¶ Wherefore seeing¹ we also are compassed about with so great a cloud² of witnesses³, let us lay⁴ aside every weight, and the sin⁵ which doth so easily beset us, and let us⁶ run with patience⁷ the race that is set before us,

Looking⁸ unto Jesus the author⁹ and finisher¹⁰ of our faith; who for¹¹ the joy that was set before him endured¹² the cross, despising¹³ the shame, and is¹⁴ set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider¹⁵ him that endured such contradiction¹⁶ of sinners against himself, lest¹⁷ ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

¶¹⁸Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

And ye have forgotten¹⁹ the exhortation²⁰ which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise²¹ not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint²² when thou art rebuked of him:

For whom²³ the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth²⁴ every son whom he receiveth.

If ye endure²⁵ chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what²⁶ son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

²⁷But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Furthermore we have had fathers²⁸ of our flesh which corrected²⁹ us, and we gave³⁰ them reverence: shall we not³¹ much rather be in subjection unto the Father³² of spirits, and live?

¶ For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure³³; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers³⁴ of his holiness.

Now no chastening³⁵ for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless³⁶ afterward it yieldeth the peaceable³⁷ fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised³⁸ thereby.

³⁹Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

And make⁴⁰ straight⁴¹ paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let⁴² it rather be healed.

Follow⁴³ peace with all men, and holiness⁴⁴, without which no man⁴⁵ shall see the Lord:

Looking⁴⁶ diligently lest any man⁴⁷ fail of⁴⁸ the grace of God; lest any root⁴⁹ of bitterness springing up trouble⁵⁰ you, and thereby⁵¹ many be defiled;

Lest there be any fornicator⁵², or profane person, as Esau⁵³, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

For ye know how that afterward, when he⁵⁴ would have inherited the blessing, he was⁵⁵ rejected: for he⁵⁶ found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

¶⁵⁸For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

And the sound⁵⁹ of a trumpet, and the voice⁶⁰ of words; which voice they that⁶¹ heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

¶ (For they⁶² could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much⁶³ as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

And so terrible was the sight, that Moses⁶⁴ said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

But ye are come⁶⁵ unto mount Sion, and unto the city⁶⁶ of the⁶⁷ living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable⁶⁸ company of angels,

To the general⁶⁹ assembly and church of the firstborn⁷⁰, which⁷¹ are written⁷² in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits⁷³ of just men made perfect,

And to Jesus⁷⁴ the mediator of the new⁷⁵ covenant⁷⁶, and to the blood⁷⁷ of sprinkling, that speaketh⁷⁸ better things than that of Abel.

See⁷⁹ that ye refuse⁸⁰ not him that speaketh. For if they⁸¹ escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away⁸² from him that speaketh from heaven:

Whose voice⁸³ then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once⁸⁴ more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

And this word, Yet once more, signifieth⁸⁵ the removing of those things that are shaken⁸⁶, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom⁸⁷ which cannot be moved, let us have⁸⁸ grace, whereby we may⁸⁹ serve God acceptably with reverence⁹⁰ and godly fear:

⁹¹For our God is a consuming fire.