²⁴ Don’t you realize that everyone who runs in a race runs to win, but only one runner gets the prize? Run like them, so that you can win.

¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. Then I can brag on the day of Christ that my effort was not wasted and that my work produced results.

¹¹ with the confidence that I’ll come back to life from the dead.

¹² It’s not that I’ve already reached the goal or have already completed the course. But I run to win that which Jesus Christ has already won for me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I can’t consider myself a winner yet. This is what I do: I don’t look back, I lengthen my stride, and ¹⁴ I run straight toward the goal to win the prize that God’s heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus.

Faith Directs Our Lives

12 Since we are surrounded by so many examples ⌞of faith⌟, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up.

² We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Now he holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne.