1Therefore, since we havesogreat a cloud of witnessessurrounding us, let us also1layasideeveryencumbrance and the sin which so easilyentangles us, and let us 2run with 3endurance the race that is setbefore us,
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fixing our eyes on Jesus, the 4author and perfecter of faith, who for the joysetbefore Him 5endured the cross, 6despising the shame, and has 7satdown at the righthand of the throne of God.
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For 8consider Him who has enduredsuchhostility by sinnersagainstHimself, so that you will not growweary9and loseheart.
A Father's Discipline
410You have not yetresisted11to the point of shedding blood in your strivingagainstsin;
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and you have forgotten the exhortationwhich is addressed to you as sons, "12MY SON, DO NOT REGARDLIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR13FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM.
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14FOR THOSE 15WHOM THE LORDLOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGESEVERYSONWHOM HE RECEIVES."
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It is for discipline that you endure; 16Goddeals with you as with sons; for whatson is there whom his father does not discipline?
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But if you are withoutdiscipline, 17of whichall have becomepartakers, then you are illegitimatechildren and not sons.
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Furthermore, we hadearthlyfathers to discipline us, and we 18respected them; shall we not muchrather be subject to 19the Father of spirits, and 20live?
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For they disciplined us for a shorttime as seemedbest to them, but He disciplines us for our good, 21so that we may share His holiness.
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Alldiscipline22for the momentseems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the 23peacefulfruit of righteousness.
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Therefore, 24strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,
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and 25makestraightpaths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather26be healed.
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27Pursuepeace with allmen, and the 28sanctificationwithoutwhichnoone will 29see the Lord.
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See to it that noone30comesshort of the grace of God; that no31root of bitternessspringing up causestrouble, and by it many be 32defiled;
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that there be no*33immoralor34godlesspersonlikeEsau, 35whosold his ownbirthright for a single meal.
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For you know that evenafterwards, 36when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he foundnoplace for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
Contrast of Sinai and Zion
1837For you have not come to 38a mountain that can be touched and to a blazingfire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,
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and to the 39blast of a trumpet and the 40sound of wordswhich sound was such that those who heard41begged that nofurtherword be spoken to them.
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For they could not bear the command, "42IFEVEN A BEASTTOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED."
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And soterrible was the sight, that Mosessaid, "43I AMFULL OF FEAR and trembling."
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But 44you have come to MountZion and to 45the city of 46the livingGod, 47the heavenlyJerusalem, and to 48myriads of angels,
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to the generalassembly and 49church of the firstborn who 50are enrolled in heaven, and to God, 51the Judge of all, and to the 52spirits of the righteousmadeperfect,
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and to Jesus, the 53mediator of a newcovenant, and to the 54sprinkledblood, which speaksbetterthan55the blood of Abel.
The Unshaken Kingdom
2556See to it that you do not refuse Him who is 57speaking. For 58ifthose did not escape when they 59refused him who 60warned them on earth, muchless will we escape who turnaway from Him who 61warns from heaven.
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And 62His voiceshook the earththen, but now He has promised, saying, "63YETONCEMORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."
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This expression, "Yetoncemore," denotes64the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of createdthings, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
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Therefore, since we receive a 65kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us showgratitude, by which we may 66offer to God an acceptableservice with reverence and awe;