⁵ Who is like a newly married man coming from his bride-tent, and is glad like a strong runner starting on his way.

⁵ The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.

⁵ For as a young man takes a virgin for his wife, so will your maker be married to you: and as a husband has joy in his bride, so will the Lord your God be glad over you.

²⁴ Do you not see that in a running competition all take part, but only one gets the reward? So let your minds be fixed on the reward.

²⁵ And every man who takes part in the sports has self-control in all things. Now they do it to get a crown which is of this world, but we for an eternal crown.

²⁶ So then I am running, not uncertainly; so I am fighting, not as one who gives blows in the air:

¹³ Brothers, it is clear to me that I have not come to that knowledge; but one thing I do, letting go those things which are past, and stretching out to the things which are before,

¹⁴ I go forward to the mark, even the reward of the high purpose of God in Christ Jesus.

¹ For this reason, as we are circled by so great a cloud of witnesses, putting off every weight, and the sin into which we come so readily, let us keep on running in the way which is marked out for us,

² Having our eyes fixed on Jesus, the guide and end of our faith, who went through the pains of the cross, not caring for the shame, because of the joy which was before him, and who has now taken his place at the right hand of God's seat of power.

¹⁰ I will be full of joy in the Lord, my soul will be glad in my God; for he has put on me the clothing of salvation, covering me with the robe of righteousness, as the husband puts on a fair head-dress, and the bride makes herself beautiful with jewels.

²⁹ He who has the bride is the husband: but the husband's friend, whose place is by his side and whose ears are open to him, is full of joy because of the husband's voice: such is my joy, and it is complete.