¹⁶ It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.^(A)

The Need for Self-Discipline

²⁴ Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?^(A) Run^(B) in such a way as to get the prize.

⁷ You were running a good race.^(A) Who cut in on you^(B) to keep you from obeying the truth?

¹⁶ as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ^(A) that I did not run^(B) or labor in vain.^(C)

⁵ For this reason, when I could stand it no longer,^(A) I sent to find out about your faith.^(B) I was afraid that in some way the tempter^(C) had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.^(D)

⁷ I have fought the good fight,^(A) I have finished the race,^(B) I have kept the faith.

12 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^(A) with perseverance^(B) the race marked out for us,