1   And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over us, laying aside every weight, and the sin that surroundeth us, let us run by patience to the fight that is set before us:

2   Looking on Jesus the author and finisher of faith, who having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God.

3   For think diligently upon him that endured such opposition

from sinners against himself: that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds.

4   For you have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin:

5   And you have forgotten the consolation, which speaketh to you, as to children, saying: My son, neglect not the discipline of the Lord: neither be thou wearied whilst thou art rebuked by him.

6   For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth; and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7   Persevere under correction. God dealeth with you as with his sons: for what son is there, whom the father doth not correct?

8   But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are made partakers; then are you bastards, and not sons.

9   Moreover we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much more obey the father of spirits, and live?

10   And they indeed for a few days chastised us according to their own pleasure: but he, for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11   Now no chastisement for the present seemeth to bring with it joy, but sorrow: but afterwards it will yield, to them that are exercised by it, the most peaceable fruit of justice.

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

13   And make straight steps with your feet: that no one, halting, may go out of the way; but rather be healed.

14   Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see God:

15   Looking diligently lest any man be wanting to the grace of God: lest any root of bitterness springing up do hinder, and by it many be defiled:

16   Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person as Esau: who for one mess sold his first birth-right:

17   For know ye that afterwards when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected: for ^note he found no place of repentance, although with tears he had sought it.

18   For you are not come to the mountain that might be touched, and the burning fire,

nor to a whirl-wind, and darkness, and tempest,

19   And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which they that heard excused themselves, that the word might not be spoken to them.

20   For they did not endure that which was said: And if so much as a beast shall touch the mount, it shall be stoned.

21   And so terrible was that which was seen, Moses said: I am frighted, and tremble.

22   But you are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of Angels,

23   And to the church of the first-born, who are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect,

24   And to Jesus the mediator of the new testament, and to the sprinkling of blood which speaketh better than that of Abel.

25   See that you refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke upon earth; much more shall not we, that turn away from him that speaketh to us from heaven.

26   Whose voice then moved the earth: but now he promiseth, saying: Yet once; and I will move not only the earth, but heaven also.

27   And in that he saith Yet once: he signifieth the translation of the moveable things, as of things that are made, that those things may remain which are immoveable.

28   Wherefore we receiving an immoveable kingdom, have grace: whereby let us serve pleasing God, with fear and reverence.

29   For our God is a consuming fire.

Previous section

Next section