³⁹All of those people were praised because they had faith. But none of them received what God had promised. ⁴⁰God had planned something better for us. So they would only be made perfect together with us.

12A huge cloud of witnesses is all around us. So let us throw off everything that stands in our way. Let us throw off any sin that holds on to us so tightly. Let us keep on running the race marked out for us.

²Let us keep looking to Jesus. He is the author of faith. He also makes it perfect. He paid no attention to the shame of the cross. He suffered there because of the joy he was looking forward to. Then he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³He put up with attacks from sinners. So think about him. Then you won’t get tired. You won’t lose hope.

God Trains His Children

⁴You struggle against sin. But you have not yet fought to the point of spilling your blood.

Read in Logos

Hebrews 12:1: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us …