Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,
Wherefore, seeing we also are encompassed with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us 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 fixing our eyes upon Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners against himself, so that you will not grow weary or lose heart.
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
Ye have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin.
5 And you have completely forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not think lightly of the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you.
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh to you as to children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked by him:
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he punishes every son he receives.”
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 For the sake of discipline you must endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons: for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 If you do not experience discipline, which is something everyone receives, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
But if ye are without chastisement, of which all are 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 submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?
Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For our fathers disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in his holiness.
For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those trained by it.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them who are exercised by it.
12 Therefore, lift up your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees.
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 Make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but healed instead.
And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord.
Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Make sure no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, which would result in many becoming defiled.
Looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up, trouble [you], and by it many be defiled;
16 And make sure there is no fornicator or profane person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for a single meal.
Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birth-right.
17 You know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, even though he sought the blessing with tears.
For ye know that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched, to a blazing fire, darkness, gloom, and a whirlwind.
For ye are not come to the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor to blackness, and to darkness, and tempest,
19 You have not come to a trumpet blast and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further word be spoken to them.
And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard, entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
20 For they could not bear the order that was given: “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.”
(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
21 Indeed, the sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and tremble: )
22 But 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 to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 to the festive gathering and assembly of the firstborn, whose names are enrolled in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous people who have been made perfect.
To the general assembly and church of the first-born, who are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And you have come 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 the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.
25 Be careful not to refuse him who is speaking. For if the people did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?
See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven:
26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “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, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27 Now the phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. It is by our thankfulness that we offer God acceptable worship, with reverence and godly fear.
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.
29 For our God is a consuming fire.
For our God [is] a consuming fire.
