Hebrews 12

The Call to Endurance

1Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses#Heb 11:2,4–5,39 surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance#1Co 9:24; Heb 10:36 the race that lies before us, 2keeping our eyes on Jesus,#12:2 Or us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter#12:2 Or the founder and completer, or the source and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him,#12:2 Or who instead of the joy lying before him he endured the cross, despising the shame,#Lk 24:26; Php 2:8–9; Heb 13:13 and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Fatherly Discipline

3For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won’t grow weary and give up.#Mt 10:24; Gl 6:9 4In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:

My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly

or lose heart when you are reproved by him,

6 for the Lord disciplines the one he loves

and punishes every son he receives. # 12:6 Pr 3:11–12 # Jb 5:17; Ps 94:12; Pr 3:11–12; Rv 3:16

7Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8But if you are without discipline — which all receive#12:8 Lit discipline, of which all have become participants — then you are illegitimate children and not sons.#Dt 8:5; 1Pt 5:9 9Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?#Nm 16:22; Is 38:16 10For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but he does it for our benefit, so that we can share his holiness.#Lv 11:44; 2Pt 1:4 11No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit#Is 32:17; Jms 3:17–18 of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.#1Pt 1:6

12Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees,#Jb 4:3–4; Is 35:3 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated#12:13 Or so that the lame will not be turned aside but healed instead.#Pr 4:26; Gl 6:1

Warning against Rejecting God’s Grace

14Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness#Rm 6:22; 14:19 — without it no one will see the Lord.#Mt 5:8; 2Co 7:1 15Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.#2Co 6:1; Gl 5:4; Heb 3:12; 10:39 16And make sure that there isn’t any immoral#12:16 Or sexually immoral or irreverent#1Tm 1:9; 4:7; 6:20; 2Tm 2:16 person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for a single meal.#Gn 25:33 17For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, even though he sought it with tears, because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance.#Gn 27:34–38

18For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm, 19to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of words. Those who heard it begged that not another word be spoken to them, 20for they could not bear what was commanded: If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.#12:20Ex 19:12#Ex 19:12–13,18; 20:18–21; Dt 4:11; 5:5,25 21The appearance was so terrifying that Moses said, I am trembling with fear.#12:21Dt 9:19#Dt 9:19 22Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels, a festive gathering,#Gl 4:26; Heb 11:10 23to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written#12:23 Or registered in heaven, to a Judge, who is God of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect,#Ps 94:2; Lk 10:20; Php 3:12 24and to Jesus, the mediator#1Tm 2:5; Heb 7:22; 8:6; 9:15 of a new covenant,#1Co 11:25; 2Co 3:6; Heb 13:20 and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel.#Gn 4:10; Heb 11:4

25See to it that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they rejected him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven.#Heb 2:2–4; 8:5; 11:7 26His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.#12:26Hg 2:6#Ex 19:18; Hg 2:6 27This expression, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what can be shaken#1Co 7:31; 2Pt 3:10 — that is, created things — so that what is not shaken might remain. 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,#Dn 2:44; Heb 13:15 29for our God is a consuming fire.#Dt 4:24; 2Th 1:8

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Hebrews 12

The Chastening of the Lord

1Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2looking unto Jesus the author 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.

3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. 5#Job 5.17; Prov 3.11,12. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children,

My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,

nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

6for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,

and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Warning against Rejecting God's Grace

12 # Isa 35.3. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13#Prov 4.26. and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15#Deut 29.18. looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16#Gen 25.29-34. lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17#Gen 27.30-40. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

18 # Exod 19.16-22; 20.18-21; Deut 4.11,12; 5.22-27. For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: 20#Exod 19.12,13. (for they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:#12.20 or thrust through with a dart not found in best early manuscripts. 21#Deut 9.19. and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24#Gen 4.10. and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

25 # Exod 20.19. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh: for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26#Hag 2.6. whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29#Deut 4.24. for our God is a consuming fire.

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