< Hebrews 12 >
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a large cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and easily entangling sin. Let us patiently run the race that is placed before us.
Having therefore so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every incumbrance, and the sin that easily besets us, and run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Let us pay attention to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of the faith. For the joy that was placed before him, he endured the cross, despised its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
looking unto Jesus the leader 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 So think about him, the one who has endured such opposition from sinners against himself, so that you do not become weary in your hearts and give up.
Wherefore consider Him who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, that ye may not give out, fainting in your minds:
4 You have not yet resisted or struggled against sin to the point of blood;
for ye have not resisted unto blood in striving against sin.
5 and you have forgotten the encouragement that instructs you as sons: “My son, do not think lightly of the Lord's discipline, nor grow weary when you are corrected by him.”
Have ye forgotten the exhortation, which speaketh to you as to sons, saying, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor saint when rebuked by Him?
6 For the Lord disciplines everyone whom he loves, and he punishes every son whom he receives.
for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth."
7 Endure suffering as discipline. God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
If ye endure chastening, God treateth you as sons; for what son is there, whom the father doth not chastise?
8 But if you are without discipline, which all people share in, then you are illegitimate and not his sons.
But if ye be without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!
Now if we had fathers of our flesh, who corrected us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much more be in subjection to 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 can share in his holiness.
For they indeed corrected us for a while, as seemed good to them; but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. But later it produces the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who have been trained by it.
Now no chastening seems for the present to be matter of joy but of grief: and yet afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those that are exercised thereby.
12 So strengthen your hands that hang down and your weak knees.
Lift up therefore the hands that hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.
13 Make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame will not be sprained but rather be healed.
And make strait paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be turned out of the way, but rather be healed.
14 Pursue peace with everyone, and also the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Follow peace with all men; and holiness, without which none shall see the Lord:
15 Be careful so that no one lacks God's grace, and that no root of bitterness grows up to cause trouble, so that many do not become polluted by it.
looking to it, least there be any one falling short of the grace of God, least any root of bitterness springing up should be troublesome, and by it many be defiled:
16 Be careful that there be no sexually immoral or ungodly person such as Esau, who for one meal sold his own birthright.
least there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one repast gave away his birthright.
17 For you know that afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, because he found no opportunity for repentance, even though he sought it with tears.
For ye know that, when he would afterwards have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no room for repentance, though he sought it earnestly even with tears.
18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched, a mountain of burning fire, darkness, gloom, and storm.
Ye are not come to a tangible mountain, and burning fire, and a thick cloud, and darkness, and tempest,
19 You have not come to a trumpet blast, nor to a voice that speaks words whose hearers begged that not another word be spoken to them.
and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which they that heard, intreated that the word might not any more be thus delivered to them:
20 For they could not endure what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”
(for they could not bear the strict command, if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or shot through with a dart;
21 So fearful was this sight that Moses said, “I am terrified and am trembling.”
and so terrible was the appearance that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and tremble: )
22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to tens of thousands of angels in celebration.
but ye are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
23 You have come to the congregation of the firstborn, who have been registered in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous ones 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 the just made perfect,
24 You have come to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks better than Abel's blood.
and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we turn away from the one who is warning from heaven.
See that ye reject not Him that speaketh; for if they escaped not, who rejected him that gave forth divine oracles on earth, much less shall we, if we turn away from Him that speaketh from heaven:
26 At one time, his voice shook the earth. But now he has promised and said, “One more time 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 only the earth, but also the heaven."
27 These words, “One more time,” mean the removal of those things that can be shaken, that is, of the things that have been created, so that the things that cannot be shaken will remain.
Now this expression "yet once more" signifieth the removing of the things that are shaken, as of things which had been appointed only for a season, that those which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be grateful and in this manner worship God with reverence and awe.
Wherefore since we receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and holy fear:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.
for our God is a consuming fire.