Προς Εβραιους 12
1 τοιγαρουν και ημεις τοσουτον εχοντες περικειμενον ημιν νεφος μαρτυρων ογκον αποθεμενοι παντα και την ευπεριστατον αμαρτιαν δι υπομονης τρεχωμεν τον προκειμενον ημιν αγωνα
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,
2 αφορωντες εις τον της πιστεως αρχηγον και τελειωτην ιησουν ος αντι της προκειμενης αυτω χαρας υπεμεινεν σταυρον αισχυνης καταφρονησας εν δεξια τε του θρονου του θεου εκαθισεν
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.
3 αναλογισασθε γαρ τον τοιαυτην υπομεμενηκοτα υπο των αμαρτωλων εις αυτον αντιλογιαν ινα μη καμητε ταις ψυχαις υμων εκλυομενοι
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.
4 ουπω μεχρις αιματος αντικατεστητε προς την αμαρτιαν ανταγωνιζομενοι
In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted so as to endanger your lives;
5 και εκλελησθε της παρακλησεως ητις υμιν ως υιοις διαλεγεται υιε μου μη ολιγωρει παιδειας κυριου μηδε εκλυου υπ αυτου ελεγχομενος
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;
6 ον γαρ αγαπα κυριος παιδευει μαστιγοι δε παντα υιον ον παραδεχεται
for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines: and He scourges every son whom He acknowledges."
7 ει παιδειαν υπομενετε ως υιοις υμιν προσφερεται ο θεος τις γαρ εστιν υιος ον ου παιδευει πατηρ
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?
8 ει δε χωρις εστε παιδειας ης μετοχοι γεγονασιν παντες αρα νοθοι εστε και ουχ υιοι
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.
9 ειτα τους μεν της σαρκος ημων πατερας ειχομεν παιδευτας και ενετρεπομεθα ου πολλω μαλλον υποταγησομεθα τω πατρι των πνευματων και ζησομεν
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?
10 οι μεν γαρ προς ολιγας ημερας κατα το δοκουν αυτοις επαιδευον ο δε επι το συμφερον εις το μεταλαβειν της αγιοτητος αυτου
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.
11 πασα δε παιδεια προς μεν το παρον ου δοκει χαρας ειναι αλλα λυπης υστερον δε καρπον ειρηνικον τοις δι αυτης γεγυμνασμενοις αποδιδωσιν δικαιοσυνης
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.
12 διο τας παρειμενας χειρας και τα παραλελυμενα γονατα ανορθωσατε
Therefore strengthen the drooping hands and paralysed knees,
13 και τροχιας ορθας ποιησατε τοις ποσιν υμων ινα μη το χωλον εκτραπη ιαθη δε μαλλον
and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put entirely out of joint
14 ειρηνην διωκετε μετα παντων και τον αγιασμον ου χωρις ουδεις οψεται τον κυριον
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.
15 επισκοπουντες μη τις υστερων απο της χαριτος του θεου μη τις ριζα πικριας ανω φυουσα ενοχλη και δια ταυτης μιανθωσιν πολλοι
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;
16 μη τις πορνος η βεβηλος ως ησαυ ος αντι βρωσεως μιας απεδοτο τα πρωτοτοκια αυτου
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.
17 ιστε γαρ οτι και μετεπειτα θελων κληρονομησαι την ευλογιαν απεδοκιμασθη μετανοιας γαρ τοπον ουχ ευρεν καιπερ μετα δακρυων εκζητησας αυτην
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.
18 ου γαρ προσεληλυθατε ψηλαφωμενω ορει και κεκαυμενω πυρι και γνοφω και σκοτω και θυελλη
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--
19 και σαλπιγγος ηχω και φωνη ρηματων ης οι ακουσαντες παρητησαντο μη προστεθηναι αυτοις λογον
a sound of such a kind that those who heard it entreated that no more should be added.
20 ουκ εφερον γαρ το διαστελλομενον καν θηριον θιγη του ορους λιθοβοληθησεται η βολιδι κατατοξευθησεται
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;"
21 και ουτως φοβερον ην το φανταζομενον μωσης ειπεν εκφοβος ειμι και εντρομος
and so terrible was the scene that Moses said, "I tremble with fear."
22 αλλα προσεληλυθατε σιων ορει και πολει θεου ζωντος ιερουσαλημ επουρανιω και μυριασιν αγγελων
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,
23 πανηγυρει και εκκλησια πρωτοτοκων εν ουρανοις απογεγραμμενων και κριτη θεω παντων και πνευμασιν δικαιων τετελειωμενων
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,
24 και διαθηκης νεας μεσιτη ιησου και αιματι ραντισμου κρειττονα λαλουντι παρα τον αβελ
and to Jesus the negotiator of a new Covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks in more gracious tones than that of Abel.
25 βλεπετε μη παραιτησησθε τον λαλουντα ει γαρ εκεινοι ουκ εφυγον τον επι της γης παραιτησαμενοι χρηματιζοντα πολλω μαλλον ημεις οι τον απ ουρανων αποστρεφομενοι
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.
26 ου η φωνη την γην εσαλευσεν τοτε νυν δε επηγγελται λεγων ετι απαξ εγω σειω ου μονον την γην αλλα και τον ουρανον
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."
27 το δε ετι απαξ δηλοι των σαλευομενων την μεταθεσιν ως πεποιημενων ινα μεινη τα μη σαλευομενα
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.
28 διο βασιλειαν ασαλευτον παραλαμβανοντες εχωμεν χαριν δι ης λατρευωμεν ευαρεστως τω θεω μετα αιδους και ευλαβειας
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.
29 και γαρ ο θεος ημων πυρ καταναλισκον
For our God is also a consuming fire.
