn away from Him who ^(BI)warns from heaven. ²⁶ And ^(BJ)His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “^(BK)Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” ²⁷ Now this expression, “Yet once more,” indicates ^(BL)the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore, since we are receiving a ^(BM)kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us ^[m]show gratitude, by which we may ^(BN)offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; ²⁹ for ^(BO)our God is a consuming fire.