Hebrews 12
1 Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Furthermore, since we also have so great a cloud of witnesses over us, let us set aside every burden and sin which may surround us, and advance, through patience, to the struggle offered to us.
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and completer of the faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Let us gaze upon Jesus, as the Author and the completion of our faith, who, having joy laid out before him, endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and who now sits at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him who has endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you may not become tired and give up.
So then, meditate upon him who endured such adversity from sinners against himself, so that you may not become weary, failing in your souls.
4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your struggle against sin;
For you have not yet resisted unto blood, while striving against sin.
5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with sons, "My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose heart when you are corrected by him.
And you have forgotten the consolation which speaks to you like sons, saying: “My son, do not be willing to neglect the discipline of the Lord. Neither should you become weary, while being rebuked by him.”
6 For whom the Lord loves he disciplines, and punishes every son he accepts."
For whomever the Lord loves, he chastises. And every son whom he accepts, he scourges.
7 If you are enduring discipline, God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
Persevere in discipline. God presents you to himself as sons. But what son is there, whom his father does not correct?
8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then you are illegitimate, and not sons.
But if you are without that discipline in which all have become sharers, then you are of adultery, and you are not sons.
9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we paid them respect. Should we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?
Then, too, we have certainly had the fathers of our flesh as instructors, and we reverenced them. Should we not obey the Father of spirits all the more, and so live?
10 For they indeed, for a few days, disciplined us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
And indeed, for a few days and according to their own wishes, they instructed us. But he does so to our benefit, so that we may receive his sanctification.
11 All discipline seems for the moment painful, not joyful; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby.
Now every discipline, in the present time, does not seem a gladness, of course, but a grief. But afterwards, it will repay a most peaceful fruit of justice to those who become trained in it.
12 Therefore, lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,
Because of this, lift up your lazy hands and your lax knees,
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
and straighten the path of your feet, so that no one, being lame, may wander astray, but instead may be healed.
14 Pursue peace with everyone, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord,
Pursue peace with everyone. Pursue sanctity, without which no one shall see God.
15 looking carefully lest there be anyone who falls short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by it many become defiled;
Be contemplative, lest anyone lack the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring up and impede you, and by it, many might be defiled,
16 that there be no sexually immoral or profane person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for one meal.
lest any fornicator or worldly person be like Esau, who, for the sake of one meal, sold his birthright.
17 For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears.
For you know that afterwards, when he desired to inherit the benediction, he was rejected. For he found no place for repentance, even though he had sought it with tears.
18 For you have not come to something that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and darkness, gloom, and storm,
But you have not drawn near to a tangible mountain, or a burning fire, or a whirlwind, or a mist, or a storm,
19 the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them,
or the sound of a trumpet, or a voice of words. Those who had experienced these things excused themselves, lest the Word be spoken to them.
20 for they could not stand that which was commanded, "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned;"
For they could not bear what was said, and so, if even a beast would have touched the mountain, it would have been stoned.
21 and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, "I am terrified and trembling."
And what was seen was so terrible that even Moses said: “I am terrified, and so, I tremble.”
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,
But you have drawn near to mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of Angels,
23 to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect,
and to the Church of the first-born, those who have been inscribed in the heavens, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect,
24 to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.
and to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Testament, and to a sprinkling of blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse him who speaks. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,
Be careful not to reject the One who is speaking. For if those who rejected him who was speaking upon the earth were not able to escape, so much more we who might turn away from the One who is speaking to us from heaven.
26 whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens."
Then, his voice moved the earth. But now, he makes a promise, saying: “There is still one more time, and then I will move, not only the earth, but also heaven itself.”
27 This phrase, "Yet once more," signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.
And so, in saying, “There is still one more time,” he declares the transfer of the moveable things of creation, so that those things which are immoveable may remain.
28 So since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, through which we may offer service pleasing to God, with reverence and awe,
Thus, in receiving an immoveable kingdom, we have grace. So, through grace, let us be of service, by pleasing God with fear and reverence.
29 for our God is a consuming fire.
For our God is a consuming fire.
