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  1. Mon: John 7-8
  2. Tue: Jeremiah 21-22
  3. Wed: 1 Chronicles 1-6
Thursday · Week 35
The Epistles & Revelation

Hebrews 12-13

Week 35 · about 8 min
  1. Fri: Hosea 11-14
  2. Sat: Psalms 128-135
  3. Sun: Numbers 11-14

Hebrews ends with a call to keep running the race, along with practical instructions for daily life.

Run With Patience

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:1 (KJV)

After the list in chapter 11, the heroes of faith become a crowd in the stands. Lay aside every weight, which includes sins and also things that just slow you down. Keep your eyes on Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” Hard times can be a Father’s training. Watch out for “any root of bitterness.” Chapter 13 gets practical. Be hospitable, because some people “have entertained angels unawares.” Be content, because God said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”

Reflect: What weight, not necessarily a sin, is slowing you down?

Hebrews 12

1Therefore, 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,

2looking 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;

3for consider again him who endured such gainsaying from the sinners to himself, that ye may not be wearied in your souls -- being faint.

4Not yet unto blood did ye resist -- with the sin striving;

5and 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,

6for whom the Lord doth love He doth chasten, and He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth;'

7if chastening ye endure, as to sons God beareth Himself to you, for who is a son whom a father doth not chasten?

8and if ye are apart from chastening, of which all have become partakers, then bastards are ye, and not sons.

9Then, 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?

10for 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;

11and 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.

12Wherefore, the hanging-down hands and the loosened knees set ye up;

13and straight paths make for your feet, that that which is lame may not be turned aside, but rather be healed;

14peace pursue with all, and the separation, apart from which no one shall see the Lord,

15looking 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;

16lest any one be a fornicator, or a profane person, as Esau, who in exchange for one morsel of food did sell his birthright,

17for 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.

18For ye came not near to the mount touched and scorched with fire, and to blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

19and a sound of a trumpet, and a voice of sayings, which those having heard did entreat that a word might not be added to them,

20for they were not bearing that which is commanded, ‘And if a beast may touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or with an arrow shot through,'

21and, (so terrible was the sight,) Moses said, ‘I am fearful exceedingly, and trembling.'

22But, ye came to Mount Zion, and to a city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of messengers,

23to the company and assembly of the first-born in heaven enrolled, and to God the judge of all, and to spirits of righteous men made perfect,

24and to a mediator of a new covenant -- Jesus, and to blood of sprinkling, speaking better things than that of Abel!

25See, may ye not refuse him who is speaking, for if those did not escape who refused him who upon earth was divinely speaking -- much less we who do turn away from him who speaketh from heaven,

26whose voice the earth shook then, and now hath he promised, saying, ‘Yet once -- I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven;'

27and this -- ‘Yet once' -- doth make evident the removal of the things shaken, as of things having been made, that the things not shaken may remain;

28wherefore, a kingdom that cannot be shaken receiving, may we have grace, through which we may serve God well-pleasingly, with reverence and religious fear;

29for also our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 13

1Let brotherly love remain;

2of the hospitality be not forgetful, for through this unawares certain did entertain messengers;

3be mindful of those in bonds, as having been bound with them, of those maltreated, as also yourselves being in the body;

4honourable is the marriage in all, and the bed undefiled, and whoremongers and adulterers God shall judge.

5Without covetousness the behaviour, being content with the things present, for He hath said, ‘No, I will not leave, no, nor forsake thee,'

6so that we do boldly say, ‘The Lord is to me a helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to me.'

7Be mindful of those leading you, who did speak to you the word of God, whose faith -- considering the issue of the behaviour -- be imitating,

8Jesus Christ yesterday and to-day the same, and to the ages;

9with teachings manifold and strange be not carried about, for it is good that by grace the heart be confirmed, not with meats, in which they who were occupied were not profited;

10we have an altar, of which to eat they have no authority who the tabernacle are serving,

11for of those beasts whose blood is brought for sin into the holy places through the chief priest -- of these the bodies are burned without the camp.

12Wherefore, also Jesus -- that he might sanctify through his own blood the people -- without the gate did suffer;

13now, then, may we go forth unto him without the camp, his reproach bearing;

14for we have not here an abiding city, but the coming one we seek;

15through him, then, we may offer up a sacrifice of praise always to God, that is, the fruit of lips, giving thanks to His name;

16and of doing good, and of fellowship, be not forgetful, for with such sacrifices God is well-pleased.

17Be obedient to those leading you, and be subject, for these do watch for your souls, as about to give account, that with joy they may do this, and not sighing, for this is unprofitable to you.

18Pray for us, for we trust that we have a good conscience, in all things willing to behave well,

19and more abundantly do I call upon you to do this, that more quickly I may be restored to you.

20And the God of the peace, who did bring up out of the dead the great shepherd of the sheep -- in the blood of an age-during covenant -- our Lord Jesus,

21make you perfect in every good work to do His will, doing in you that which is well-pleasing before Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory -- to the ages of the ages! Amen.

22And I entreat you, brethren, suffer the word of the exhortation, for also through few words I have written to you.

23Know ye that the brother Timotheus is released, with whom, if he may come more shortly, I will see you.

24Salute all those leading you, and all the saints; salute you doth those from Italy:

25the grace is with you all! Amen.

Young’s Literal Translation (YLT). Public domain.