Hebrews 12
1 Therefore let’s 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’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us,
Seeing, therefore, that there is on every side of us such a throng of witnesses, let us also lay aside everything that hinders us, and the sin that clings about us, and run with patient endurance the race that lies before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfect example of our faith, who, for the joy that lay before him, endured the cross, heedless of its shame, and now ‘has taken his seat at the right hand’ of the throne of God.
3 For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls.
Weigh well the example of him who had to endure such opposition from ‘people who were sinning against themselves,’ so that you should not grow weary or faint-hearted.
4 You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin.
You have not yet, in your struggle with sin, resisted to the death;
5 You have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him;
and you have forgotten the encouraging words which are addressed to you as God’s children – ‘My child, think not lightly of the Lord’s discipline, do not despond when he rebukes you;
6 for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
For it is him whom he loves that he disciplines, and he chastises every child whom he acknowledges.’
7 It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline?
It is for your discipline that you have to endure all this. God is dealing with you as his children. For where is there a child whom his father does not discipline?
8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then you are illegitimate, and not children.
If you are left without that discipline, in which all children share, it shows that you are bastards, and not true children.
9 Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
Further, when our earthly fathers disciplined us, we respected them. Should we not, then, much rather yield submission to the Father of souls, 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.
Our fathers disciplined us for only a short time and as seemed best to them; but God disciplines us for our true good, to enable us to share his holiness.
11 All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
No discipline is pleasant at the time; on the contrary, it is painful. But afterward its fruit is seen in the peacefulness of a righteous life which is the lot of those who have been trained under it.
12 Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,
Therefore ‘lift again the down-dropped hands and straighten the weakened knees;
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
make straight paths for your feet,’ so that the lame limb may not be put out of joint, but rather be cured.
14 Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,
Try earnestly to live at peace with everyone, and to attain to that purity without which no one will see the Lord.
15 looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and many be defiled by it,
Take care that no one fails to use the loving help of God, ‘that no bitterness is allowed to take root and spring up, and cause trouble,’ and so poison the whole community.
16 lest there be any sexually immoral person or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.
Take care that no one becomes immoral, or irreligious like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.
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 even afterward, when he wished to claim his father’s blessing, he was rejected – for he never found an opportunity to repair his error – though he begged for the blessing with tears.
18 For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm,
It is not to tangible ‘flaming fire’ that you have drawn near, nor to ‘gloom, and darkness, and 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,
and the blast of a trumpet, and an audible voice.’ Those who heard that voice entreated that they might hear no more,
20 for they could not stand that which was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned”.
for they could not bear to think of the command – ‘If even an animal touches the mountain, it is to be stoned to death;’
21 So fearful was the appearance that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
and so fearful was the sight that Moses said – ‘I tremble with fear.’
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,
No, but it is to Mount Zion that you have drawn near, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to countless hosts of angels,
23 to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
to the festal gathering and assemblage of God’s firstborn whose names are enrolled in heaven, to God the judge of all people, to the spirits of the righteous who have attained perfection,
24 to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.
to Jesus, the intermediary of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that tells of better things than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t 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 how you refuse to hear him who is speaking. For, if the Israelites did not escape punishment, when they refused to listen to him who taught them on earth the divine will, far worse will it be for us, if we turn away from him who is teaching 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 shook the earth, but now his declaration is – ‘Still once more I will cause not only the earth to tremble, but also the heavens.’
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 those words ‘still once more’ indicate the passing away of all that is shaken – that is, of all created things – in order that only what is unshaken may remain.
28 Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,
Therefore, let us, who have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken, be thankful, and so offer acceptable worship to God, with awe and the deepest respect.
29 for our God is a consuming fire.
For our God is ‘a consuming fire.’
