1 Portanto, também nós, visto que temos a rodear-nos tão grande nuvem de testemunhas, desembaraçando-nos de todo peso e do pecado que tenazmente nos assedia, corramos, com perseverança, a carreira que nos está proposta, 2 olhando firmemente para o Autor e Consumador da fé, Jesus, o qual, em troca da alegria que lhe estava proposta, suportou a cruz, não fazendo caso da ignomínia, e está assentado à destra do trono de Deus. 3 Considerai, pois, atentamente, aquele que suportou tamanha oposição dos pecadores contra si mesmo, para que não vos fatigueis, desmaiando em vossa alma.

4 Ora, na vossa luta contra o pecado, ainda não tendes resistido até ao sangue 5 e estais esquecidos da exortação que, como a filhos, discorre convosco:

Filho meu, não menosprezes a correção que vem do Senhor, nem desmaies quando por ele és reprovado;

6 porque o Senhor corrige a quem ama e açoita a todo filho a quem recebe.

7 É para disciplina que perseverais (Deus vos trata como filhos); pois que filho há que o pai não corrige? 8 Mas, se estais sem correção, de que todos se têm tornado participantes, logo, sois bastardos e não filhos. 9 Além disso, tínhamos os nossos pais segundo a carne, que nos corrigiam, e os respeitávamos; não havemos de estar em muito maior submissão ao Pai espiritual e, então, viveremos? 10 Pois eles nos corrigiam por pouco tempo, segundo melhor lhes parecia; Deus, porém, nos disciplina para aproveitamento, a fim de sermos participantes da sua santidade. 11 Toda disciplina, com efeito, no momento não parece ser motivo de alegria, mas de tristeza; ao depois, entretanto, produz fruto pacífico aos que têm sido por ela exercitados, fruto de justiça. 12 Por isso, restabelecei as mãos descaídas e os joelhos trôpegos; 13 e fazei caminhos retos para os pés, para que não se extravie o que é manco; antes, seja curado.

14 Segui a paz com todos e a santificação, sem a qual ninguém verá o Senhor, 15 atentando, diligentemente, por que ninguém seja faltoso, separando-se da graça de Deus; nem haja alguma raiz de amargura que, brotando, vos perturbe, e, por meio dela, muitos sejam contaminados; 16 nem haja algum impuro ou profano, como foi Esaú, o qual, por um repasto, vendeu o seu direito de primogenitura. 17 Pois sabeis também que, posteriormente, querendo herdar a bênção, foi rejeitado, pois não achou lugar de arrependimento, embora, com lágrimas, o tivesse buscado.

18 Ora, não tendes chegado ao fogo palpável e ardente, e à escuridão, e às trevas, e à tempestade, 19 e ao clangor da trombeta, e ao som de palavras tais, que quantos o ouviram suplicaram que não se lhes falasse mais, 20 pois já não suportavam o que lhes era ordenado:

Até um animal, se tocar o monte, será apedrejado.

21 Na verdade, de tal modo era horrível o espetáculo, que Moisés disse: Sinto-me aterrado e trêmulo! 22 Mas tendes chegado ao monte Sião e à cidade do Deus vivo, a Jerusalém celestial, e a incontáveis hostes de anjos, e à universal assembleia 23 e igreja dos primogênitos arrolados nos céus, e a Deus, o Juiz de todos, e aos espíritos dos justos aperfeiçoados, 24 e a Jesus, o Mediador da nova aliança, e ao sangue da aspersão que fala coisas superiores ao que fala o próprio Abel.

25 Tende cuidado, não recuseis ao que fala. Pois, se não escaparam aqueles que recusaram ouvir quem, divinamente, os advertia sobre a terra, muito menos nós, os que nos desviamos daquele que dos céus nos adverte, 26 aquele, cuja voz abalou, então, a terra; agora, porém, ele promete, dizendo:

Ainda uma vez por todas, farei abalar não só a terra, mas também o céu.

27 Ora, esta palavra: Ainda uma vez por todas significa a remoção dessas coisas abaladas, como tinham sido feitas, para que as coisas que não são abaladas permaneçam. 28 Por isso, recebendo nós um reino inabalável, retenhamos a graça, pela qual sirvamos a Deus de modo agradável, com reverência e santo temor; 29 porque o nosso Deus é fogo consumidor.

1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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, 2 looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against himself, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin: 5 and ye have forgotten the exhortation which reasoneth with you as with sons,

My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord,

Nor faint when thou art reproved of him;

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,

And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 It is for chastening that ye endure; God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. 11 All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness. 12 Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees; 13 and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.

14 Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled; 16 lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. 17 For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind in his father, though he sought it diligently with tears.

18 For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them; 20 for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; 21 and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake: 22 but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel. 25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape who turn away from him that warneth from heaven: 26 whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven. 27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,

2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son." [^1]

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

8 If you are not disciplined —and everyone undergoes discipline —then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.

9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!

10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.

13 "Make level paths for your feet," "so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.

16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.

17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.

18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;

19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,

20 because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death." [^3]

21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear." [^4]

22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,

23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?

26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." [^5]

27 The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken —that is, created things —so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,

29 for our "God is a consuming fire." [^6]