Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.
Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
For consider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against themselves, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls.
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin:
5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.
and ye have forgotten the exhortation, which reasoneth with you as with sons, My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art reproved of him;
6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
It is for chastening that ye endure; God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is there whom [his] father chasteneth not?
8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?
Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
For they verily for a few days chastened [us] as seemed good to them; but he for [our] profit, that [we] may be partakers of his holiness.
11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.
All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous, but grievous: yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, [even the fruit] of righteousness.
12 Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.
Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees;
13 Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.
14 Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.
looking carefully lest [there be] any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby the many be defiled;
16 See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.
lest [there be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright.
17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.
For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected (for he found no place of repentance), though he sought it diligently with tears.
18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;
For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken.
and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them:
20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”
for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;
21 The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
and so fearful was the appearance, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:
22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels
but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels,
23 in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than [that of] Abel.
25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?
See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not, when they refused him that warned [them] on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], who turn away from him that [warneth] from heaven:
26 At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”
whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven.
27 The words “Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that the unshakable may remain.
And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe:
29 “For our God is a consuming fire.”
for our God is a consuming fire.
