Letters to the Churches

Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered strength from weakness, became valiant in battle, put to flight the armies of foreigners.

Women received their dead raised to life again. But others were racked, not accepting deliverance, that they might find a better resurrection.

And others had trial of mockeries and stripes: moreover also of bands and prisons.

They were stoned, they were cut asunder, they were tempted, they were put to death by the sword, they wandered about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being in want, distressed, afflicted:

Of whom the world was not worthy: wandering in deserts, in mountains and in dens and in caves of the earth.

And all these, being approved by the testimony of faith, received not the promise:

God providing some better thing for us, that they should not be perfected without us.

And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us:

Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who, having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and now sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God.

For think diligently upon him that endured such opposition from sinners against himself that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds.

For you have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

And you have forgotten the consolation which speaketh to you, as unto children, saying: My son, neglect not the discipline of the Lord: neither be thou wearied whilst thou art rebuked by him.

For whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth: and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Persevere under discipline. God dealeth with you as with his sons. For what son is there whom the father doth not correct?

But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are made partakers, then are you bastards and not sons.

Moreover, we have had fathers of our flesh for instructors, and we reverenced them. Shall we not much more obey the Father of spirits and live?

And they indeed for a few days, according to their own pleasure, instructed us: but he, for our profit, that we might receive his sanctification.

Now all chastisement for the present indeed seemeth not to bring with it joy, but sorrow: but afterwards it will yield to them that are exercised by it the most peaceable fruit of justice.

Wherefore, lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees:

And make straight steps with your feet: that no one, halting, may go out of the way; but rather be healed.

Follow peace with all men and holiness: without which no man shall see God.

Looking diligently, lest any man be wanting to the grace of God: lest any root of bitterness springing up do hinder and by it many be defiled:

Lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Esau who for one mess sold his first birthright.

For know ye that afterwards, when he desired to inherit the benediction, he was rejected. For he found no place of repentance, although with tears he had sought it.

For you are not come to a mountain that might be touched and a burning fire and a whirlwind and darkness and storm,