“1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so
easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set
before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith;
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For
consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself,
lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”
“4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5 And ye
have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children,
My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou
art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and
scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God
dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father
chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are
partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had
fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence:
shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits,
and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their
own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of
his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous,
but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12 Wherefore lift
up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13 And make straight
paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way;
but let it rather be healed. 14 Follow peace with all [men], and
holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 Looking diligently
lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled; 16 Lest there
[be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of
meat sold his birthright. 17 For ye know how that afterward, when he
would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no
place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.”
“18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that
burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 And
the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that
heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20
(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a
beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a
dart: 21 And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly
fear and quake:) 22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city
of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company
of angels, 23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which
are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits
of just men made perfect, 24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new
covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things
than [that of] Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if
they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall
not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying,
Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27 And this
[word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are
shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be
shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be
moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with
reverence and godly fear: 29 For our God [is] a consuming fire.”
(Hebrews 12:1-29 AV)
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