Ebrei 12
1 PERCIÒ, ancor noi, avendo intorno a noi un cotanto nuvolo di testimoni, deposto ogni fascio, e il peccato che è atto a dar[ci] impaccio, corriamo con perseveranza il palio propostoci,
We [know about] many people like that [who showed they trusted in God]. They are like a crowd of spectators [who are cheering for us inside a stadium] [MET]. Knowing that, we must put away all the things that hinder us, [as a runner puts aside everything that would hinder him because they are heavy] [MET]. Especially we must put away sinful actions that [hinder us, as a runner] sets aside clothes he does not need, clothes that would entangle him [MET]. Let us [wholeheartedly strive to achieve what God has planned for us, as someone] in a race wholeheartedly runs the course that is before him [MET].
2 riguardando a Gesù, capo, e compitor della fede; il quale, per la letizia che gli era posta innanzi, sofferse la croce, avendo sprezzato il vituperio; e si è posto a sedere alla destra del trono di Dio.
And let us [keep our minds on] Jesus, [as a runner] keeps his eyes on [the goal] [MET]. Jesus is the one we should imitate in the way he perfectly trusted [God. When he died on] the cross he endured it as he suffered greatly [MTY], instead of [thinking about the things he would] rejoice about [later]. He disregarded being disgraced by [dying that way]. He is now sitting at the place of highest honor [MTY] at the throne [where God rules].
3 Perciocchè, considerate attentamente [chi è] colui che sostenne una tal contradizione de' peccatori contro a sè; acciocchè, venendo meno nell'animo, non siate sopraffatti.
[Jesus] patiently endured it when sinful people acted so hostilely against him. Try to act the way he did, so that you do not give up [trusting] God or become discouraged.
4 Voi non avete ancora contrastato fino al sangue, combattendo contro al peccato.
While you have struggled against [being tempted to] sin, you have not yet bled [and died because of resisting evil, as Jesus did].
5 Ed avete dimenticata l'esortazione, che vi parla come a figliuoli: Figliuol mio, non far poca stima del castigamento del Signore, e non perdere animo, quando tu sei da lui ripreso.
Do not forget [RHQ] these words [that Solomon spoke to his son, that are the same as God] would exhort you as his children: My child, pay attention [LIT] when the Lord is disciplining you, and do not be discouraged when the Lord punishes you [DOU],
6 Perciocchè il Signore castiga chi egli ama, e flagella ogni figliuolo ch'egli gradisce.
because it is everyone whom he loves whom the Lord disciplines, and he punishes everyone whom he accepts as his child.
7 Se voi sostenete il castigamento, Iddio si presenta a voi come a figliuoli; perciocchè, quale è il figliuolo, che il padre non castighi?
It is in order that God may discipline you that he requires you to endure the disagreeable things [that happen to you]. [When God disciplines you] he is treating you as a father treats his children. All fathers [RHQ] discipline their children [LIT].
8 Che se siete senza castigamento, del qual tutti hanno avuta la parte loro, voi siete dunque bastardi, e non figliuoli.
So, if you have not experienced God disciplining you just like he disciplines all his other children, you are [not true children of God] [MET]. [You are like] illegitimate children; [no father disciplines them].
9 Oltre a ciò, ben abbiamo avuti per castigatori i padri della nostra carne, e pur [li] abbiam riveriti; non ci sottoporremo noi molto più al Padre degli spiriti, e viveremo?
Furthermore, our natural fathers disciplined us [when we were young], and we respected them for doing that. So we should certainly more readily accept God our spiritual Father disciplining us, with the result that we live eternally [RHQ]!
10 Poichè quelli, per pochi giorni, come parea loro, [ci] castigavano; ma questo [ci castiga] per util [nostro], acciocchè siamo partecipi della sua santità.
Our natural fathers disciplined us for a short time in a way that they considered right, [but it wasn’t always right], but God always disciplines us [in a right way], to help us. He does it so that we may be holy as he is.
11 Or ogni castigamento par bene per l'ora presente non esser d'allegrezza anzi di tristizia; ma poi rende un pacifico frutto di giustizia a quelli che sono stati per esso esercitati.
During the time that God is disciplining us, that does not seem to be something about which we should rejoice. Instead, it is something that pains us. But later it causes those who have learned from it to be peaceful and to [live] righteously.
12 PERCIÒ, ridirizzate le mani rimesse, e le ginocchia vacillanti.
So, [instead of acting as though you were spiritually exhausted], renew yourselves [MET] spiritually.
13 E fate diritti sentieri a' piedi vostri; acciocchè ciò che è zoppo non si smarrisca dalla via, anzi più tosto sia risanato.
Go straight forward [in your Christian life] [MET], in order that believers who are uncertain about their faith [will imitate you] and not ([leave God’s way/] useless [to God]) [MET]. Instead, they will be spiritually restored [MET] as an injured and useless limb is restored.
14 Procacciate pace con tutti, e la santificazione, senza la quale niuno vedrà il Signore.
Try to live peacefully with all people. Seek to be holy, since no one will see the Lord if he is not holy.
15 Prendendo guardia che niuno scada dalla grazia di Dio; che radice alcuna d'amaritudine, germogliando in su, non [vi] turbi; e che per essa molti non sieno infetti.
Beware that none of you stops [trusting in] God, [who has done kind things for us that we did not deserve] (OR, Beware that you have never [experienced] God kindly [saving you]). Be on guard lest any of you [act in an evil way towards others], because your doing that will [grow like] [MET] a root [grows into a big plant], and the result [of your] doing that will be that many believers will sin and become unacceptable to God.
16 Che niuno [sia] fornicatore, o profano, come Esaù, il quale, per una vivanda, vendette la sua ragione di primogenitura.
Do not let anyone be immoral, or be irreligious as Esau was. He exchanged the rights he had as a firstborn son for only one meal.
17 Poichè voi sapete che anche poi appresso, volendo eredar la benedizione, fu riprovato; perciocchè non trovò luogo a pentimento, benchè richiedesse quella con lagrime.
You know that after he did that, he wanted to receive [what his father would promise to give him if] he blessed him. But [his father] was unable [to change what he had already done]. And Esau found no way to change things, even though he sought tearfully to do that.
18 Imperocchè voi non siete venuti al monte che si toccava con la mano, ed al fuoco acceso, ed al turbo, ed alla caligine, ed alla tempesta;
In coming [to God] you have not [experienced things like what the Israeli people experienced] at [Sinai] Mountain. [They] approached [a mountain that God told them they] should not touch. [They approached] a blazing fire, and it was gloomy and dark [DOU], and there was a hurricane/cyclone.
19 ed al suon della tromba, ed alla voce delle parole, la quale coloro che l'udirono richiesero che non fosse loro più parlato.
They heard a trumpet sounding and they heard [God] speak. The result was that those who heard it pleaded for God not to speak to them like that again.
20 Perciocchè non potevano portare ciò che era ordinato: che se pure una bestia toccasse il monte, fosse lapidata o saettata.
When [God] commanded them saying, “If [a person or] even an animal touches this mountain, [you] must [kill him/it by] throwing stones at him/it,” they were terrified.
21 E (tanto era spaventevole ciò che appariva) Mosè disse: Io son tutto spaventato e tremante.
Truly, because Moses was terrified after seeing what happened [on the mountain], he said, “I am trembling because I am very afraid!”
22 Anzi voi siete venuti al monte di Sion, ed alla Gerusalemme celeste, [che è] la città dell'Iddio vivente; ed alle migliaia degli angeli;
Instead, [it is as though] you have come to [the presence of God in heaven] [MET]. [That is like what your ancestors did when they came to worship] God on Zion Hill, in Jerusalem, in the city of God who is all-powerful. You have come (OR, you are coming) to where there are countless angels, who are rejoicing as they have gathered together.
23 all'universal raunanza, ed alla chiesa de' primogeniti scritti ne'cieli; e a Dio, giudice di tutti; ed agli spiriti de' giusti compiuti.
You have joined all the believers [who have privileges like] firstborn sons, whose names [God] has written down in heaven. You have come to God, who will judge everyone. You have come to where the spirits of God’s people are, people who lived righteously [before they died], and who now have been made perfect [in heaven].
24 Ed a Gesù mediatore del nuovo patto; ed al sangue dello spargimento, che pronunzia cose migliori che [quello di] Abele.
You have come to Jesus, who arranged a new covenant [between us and God]. You have accepted [what he accomplished when] his blood flowed [when he died on the cross. His doing that made it possible for God to forgive us]. That is better than the blood of Abel, [who just] wanted revenge because his brother Cain murdered him.
25 Guardate che non rifiutiate colui che parla; perciocchè, se quelli non iscamparono, avendo rifiutato colui che rendeva gli oracoli sopra la terra; quanto meno [scamperemo] noi, se rifiutiamo colui [che parla] dal cielo?
Beware that you do not refuse to listen to [God] who is speaking to you. The Israeli people did not escape [God punishing them] when [Moses] (OR, [God]) warned them here on earth. So we shall surely not escape [God punishing us] if we reject him when he warns us from heaven! [RHQ]
26 La cui voce allora commosse la terra; ma ora egli ha dinunziato, dicendo: Ancora una volta io commoverò, non sol la terra, ma ancora il cielo.
The earth shook [PRS] then when he spoke [MTY] [at Sinai Mountain]. But now he has promised, “I will shake the earth again, one more time, but I will shake heaven too.”
27 Or quello: Ancora una volta, significa il sovvertimento delle cose commosse, come [essendo state] fatte; acciocchè quelle che non si commovono dimorino ferme.
The words “again, one more time” indicate that things [on earth] will be shaken {that [he] will shake things [on earth]}, meaning that he will set aside all that [he] has created, in order that the things [in heaven] that cannot be shaken {that nothing can shake} may remain forever.
28 Perciocchè, ricevendo il regno che non può esser commosso riteniamo la grazia, per la quale serviamo gratamente a Dio, con riverenza, e timore.
So, let us thank God that we are becoming members of a kingdom that nothing can shake. Let us worship/serve God in a way that pleases him by being greatly in awe [DOU] before him.
29 Perciocchè anche l'Iddio nostro [è] un fuoco consumante.
Remember that the God we [worship/serve] is like a fire that burns up everything [that is impure] [MET]!
