Letters to the Churches

quenched the power of fire, escaped the mouth of the sword, were made powerful out of infirmities, became strong in battle, caused to give way camps of the aliens.

Women received by a rising again their dead, and others were tortured, not accepting the redemption, that a better rising again they might receive,

and others of mockings and scourgings did receive trial, and yet of bonds and imprisonment;

they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tried; in the killing of the sword they died; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins--being destitute, afflicted, injuriously treated,

of whom the world was not worthy; in deserts wandering, and in mountains, and in caves, and in the holes of the earth;

and these all, having been testified to through the faith, did not receive the promise,

God for us something better having provided, that apart from us they might not be made perfect.

Therefore, we also having so great a cloud of witnesses set around us, every weight having put off, and the closely besetting sin, through endurance may we run the contest that is set before us,

looking to the author and perfecter of faith--Jesus, who, over-against the joy set before him--did endure a cross, shame having despised, on the right hand also of the throne of God did sit down;

for consider again him who endured such gainsaying from the sinners to himself, that ye may not be wearied in your souls--being faint.

Not yet unto blood did ye resist--with the sin striving;

and ye have forgotten the exhortation that doth speak fully with you as with sons, `My son, be not despising chastening of the Lord, nor be faint, being reproved by Him,

for whom the Lord doth love He doth chasten, and He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth;'

if chastening ye endure, as to sons God beareth Himself to you, for who is a son whom a father doth not chasten?

and if ye are apart from chastening, of which all have become partakers, then bastards are ye, and not sons.

Then, indeed, fathers of our flesh we have had, chastising us , and we were reverencing them ; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of the spirits, and live?

for they, indeed, for a few days, according to what seemed good to them, were chastening, but He for profit, to be partakers of His separation;

and all chastening for the present, indeed, doth not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow, yet afterward the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those exercised through it--it doth yield.

Wherefore, the hanging-down hands and the loosened knees set ye up;

and straight paths make for your feet, that that which is lame may not be turned aside, but rather be healed;

peace pursue with all, and the separation, apart from which no one shall see the Lord,

looking diligently over lest any one be failing of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up may give trouble, and through this many may be defiled;

lest any one be a fornicator, or a profane person, as Esau, who in exchange for one morsel of food did sell his birthright,

for ye know that also afterwards, wishing to inherit the blessing, he was disapproved of, for a place of reformation he found not, though with tears having sought it.

For ye came not near to the mount touched and scorched with fire, and to blackness, and darkness, and tempest,