Hebrews 12
12
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and #See Eph. 4:22 sin which clings so closely, and #See 1 Cor. 9:24 let us run #See ch. 10:36 with endurance the race that is #ch. 6:18set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, #Luke 24:26; Phil. 2:8; [Isa. 53:11] who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising #Ps. 22:6, 7; 69:19; Isa. 53:3 the shame, and #ch. 1:3is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Do Not Grow Weary
3 # [Matt. 10:24; Rev. 2:3] Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or #Gal. 6:9fainthearted. 4In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
# Cited from Prov. 3:11, 12 “My son, #Job 5:17do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6For #Ps. 94:12; 119:67, 75; Rev. 3:19the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7It is for discipline that you have to endure. #Deut. 8:5; 2 Sam. 7:14; [Prov. 13:24; 19:18; 23:13]God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8If you are left without discipline, #[1 Pet. 5:9]in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to #See Num. 16:22 the Father of spirits #[Isa. 38:16]and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, #[2 Pet. 1:4]; See Lev. 11:44that we may share his holiness. 11#[1 Pet. 1:6] For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields #James 3:17, 18the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
12Therefore #Cited from Isa. 35:3; [Job 4:3, 4]lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and #Prov. 4:26, 27 make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint #James 5:16; [Gal. 6:1]but rather be healed. 14#See Rom. 14:19 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the #1 Thess. 4:7 holiness #Matt. 5:8; [2 Cor. 7:1; Eph. 5:5; Rev. 21:27; 22:4]without which no one will see the Lord. 15See to it that no one #ch. 4:1; [2 Cor. 6:1; Gal. 5:4] fails to obtain the grace of God; that no #Deut. 29:18“root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16that no one is #ch. 13:4; Gen. 25:33sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17For you know that #Gen. 27:34, 36, 38afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken
18For you have not come to #Ex. 19:18; 20:18; Deut. 4:11; 5:22; [2 Cor. 3:9]what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19and #Ex. 19:16, 19 the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words #Ex. 20:19; Deut. 5:5; 18:16made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20For they could not endure the order that was given, #Cited from Ex. 19:12, 13“If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21Indeed, #[Ex. 19:16; Deut. 9:19]so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22But you have come to #Rev. 14:1 Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, #See Gal. 4:26 the heavenly Jerusalem, and to #Jude 14innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23and to #[Ex. 4:22] the assembly#12:23 Or church of the firstborn who are #Luke 10:20 enrolled in heaven, and to #Gen. 18:25God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24and to Jesus, #ch. 8:6; 9:15 the mediator of a new covenant, and to #See ch. 10:22 the sprinkled blood #ch. 11:4; Gen. 4:10that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For #See ch. 2:3if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26At that time #Ex. 19:18 his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, #Cited from Hag. 2:6; [Hag. 2:21]“Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates #See Ps. 102:26the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28Therefore let us be grateful for receiving #Dan. 2:44 a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus #ch. 13:15let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29for our #Cited from Deut. 4:24; See 2 Thess. 1:8God is a consuming fire.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Hebrews 12
12
1Let us also therefore, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight, and sin which so easily entangles us, run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2looking stedfastly on Jesus the leader and completer of faith: who, in view of the joy lying before him, endured the cross, having despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider well him who endured so great contradiction from sinners against himself, that ye be not weary, fainting in your minds.
4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, wrestling against sin. 5And ye have quite forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when reproved by him; 6for whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives. 7Ye endure for chastening, God conducts himself towards you as towards sons; for who is the son that the father chastens not? 8But if ye are without chastening, of which all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9Moreover we have had the fathers of our flesh as chasteners, and we reverenced them; shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they indeed chastened for a few days, as seemed good to them; but he for profit, in order to the partaking of his holiness. 11But no chastening at the time seems to be matter of joy, but of grief; but afterwards yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those exercised by it. 12Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the failing knees; 13and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned aside; but that rather it may be healed. 14Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no one shall see the Lord: 15watching lest there be any one who lacks the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it; 16lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one meal sold his birthright; 17for ye know that also afterwards, desiring to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, (for he found no place for repentance) although he sought it earnestly with tears.
18For ye have not come to the mount that might be touched and was all on fire, and to obscurity, and darkness, and tempest, 19and trumpet's sound, and voice of words; which they that heard, excusing themselves, declined the word being addressed to them any more: 20(for they were not able to bear what was enjoined: And if a beast should touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; 21and, so fearful was the sight, Moses said, I am exceedingly afraid and full of trembling;) 22but ye have come to mount Zion; and to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem; and to myriads of angels, 23the universal gathering; and to the assembly of the firstborn who are registered in heaven; and to God, judge of all; and to the spirits of just men made perfect; 24and to Jesus, mediator of a new covenant; and to the blood of sprinkling, speaking better than Abel. 25See that ye refuse not him that speaks. For if those did not escape who had refused him who uttered the oracles on earth, much more we who turn away from him who does so from heaven: 26whose voice then shook the earth; but now he has promised, saying, Yet once will I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven. 27But this Yet once, signifies the removing of what is shaken, as being made, that what is not shaken may remain. 28Wherefore let us, receiving a kingdom not to be shaken, have grace, by which let us serve God acceptably with reverence and fear. 29For also our God is a consuming fire.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.