Hebrews 12:1-3

12Therefore, 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,2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

3Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

32And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets33who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,34quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.35Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.36Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.37They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated38of whom the world was not worthywandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,40since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

23By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.24By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,25choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.26He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.27By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.28By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

29By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.30By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.31By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies

17By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,18of whom it was said, Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.19He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.20By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.21By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.22By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

8By faithAbraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a placethat he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.9By faith he went to live inthe land of promise, as in a foreign land,living in tentswith Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.10For he was looking forward tothe city that hasfoundations,whose designer and builder is God.11By faithSarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she consideredhim faithful who had promised.12Therefore from one man, andhim as good as dead, were born descendantsas many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

13These all died in faith,not having received the things promised, buthaving seen them and greeted them from afar, andhaving acknowledged that they werestrangers and exiles on the earth.14For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.15If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out,they would have had opportunity to return.16But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamedto be called their God, forhe has prepared for them a city.

4By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.5By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God.6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.7By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

1Remember also your Creator inthe days of your youth, beforethe evil days come and the years draw near of whichyou will say, I have no pleasure in them;2beforethe sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain,3in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, andthose who look through the windows are dimmed,4andthe doors on the street are shutwhenthe sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and allthe daughters of song are brought low5they are afraid also of what is high, andterrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along,and desire fails, because man is going to hiseternalhome, and themourners go about the streets6before the silver cord is snapped, orthe golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher isshattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern,7andthe dust returns to the earth as it was, andthe spirit returns to Godwho gave it.8Vanityof vanities, saysthe Preacher; all is vanity.

9Besides being wise,the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arrangingmany proverbs with great care.10The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth.

11The words of the wise are like goads, and likenails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they aregiven byone Shepherd.12My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of makingmany books there is no end, andmuch study is a weariness of the flesh.

13The end of the matter; all has been heard.Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.14ForGod will bring every deed into judgment, withevery secret thing, whether good or evil.

15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.16For byhim all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authoritiesall things were created through him and for him.17And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.18And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

18Now the birth of Jesus Christ[a]took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed[b]to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.19And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.20But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.21She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,and they shall call his name Immanuel

(which means, God with us).24When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife,25but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.10And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

14Glory to God in the highest,and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!