JMNT(i)
32 And so, what am I yet presently saying? For the time shall fail me, while progressively leading throughout and relating concerning Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and the prophets,
33 who through faith, trust and confident loyalty conquered (violently struggled and fought-down) kingdoms, worked a fair and equitable dealing (justice in covenant participation of the Way pointed out), hit right on target with regard to (thus: experienced and obtained) promises, fenced in (blocked; closed up) mouths of lions;
34 extinguished [the] power (quenched [the] ability) of fire, escaped mouths (= edge) of [the] sword; were empowered (enabled), moving away from a [state of] of weakness (or infirmity); were made to be (were caused to become) strong ones in the midst of war (or: combat; battle); they caused battle lines of foreigners to bend (or: caused encampments of aliens to bow down; wheeled [the] ranks belonging to [the] armies of others);
35 women took with the hand their dead folks from out of a resurrection (or: wives received their dead ones out of the midst of a rising-again). Yet others were beaten to death with rods (or: drummed upon), not receiving (or: accepting; taking) toward (or: with a view to) themselves (= refusing) the releasing away (liberation; setting free) procured by payment of a ransom, so that they may hit the target of (or: attain) a superior (stronger and better) resurrection.
36 But different ones took a trial (or: received a test) of mockings (scoffings), and of scourgings, and further, of bonds and imprisonment (= put in chains and thrown in jail).
37 They were stoned, they were cut in two with a saw, they were put to the proof (tried; tested), they passed away in a slaughter (or: by murder) with sword, they went around (wandered) in sheepskins, in goat skins, continuously being behind (being in want; being in the rear), being constantly pressed (squeezed; afflicted), habitually being held in the bad (being maltreated; having it bad) –
38 of whom the System (the ordered arrangement; the world or culture, secular society, religions and government) was not worthy (was not of equal value) – being continually deceived (led astray; caused to wander) in deserts and mountains and caves and the holes of the earth (or: ground).
39 And yet all these folks, being given testimony (being attested by witnesses) through their faith, trust, confidence and loyal allegiance, did not at any point bring to themselves (or: acquire) God's Promise (the promise of and from God; the Promise, which is God),
40 He Himself foreseeing (looking ahead of time and planning) something superior (stronger and better) concerning us, so that they would not be made perfect (brought to the destined goal; made complete; finished; made mature) apart from us.
12 1 Consequently and for this very reason, then, we also, continuously having such a big cloud of witnesses (spectators; folks bearing testimony; people with evidence) environing us (lying around for us and [they] themselves surrounding and encompassing us), after at once putting off from ourselves all bulk and encumbrance (every weight; all that is prominent; or: getting rid of every arrow point within us) and the easily-environing (skillfully-surrounding; well-placed encircling) failure (sin; error; mistake; shooting off-target; missing of the point), we can and should through persistent remaining-under (or: relentless patient endurance and giving of support) keep on running the racecourse continuously lying before us (or: lying in the forefront within us; or: lying ahead, among us),
2 turning [our] eyes away from other things and fixing them (or: looking away) into Jesus, the Inaugurator (First Leader; Prime Author) and Perfecter (Finisher; the Bringer-to-maturity and fruition; He who purposes and accomplishes the destiny) of the faith, trust, confidence and loyal allegiance, Who, instead of and in place of the joy (or: in the position on the opposite side from the happiness) continuously lying before Him (or: lying in the forefront within Him; lying ahead for Him), remained under a cross – despising shame (or: thinking nothing of [the] disgrace) – and has sat down and now continues seated, remaining in the right [hand] of (or: = in union with the place of receiving at; = at the place of power and honor, which is) God's throne.