English Standard Version ESV
New Living Translation NLT
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
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Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
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We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
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Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.
4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
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After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.
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And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the LORD ’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."
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For the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
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As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?
8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
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If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all.
9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
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Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?
10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
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For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness.
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
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No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,
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So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
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Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.
14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
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Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.
15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
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Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.
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Make sure that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright as the firstborn son for a single meal.
17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
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You know that afterward, when he wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.
18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest
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You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai.
19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them.
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For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking.
20 For they could not endure the order that was given, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned."
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They staggered back under God’s command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”
21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I tremble with fear."
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Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,
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No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering.
23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
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You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect.
24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
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You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
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Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!
26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."
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When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: “Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also.”
27 This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken--that is, things that have been made--in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.
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This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
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Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.
29 for our God is a consuming fire.
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For our God is a devouring fire.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.