1A 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. And let us keep on running the race marked out for us. 2Let us keep looking to Jesus. He is the one who started this journey of faith. And he is the one who completes the journey of faith. 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 made it through these attacks by 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. 5Have you completely forgotten this word of hope? It speaks to you as a father to his children. It says,
“My son, think of the Lord’s training as important.
Do not lose hope when he corrects you.
6The Lord trains the one he loves.
He corrects everyone he accepts as his son.” (Proverbs 3:11,12)
7Put up with hard times. God uses them to train you. He is treating you as his children. What children are not trained by their parents? 8God trains all his children. But what if he doesn’t train you? Then you are not really his children. You are not God’s true sons and daughters at all. 9Besides, we have all had human fathers who trained us. We respected them for it. How much more should we be trained by the Father of spirits and live! 10Our parents trained us for a little while. They did what they thought was best. But God trains us for our good. He does this so we may share in his holiness. 11No training seems pleasant at the time. In fact, it seems painful. But later on it produces a harvest of godliness and peace. It does this for those who have been trained by it.
12So put your hands to work. Strengthen your legs for the journey. 13“Make level paths for your feet to walk on.” (Proverbs 4:26) Then those who have trouble walking won’t be disabled. Instead, they will be healed.
A Warning and an Appeal
14Try your best to live in peace with everyone. Try hard to be holy. Without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15Be sure that no one misses out on God’s grace. See to it that a bitter plant doesn’t grow up. If it does, it will cause trouble. And it will make many people impure. 16See to it that no one commits sexual sins. See to it that no one is godless like Esau. He sold the rights to what he would receive as the oldest son. He sold them for a single meal. 17As you know, after that he wanted to receive his father’s blessing. But he was turned away. With tears he tried to get the blessing. But he couldn’t change what he had done.
The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy
18You haven’t come to a mountain that can be touched. You haven’t come to a mountain burning with fire. You haven’t come to darkness, gloom and storm. 19You haven’t come to a blast from God’s trumpet. You haven’t come to a voice speaking to you. When people heard that voice long ago, they begged it not to say anything more to them. 20What God commanded was too much for them. He said, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be killed with stones.” (Exodus 19:12,13) 21The sight was terrifying. Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” (Deuteronomy 9:19)
22But you have come to Mount Zion. You have come to the city of the living God. This is the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to a joyful gathering of angels. There are thousands and thousands of them. 23You have come to the church of God’s people. God’s first and only Son is over all things. God’s people share in what belongs to his Son. Their names are written in heaven. You have come to God, who is the Judge of all people. You have come to the spirits of godly people who have been made perfect. 24You have come to Jesus. He is the go-between of a new covenant. You have come to the sprinkled blood. It promises better things than the blood of Abel.
25Be sure that you don’t say no to the one who speaks. People did not escape when they said no to the one who warned them on earth. And what if we turn away from the one who warns us from heaven? How much less will we escape! 26At that time his voice shook the earth. But now he has promised, “Once more I will shake the earth. I will also shake the heavens.” (Haggai 2:6) 27The words “once more” point out that what can be shaken can be taken away. I’m talking about created things. Then what can’t be shaken will remain.
28We are receiving a kingdom that can’t be shaken. So let us be thankful. Then we can worship God in a way that pleases him. Let us worship him with deep respect and wonder. 29Our “God is like a fire that burns everything up.” (Deuteronomy 4:24)
Yɛn Agya Nyankopɔn
1Yɛn de, yɛwɔ nnansefo bebree a wɔatwa yɛn ho ahyia. Momma yɛntwe yɛn ho mfi akwanside nyinaa ne bɔne a akyekyere yɛn denneennen no nyinaa ho na yɛnyere yɛn ho wɔ mmirikakansi a ɛda yɛn anim no mu. 2Momma yɛmfa yɛn ani nto Yesu a yɛn gyidi mfiase ne nʼawie gyina ne so no so. Asennua no nti wampa abaw. Esiane anigye a na ɛretwɛn no no nti, animguasewu a owui wɔ asennua so no anhaw no. Enti mprempren ɔte Onyankopɔn ahengua no nifa so. 3Dwene ɔhaw a ɔfaa mu no ho sɛ nnipa nnebɔneyɛfo tan a wɔtan no nso, otumi gyinaa ano no. Ɛno nti mommpa abaw. 4Na mo ne bɔne ko mu no, monko nkoduu sɛ mubehwie mogya agu.
Onyankopɔn Asotwe Fata Yɛn
5Mo werɛ afi nkuranhyɛsɛm a Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ mo, sɛnea agya kasa kyerɛ ne mma no? Se,
“Me ba, sɛ Awurade teɛ wo a, tie no yiye,
na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa abaw.
6Efisɛ obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso
sɛnea agya teɛ ɔba a ɔdɔ no no.”
7Amanehunu biara a ɛbɛto mo no, munnhinhim na momfa no sɛ Agya no nteɛso, efisɛ mo amanehunu no kyerɛ nteɛso a Onyankopɔn wɔ ma ne mma. Na dɛn nti na agya ntwe ne mma aso? 8Sɛ wanteɛ mo sɛ ne mma no bi a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ monnyɛ ne mma kann. 9Sɛ yɛn agyanom a wɔwɔ asase so twee yɛn aso ma yebuu wɔn a, mpɛn ahe na ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛbrɛ yɛn ho ase ma honhom mu Agya no na yetumi tena ase? 10Yɛn agyanom a wɔwɔ asase so ha twee yɛn aso sɛnea wɔpɛ wɔ bere tiaa bi. Nanso yɛn yiyedi nti, Onyankopɔn yɛɛ saa sɛnea yɛn ho bɛtew. 11Sɛ wɔtwe yɛn aso a ɛma yɛn werɛ how wɔ saa bere no mu na yɛn ani nnye. Na akyiri no a wɔn a wɔfa saa asotwe no mu no nya wɔn ho ntease no, wonya asomdwoe na wɔtena ase trenee mu.
12Monhyehyɛ nsa ne nkotodwe a emu agugow no mu den. 13Munsiesie akwan na momfa so, na mpakye anyɛ mmubuafo, na mmom, wɔasa wɔn yare.
14Mo ne nnipa nyinaa ntena ase asomdwoe mu, na mommɔ mmɔden ntena ase trenee mu. Anyɛ saa a, morenhu Awurade. 15Monhwɛ yiye na mo mu bi annan nʼakyi ankyerɛ Onyankopɔn adom no. Monhwɛ yiye na mo mu bi anyɛ sɛ afifide a ɛyɛ nwen a enyin ma ne bɔnwoma no haw afoforo. 16Monhwɛ yiye na mo mu bi anyɛ oguamanfo ne obi a ɔmfɛre Onyankopɔn sɛ Esau a obuu nʼani guu nʼagyapade so tɔn nʼabakan a ɔyɛ de gyee aduan no. 17Na afei eduu bere bi a ɔpɛɛ sɛ ne nsa ka nʼagya hɔ nhyira no, ɔde kamee no. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ɔde nusu peree sɛ wanya adwensakra de, nanso anyɛ yiye.
Onyankopɔn Anuonyam
18Munhyiaa nneɛma a ɛyɛ hu, ogyatannaa, awerɛhow, sum ne ahum sɛnea Israelfo no hyiaa wɔ Sinai Bepɔw no so bere a Onyankopɔn de ne mmara no mae no. 19Efisɛ na wɔrebɔ torobɛnto denneennen a nne bi a ɛreka kasa a ɛyɛ hu nenam mu, nti nnipa no srɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ onnyae kasa, 20efisɛ na wontumi nni mmara a na ɛka se, “Sɛ mpo aboa koraa de ne ho ka bepɔw no a, ɛsɛ sɛ wosiw no abo kum no” no so. 21Na beae hɔ yɛ hu ara kosii sɛ Mose kae se. “Misuro, na me ho popo.”
22Na mo de, moaba Sion Bepɔw so ne Onyankopɔn a ɔte ase no kurow, ɔsorosoro Yerusalem a ɔsoro abɔfo mpempem wɔ mu no mu. 23Moaba Onyankopɔn asafomma dedaw a wɔn ani gye wɔn ho a wɔakyerɛw wɔn din wɔ ɔsoro no mu. Moaba Onyankopɔn a ɔyɛ nnipa nyinaa temmufo ne atreneefo a wɔayɛ wɔn pɛ no mu. 24Moaba Yesu a ɔhyehyɛɛ apam foforo ne mogya a wɔapete a ɛka nneɛma pa ho asɛm sen Habel mogya no ho.
25Monhwɛ mo ho so yiye na moammu mo ani angu asɛm a ɔka so. Wɔn a wɔantie nea ɔkasa fii asase so no amfa wɔn ho anni. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na yɛatumi aguan afi nea ɔkasa fi ɔsoro no ho na yɛafa yɛn ho adi? 26Ne nne wosow asase saa bere no, nanso mprempren wahyɛ bɔ se, “Ɛnyɛ asase nko na mɛsan awosow no, na mɛwosow ɔsoro nso bio saa ara.” 27Nsɛm “Nso bio saa ara” no da no adi pefee sɛ ɔbɛwosow nneɛma a wɔbɔɔ no na atutu afi wɔn anan mu na nneɛma a wontumi nwosow no aka.
28Momma yɛnna so ase, efisɛ yɛanya ahenni a wɔwosow no a ɛnyɛ yiye. Momma yɛn ani nsɔ na yɛmfa ɔkwan a ɛbɛsɔ Onyankopɔn ani a ɛyɛ nidi ne osuro so nsom no, 29efisɛ nokware ni, yɛn Nyankopɔn yɛ ogya a ɛhyew na ɛsɛe ade.
