^7 (A)I have fought the good fight, ^(B)I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

^12 (A)Fight the good fight of the faith. ^(B)Take hold of the eternal life ^(C)to which you were called and about which you made ^(D)the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives ^(A)the prize? So ^(B)run that you may obtain it. ²⁵ Every ^(C)athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we ^(D)an imperishable. ²⁶ So I do not run aimlessly; I ^(E)do not box as one ^(F)beating the air. ²⁷ But I discipline my body and ^(G)keep it under control,^[a] lest after preaching to others ^(H)I myself should be ^(I)disqualified.

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 ^(A)sin which clings so closely, and ^(B)let us run ^(C)with endurance the race that is ^(D)set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, ^(E)who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising ^(F)the shame, and ^(G)is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

²⁴ But ^(A)I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only ^(B)I may finish my course and ^(C)the ministry ^(D)that I received from the Lord Jesus, ^(E)to testify to ^(F)the gospel of ^(G)the grace of God.

¹³ Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: ^(A)forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for ^(B)the prize of the upward ^(C)call of God in Christ Jesus.

⁸ “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you ^(A)an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

³⁴ Jesus said to them, ^(A)“My food is ^(B)to do the will of him who sent me and ^(C)to accomplish his work.

²⁸ But he said, ^(A)“Blessed rather are those ^(B)who hear the word of God and ^(C)keep it!”