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¹ Therefore let us also, who have all these witnesses surrounding us like clouds, cast from us all encumbrances, and sin, which is always prepared for us; and let us run with patience the race that is appointed for us.² And let us look on Jesus, who hath become the commencement and the completion of our faith; who, on account of the joy there was for him, endured the cross, and surrendered himself to opprobrium; and is seated on the right hand of the throne of God.³ Behold, therefore, how much he suffered from sinners, from them who are adversaries of their own soul, that ye may not be discouraged, nor your soul become remiss.

⁴ Ye have not yet come unto blood, in the contest against sin.⁵ And ye have forgotten the monition, which saith to you, as to children, My son, disregard not the chastening of the Lord; nor let thy soul faint, when thou art rebuked by him.⁶ For, whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth; and he scourgeth those sons, for whom he hath kind regards.⁷ Therefore endure ye the chastisement; because God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there, whom his father chasteneth not?⁸ But if ye are without that chastisement, with which every one is chastened, ye are become strangers and not sons.⁹ And if our fathers of the flesh chastened us, and we revered them, how much more ought we to be submissive to our spiritual fathers, ‡3 and live?¹⁰ For they chastened us for a short time, according to their pleasure; but God, for our advantage, that we may become partakers of his holiness.¹¹ Now all chastisement, in the time of it, is not accounted a matter of joy, but of grief: yet, afterwards, it yieldeth the fruits of peace and righteousness to them who are exercised by it.¹² Wherefore, strengthen ye your relaxed hands, and your tottering knees:¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, that the limb which is lame may not be wrenched, but may be healed.¹⁴ Follow after peace with every man; and after holiness, without which a man will not see our Lord.¹⁵ And be careful, lest any be found among you destitute of the grace of God; or lest some root of bitterness shoot forth germs, and trouble you; and thereby many be defiled:¹⁶ or lest any one be found among you a fornicator; or a heedless one like Esau, who for one mess of food, sold his primogeniture.¹⁷ For ye know that, afterwards when he wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found not a place for repentance, although he sought it with tears.

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