Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, surrounded as we are by such a vast cloud of witnesses, let us fling aside every encumbrance and the sin that so readily entangles our feet. And let us run with patient endurance the race that lies before us,
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.
2 simply fixing our gaze upon Jesus, our Prince Leader in the faith, who will also award us the prize. He, for the sake of the joy which lay before Him, patiently endured the cross, looking with contempt upon its shame, and afterwards seated Himself-- where He still sits--at the right hand of the throne of God.
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.
3 Therefore, if you would escape becoming weary and faint-hearted, compare your own sufferings with those of Him who endured such hostility directed against Him by sinners.
Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted so as to endanger your lives;
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
5 and you have quite forgotten the encouraging words which are addressed to you as sons, and which say, "My son, do not think lightly of the Lord's discipline, and do not faint when He corrects you;
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.
6 for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines: and He scourges every son whom He acknowledges."
For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”
7 The sufferings that you are enduring are for your discipline. God is dealing with you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
8 And if you are left without discipline, of which every true son has had a share, that shows that you are bastards, and not true sons.
If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
9 Besides this, our earthly fathers used to discipline us and we treated them with respect, and shall we not be still more submissive to the Father of our spirits, and live?
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?
10 It is true that they disciplined us for a few years according as they thought fit; but He does it for our certain good, in order that we may become sharers in His own holy character.
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.
11 Now, at the time, discipline seems to be a matter not for joy, but for grief; yet it afterwards yields to those who have passed through its training a result full of peace--namely, righteousness.
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.
12 Therefore strengthen the drooping hands and paralysed knees,
Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put entirely out of joint
Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
14 but may rather be restored. Persistently strive for peace with all men, and for that growth in holiness apart from which no one will see the Lord.
Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
15 Be carefully on your guard lest there be any one who falls back from the grace of God; lest any root bearing bitter fruit spring up and cause trouble among you, and through it the whole brotherhood be defiled;
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.
16 lest there be a fornicator, or an ungodly person like Esau, who, in return for a single meal, parted with the birthright which belonged to him.
See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.
17 For you know that even afterwards, when he wished to secure the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no opportunity for undoing what he had done, though he sought the blessing earnestly with tears.
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.
18 For you have not come to a material object all ablaze with fire, and to gloom and darkness and storm and trumpet-blast and the sound of words--
For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;
19 a sound of such a kind that those who heard it entreated that no more should be added.
to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken.
20 For they could not endure the order which had been given, "Even a wild beast, if it touches the mountain, shall be stoned to death;"
For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”
21 and so terrible was the scene that Moses said, "I tremble with fear."
The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
22 On the contrary you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the ever-living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to countless hosts of angels,
Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels
23 to the great festal gathering and Church of the first-born, whose names are recorded in Heaven, and to a Judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,
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,
24 and to Jesus the negotiator of a new Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks in more gracious tones than that of Abel.
to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 Be careful not to refuse to listen to Him who is speaking to you. For if they of old did not escape unpunished when they refused to listen to him who spoke on earth, much less shall we escape who turn a deaf ear to Him who now speaks from Heaven.
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?
26 His voice then shook the earth, but now we have His promise, "Yet again I will, once for all, cause not only the earth to tremble, but Heaven also."
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.”
27 Here the words "Yet again, once for all" denote the removal of the things which can be shaken--created things--in order that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.
The words “Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that the unshakable may remain.
28 Therefore, receiving, as we now do, a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us cherish thankfulness so that we may ever offer to God an acceptable service, with godly reverence and awe.
Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
29 For our God is also a consuming fire.
“For our God is a consuming fire.”
