121 Therefore , since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus , the author and perfecter of faith , who for the joy set before Him endured the cross , despising the shame , and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God . 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself , so that you will not grow weary and lose heart .
4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin ; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons , " MY SON , DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE Lord , NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM. 6 FOR THOSE WHOM THE Lord LOVES HE DISCIPLINES , AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES ." 7 It is for discipline that you endure ; God deals with you as with sons ; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline ? 8 But if you are without discipline , of which all have become partakers , then you are illegitimate children and not sons . 9 Furthermore , we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits , and live ? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good , so that we may share His holiness . 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful , but sorrowful ; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness .
12 Therefore , strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble , 13 and make straight paths for your feet , so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint , but rather be healed . 14 Pursue peace with all men , and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord . 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God ; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble , and by it many be defiled ; 16 that there be no e immoral or godless person like Esau , who sold his own birthright for a single meal . 17 For you know that even afterwards , when he desired to inherit the blessing , he was rejected , for he found no place for repentance , though he sought for it with tears .
18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire , and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind , 19 and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. 20 For they could not bear the command , " IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN , IT WILL BE STONED ." 21 And so terrible was the sight , that Moses said , " I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling ." 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God , the heavenly Jerusalem , and to myriads of angels , 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven , and to God , the Judge of all , and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect , 24 and to Jesus , the mediator of a new covenant , and to the sprinkled blood , which speaks better than the blood of Abel . 25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking . For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth , much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven . 26 And His voice shook the earth then , but now He has promised , saying , " YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH , BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN ." 27 This expression, "Yet once more ," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken , as of created things , so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain . 28 Therefore , since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken , let us show gratitude , by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe ; 29 for our God is a consuming fire .
31 Therefore , holy brethren , partakers of a heavenly calling , consider Jesus , the Apostle and High Priest of our confession ; 2 He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house . 3 For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses , by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house . 4 For every house is built by someone , but the builder of all things is God . 5 Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant , for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; 6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house - whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end .
7 Therefore , just as the Holy Spirit says , " TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE , 8 DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS , 9 WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED Me BY TESTING Me, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS . 10 " THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION , AND SAID , 'THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART , AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS '; 11 AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH , 'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST .' " 12 Take care , brethren , that there not be in any one of you an evil , unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God . 13 But encourage one another day after day , as long as it is still called "Today ," so e that none e of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin . 14 For we have become partakers of Christ , if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end , 15 while it is said , " TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE , DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS , AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME." 16 For who provoked Him when they had heard ? Indeed , did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses ? 17 And with whom was He angry for forty years ? Was it not with those who sinned , whose bodies fell in the wilderness ? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest , but to those who were disobedient ? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief .
