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,
Therefore let us also, who have all these witnesses surrounding us like clouds, cast from us all encumbrances, and sin, which is always prepared for us; and let us run with patience the race that is appointed for 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.
And let us look on Jesus, who hath become the commencement and the completion of our faith; who, on account of the joy there was for him, endured the cross, and surrendered himself to opprobrium; and is seated on 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.
Behold, therefore, how much he suffered from sinners, from them who are adversaries of their own soul, that ye may not be discouraged, nor your soul become remiss.
4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your struggle against sin;
Ye have not yet come unto blood, in the contest 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 ye have forgotten the monition, which saith to you, as to children, My son, disregard not the chastening of the Lord; nor let thy soul faint, when thou art rebuked by him.
6 For whom the Lord loves he disciplines, and punishes every son he accepts."
For, whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth; and he scourgeth those sons, for whom he hath kind regards.
7 If you are enduring discipline, God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
Therefore endure ye the chastisement; because God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there, whom his father chasteneth not?
8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then you are illegitimate, and not sons.
But if ye are without that chastisement, with which every one is chastened, ye are become strangers and 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?
And if our fathers of the flesh chastened us, and we revered them, how much more ought we to be submissive to our spiritual fathers, and 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.
For they chastened us for a short time, according to their pleasure; but God, for our advantage, that we may become partakers of his holiness.
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 all chastisement, in the time of it, is not accounted a matter of joy, but of grief: yet, afterwards, it yieldeth the fruits of peace and righteousness to them who are exercised by it.
12 Therefore, lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,
Wherefore, strengthen ye your relaxed hands, and your tottering knees:
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
and make straight paths for your feet, that the limb which is lame may not be wrenched, but may be healed.
14 Pursue peace with everyone, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord,
Follow after peace with every man; and after holiness, without which a man will not see our Lord.
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;
And be careful, lest any be found among you destitute of the grace of God; or lest some root of bitterness shoot forth germs, and trouble you; and thereby many be defiled:
16 that there be no sexually immoral or profane person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for one meal.
or lest any one be found among you a fornicator; or a heedless one like Esau, who for one mess of food, sold his primogeniture.
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 ye know that, afterwards when he wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found not a place for repentance, although he 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,
For ye have not come to the fire that burned, and the tangible mount; nor to the darkness and obscurity and tempest;
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,
nor to the sound of the trumpet, and the voice of words, which they who heard, entreated that it might no more 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 endure what was commanded. And even a beast, if it approached the mountain, was to be stoned.
21 and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, "I am terrified and trembling."
And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I fear and 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 ye have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the Jerusalem that is in heaven; and to the assemblies of myriads 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, who are enrolled in heaven and to God the judge of all; and to the spirits of the just, who are perfected;
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 covenant; and to the sprinkling, of his blood, which speaketh better than that 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,
Beware, therefore, lest ye refuse to hear him who speaketh with you. For if they escaped not, who refused to hear him who spake with them on the earth, how much more shall we not, if we refuse to hear him who speaketh with 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."
Whose voice then shook the earth; but now he hath promised, and said, yet again once more, I will shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
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 this his expression, Once more, indicateth the mutation of the things that are shaken, because they are fabricated; that the things which will not be shaken, 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,
Since, therefore, we have received a kingdom that is unshaken, let us grasp the grace whereby we may serve and please God, with reverence and fear.
29 for our God is a consuming fire.
For our God is a consuming fire.
