Run your best in the race of faith, and win eternal life for yourself; for it was to this life that God called you when you firmly professed your faith before many witnesses.

"My food," Jesus said to them, "is to obey the will of the one who sent me and to finish the work he gave me to do.

And as John was about to finish his mission, he said to the people, 'Who do you think I am? I am not the one you are waiting for. But listen! He is coming after me, and I am not good enough to take his sandals off his feet.'

But I reckon my own life to be worth nothing to me; I only want to complete my mission and finish the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to do, which is to declare the Good News about the grace of God.

Surely you know that many runners take part in a race, but only one of them wins the prize. Run, then, in such a way as to win the prize.

That is why I run straight for the finish line; that is why I am like a boxer who does not waste his punches.

Of course, my friends, I really do not think that I have already won it; the one thing I do, however, is to forget what is behind me and do my best to reach what is ahead.

So I run straight toward the goal in order to win the prize, which is God's call through Christ Jesus to the life above.

As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us.

Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God's throne.

Through the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives in us, keep the good things that have been entrusted to you.

Truth, wisdom, learning, and good sense---these are worth paying for, but too valuable for you to sell.

The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit.

But Jesus answered, "Rather, how happy are those who hear the word of God and obey it!"

"I have made you known to those you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me. They have obeyed your word,

Timothy, keep safe what has been entrusted to your care. Avoid the profane talk and foolish arguments of what some people wrongly call "Knowledge."

I know what you do; I know that you have a little power; you have followed my teaching and have been faithful to me. I have opened a door in front of you, which no one can close.

Because you have kept my command to endure, I will also keep you safe from the time of trouble which is coming upon the world to test all the people on earth.