Hebrews 11:23-12:2

Evangelical Heritage Version

²³ By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after he was born, because they saw he was a special child, and they were not afraid of the king’s order.

²⁴ By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter when he grew up. ²⁵ He chose to be mistreated with God’s people rather than enjoy sin for a little while. ²⁶ He considered disgrace for the sake of Christ as greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.

²⁷ By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s wrath, because he persevered as one who sees him who is invisible.

²⁸ By faith he celebrated the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not strike them down.

²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red Sea, as if going through on dry ground. When the Egyptians tried it, they were drowned.

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell after the people marched around them for seven days.

³¹ By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with the unbelievers, because she welcomed the spies in peace.

³² And what more should I say? There would not be enough time for me to continue to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets. ³³ By faith they conquered kingdoms, carried out justice, obtained things that were promised, shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the power of fire, escaped the edges of the sword, were made powerful after being weak, became mighty in battle, and caused foreign armies to flee. ³⁵ Women received back their dead by resurrection. And others who were tortured did not accept their release, so that they may take part in a better resurrection. ³⁶ Still others experienced mocking and lashes, in addition to chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were tempted;^[a] they were killed with the sword; they went around in sheepskins and goatskins, needy, afflicted, and mistreated. ³⁸ The world was not worthy of them as they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

³⁹ All of these were commended in Scripture by faith, yet they did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰ because God had planned something better for us, namely, that they would not reach the goal apart from us.

Run the Race

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us get rid of every burden and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with patient endurance the race that is laid out for us. ² Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author of our faith and the one who brings it to its goal. In view of the joy set before him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of God’s throne.