Hebrews 11:19-12:24

English Standard Version

^19 (A)He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. ²⁰ By faith ^(B)Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. ²¹ By faith ^(C)Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, ^(D)bowing in worship over the head of his staff. ²² By faith ^(E)Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

²³ By faith ^(F)Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of ^(G)the king's edict. ²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was grown up, ^(H)refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, ^25 (I)choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy ^(J)the fleeting pleasures of sin. ^26 (K)He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to ^(L)the reward. ²⁷ By faith he ^(M)left Egypt, ^(N)not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured ^(O)as seeing him who is invisible. ²⁸ By faith ^(P)he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

²⁹ By faith ^(Q)the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. ³⁰ By faith ^(R)the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. ³¹ By faith ^(S)Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she ^(T)had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

³² And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of ^(U)Gideon, ^(V)Barak, ^(W)Samson, ^(X)Jephthah, of ^(Y)David and ^(Z)Samuel and the prophets— ³³ who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, ^(AA)stopped the mouths of lions, ^34 (AB)quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, ^(AC)became mighty in war, ^(AD)put foreign armies to flight. ^35 (AE)Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. ³⁶ Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even ^(AF)chains and imprisonment. ^37 (AG)They were stoned, they were sawn in two,^{[a] (AH)}they were killed with the sword. ^(AI)They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy—^(AJ)wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And all these, ^(AK)though commended through their faith, ^(AL)did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰ since God had provided something better for us, ^(AM)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 ^(AN)sin which clings so closely, and ^(AO)let us run ^(AP)with endurance the race that is ^(AQ)set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, ^(AR)who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising ^(AS)the shame, and ^(AT)is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Do Not Grow Weary

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

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

¹² Therefore ^(BG)lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, ¹³ and ^(BH)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint ^(BI)but rather be healed. ^14 (BJ)Strive for peace with everyone, and for the ^(BK)holiness ^(BL)without which no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one ^(BM)fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ^(BN)“root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; ¹⁶ that no one is ^(BO)sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. ¹⁷ For you know that ^(BP)afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

¹⁸ For you have not come to ^(BQ)what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest ¹⁹ and ^(BR)the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words ^(BS)made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not endure the order that was given, ^(BT)“If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” ²¹ Indeed, ^(BU)so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” ²² But you have come to ^(BV)Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, ^(BW)the heavenly Jerusalem, and to ^(BX)innumerable angels in festal gathering, ²³ and to ^(BY)the assembly^[b] of the firstborn who are ^(BZ)enrolled in heaven, and to ^(CA)God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, ^(CB)the mediator of a new covenant, and to ^(CC)the sprinkled blood ^(CD)that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.