12. be not--Greek, "become not." In Heb 5:11, he said, "Ye have become dull (Greek, 'slothful') of hearing"; here he warns them not to become "slothful absolutely," namely, also in mind and deed. He will not become slothful who keeps always the end in view; hope is the means of ensuring this.
      followers--Greek, "imitators"; so in Eph 5:1, Greek; 1Co 11:1.
      patience--Greek, "long-suffering endurance." There is the long-suffering patience, or endurance of love, 1Co 13:4, and that of faith, Heb 6:15.
      them who . . . inherit the promises--Greek, "who are inheriting," &c.; to whom the promises are their inheritance. Not that they have actually entered on the perfect inheritance, which Heb 11:13, 39, 40 explicitly denies; though doubtless the dead in Christ have, in the disembodied soul, a foretaste of it; but "them (enumerated in Heb 11:2-40) who in every age have been, are, or shall be, inheritors of the promises"; of whom Abraham is an illustrious example (Heb 6:13).

JFB.