Hebrews 11:33-12:13

English Standard Version

³³who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, ^(A)stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴^(B)quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, ^(C)became mighty in war, ^(D)put foreign armies to flight. ³⁵^(E)Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. ³⁶Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even ^(F)chains and imprisonment. ³⁷^(G)They were stoned, they were sawn in two,^[a] ^(H)they were killed with the sword. ^(I)They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— ³⁸of whom the world was not worthy—^(J)wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹And all these, ^(K)though commended through their faith, ^(L)did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰since God had provided something better for us, ^(M)that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and ^(N)sin which clings so closely, and ^(O)let us run ^(P)with endurance the race that is ^(Q)set before us, ²looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, ^(R)who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising ^(S)the shame, and ^(T)is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do Not Grow Weary

³^(U)Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or ^(V)fainthearted. ⁴In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

^(W)“My son, ^(X)do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
⁶For ^(Y)the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”

⁷It is for discipline that you have to endure. ^(Z)God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸If you are left without discipline, ^(AA)in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to ^(AB)the Father of spirits ^(AC)and live? ¹⁰For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, ^(AD)that we may share his holiness. ¹¹^(AE)For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields ^(AF)the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

¹²Therefore ^(AG)lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, ¹³and ^(AH)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint ^(AI)but rather be healed.