¹⁶ This is what the Lord Almighty says:

²⁵ “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies^(U) in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream!^(V) I had a dream!’ ²⁶ How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions^(W) of their own minds?^{(X) 27} They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget^(Y) my name, just as their ancestors forgot^(Z) my name through Baal worship.^{(AA) 28} Let the prophet who has a dream^(AB) recount the dream, but let the one who has my word^(AC) speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. ²⁹ “Is not my word like fire,”^(AD) declares the Lord, “and like a hammer^(AE) that breaks a rock in pieces?

כ Kaph

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice.^(A) He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, ¹⁸ even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”^{[a](B) 19} Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead,^(C) and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.^(D)

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons,^(E) and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

²² By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.^(F)

²³ By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born,^(G) because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.^(H)

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.^{(I) 25} He chose to be mistreated^(J) along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. ²⁶ He regarded disgrace^(K) for the sake of Christ^(L) as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.^{(M) 27} By faith he left Egypt,^(N) not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer^(O) of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.^(P)

²⁹ By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.^(Q)

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.^(R)

³¹ By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.^[b](S)

³² And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,^(A) Barak,^(B) Samson^(C) and Jephthah,^(D) about David^(E) and Samuel^(F) and the prophets, ³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms,^(G) administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,^{(H) 34} quenched the fury of the flames,^(I) and escaped the edge of the sword;^(J) whose weakness was turned to strength;^(K) and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.^{(L) 35} Women received back their dead, raised to life again.^(M) There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. ³⁶ Some faced jeers and flogging,^(N) and even chains and imprisonment.^{(O) 37} They were put to death by stoning;^[a](P) they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword.^(Q) They went about in sheepskins and goatskins,^(R) destitute, persecuted and mistreated— ³⁸ the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves^(S) and in holes in the ground.

³⁹ These were all commended^(T) for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised,^{(U) 40} since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us^(V) would they be made perfect.^(W)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run^(A) with perseverance^(B) the race marked out for us, ² fixing our eyes on Jesus,^(C) the pioneer^(D) and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,^(E) scorning its shame,^(F) and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.^{(G) 3} Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary^(H) and lose heart.

Not Peace but Division^(A)

⁴⁹ “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ But I have a baptism^(B) to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!^{(C) 51} Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. ⁵² From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”^(D)

Interpreting the Times

⁵⁴ He said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does.^{(A) 55} And when the south wind blows, you say, ‘It’s going to be hot,’ and it is. ⁵⁶ Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?^(B)