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, 2 ¹fixing our eyes on Jesus, the ^2aauthor 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.

3 For ^aconsider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary ^1band lose heart.

4 ^aYou have not yet resisted ^1bto the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 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;

7 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? 8 But if you are without discipline, ^aof which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 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? 10 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. 11 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.

12 Therefore, ^1astrengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 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.

14 ^aPursue peace with all men, and the ^bsanctification without which no one will ^csee the Lord. 15 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; 16 that there be no ^aimmoral or ^bgodless person like Esau, ^cwho sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 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.

18 ^aFor you have not come to ^ba mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 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. 20 For they could not bear the command, “^aIF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED.” 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “^aI AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling.” 22 But ^ayou have come to Mount Zion and to ^bthe city of ^cthe living God, ^dthe heavenly Jerusalem, and to ^emyriads of ¹angels, 23 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, 24 and to Jesus, the ^amediator of a new covenant, and to the ^bsprinkled blood, which speaks better than ^cthe blood of Abel.

25 ^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 ^fwarns from heaven. 26 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.” 27 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. 28 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; 29 for ^aour God is a consuming fire.

Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s ^arid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s ^brun with ^cendurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking only at Jesus, the ^1aoriginator and perfecter of the 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.

3 For ^aconsider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary ^1band lose heart.

4 ^aYou have not yet resisted ^1bto the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 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 PUNISHED BY HIM;

7 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? 8 But if you are without discipline, ^aof which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had ¹earthly fathers to discipline us, and we ^arespected them; shall we not much more be subject to ^bthe Father of ²spirits, and ^clive? 10 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. 11 ^aFor the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the ^bpeaceful fruit of righteousness.

12 Therefore, ^1astrengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and ^amake straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather ^bbe healed.

14 ^aPursue peace with all people, and the ^bholiness without which no one will ^csee the Lord. 15 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 become ^cdefiled; 16 that there be no ^asexually immoral or ^bgodless person like Esau, ^cwho sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that even afterward, ^awhen he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

18 ^aFor you have not come to ^ba mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 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. 20 For they could not ¹cope with the command, “^aIf even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “^aI am terrified and trembling.” 22 But ^ayou have come to Mount Zion and to ^bthe city of ^cthe living God, ^dthe heavenly Jerusalem, and to ^emyriads of ¹angels, 23 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, 24 and to Jesus, the ^amediator of a new covenant, and to the ^bsprinkled blood, which speaks better than ^cthe blood of Abel.

25 ^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 ^fwarns us from heaven. 26 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.” 27 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. 28 Therefore, since we receive a ^akingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s ¹show gratitude, by which we may ^boffer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for ^aour God is a consuming fire.