Letters to the Churches

Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sworde, of weake were made strong, waxed valiant in battell, turned to flight the armies of the aliants.

The women receiued their dead raised to life: other also were racked, and woulde not be deliuered, that they might receiue a better resurrection.

And others haue bene tryed by mockings and scourgings, yea, moreouer by bondes and prisonment.

They were stoned, they were hewen asunder, they were tempted, they were slaine with the sworde, they wandred vp and downe in sheepes skinnes, and in goates skinnes, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented:

Whom the world was not worthie of: they wandered in wildernesses and mountaines, and dennes, and caues of the earth.

And these all through faith obteined good report, and receiued not the promise,

God prouiding a better thing for vs, that they without vs should not be made perfite.

Wherefore, let vs also, seeing that we are compassed with so great a cloude of witnesses, cast away euery thing that presseth downe, and the sinne that hangeth so fast on: let vs runne with patience the race that is set before vs,

Looking vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our faith, who for the ioy that was set before him, endured the crosse, and despised the shame, and is set at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider therefore him that endured such speaking against of sinners, lest ye should be wearied and faint in your mindes.

Ye haue not yet resisted vnto blood, striuing against sinne.

And ye haue forgotten the consolation, which speaketh vnto you as vnto children, My sonne, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him.

For whom the Lord loueth, he chasteneth: and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth:

If ye endure chastening, God offereth him selfe vnto you as vnto sonnes: for what sonne is it whom the father chasteneth not?

If therefore ye be without correction, whereof al are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sonnes.

Moreouer we haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs, and we gaue them reuerence: should we not much rather be in subiection vnto the father of spirites, that we might liue?

For they verely for a few dayes chastened vs after their owne pleasure: but he chasteneth vs for our profite, that we might be partakers of his holinesse.

Now no chastising for the present seemeth to be ioyous, but, grieuous: but afterwarde, it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse, vnto them which are thereby exercised.

Wherfore lift vp your hands which hang downe, and your weake knees,

And make straight steppes vnto your feete, lest that which is halting, be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed.

Followe peace with all men, and holinesse, without the which no man shall see ye Lord.

Take heede, that no man fall away from the grace of God: let no roote of bitternes spring vp and trouble you, lest thereby many be defiled.

Let there be no fornicator, or prophane person as Esau, which for one portion of meate solde his birthright.

For ye knowe howe that afterwarde also when he woulde haue inherited the blessing, he was reiected: for he founde no place to repentance, though he sought that blessing with teares.

For ye are not come vnto the mount that might be touched, nor vnto burning fire, nor to blacknes and darkenes, and tempest,