Hebrews 12
12
Faith Directs Our Lives
1Since we are surrounded by so many examples ⌞of faith⌟, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up. 2We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Now he holds the honored position—the one next to God the Father on the heavenly throne. 3Think about Jesus, who endured opposition from sinners, so that you don’t become tired and give up.
4You struggle against sin, but your struggles haven’t killed you. 5You have forgotten the encouraging words that God speaks to you as his children:
“My child, pay attention when the Lord disciplines you.
Don’t give up when he corrects you.
6The Lord disciplines everyone he loves.
He severely disciplines everyone he accepts as his child.”
7Endure your discipline. God corrects you as a father corrects his children. All children are disciplined by their fathers. 8If you aren’t disciplined like the other children, you aren’t part of the family. 9On earth we have fathers who disciplined us, and we respect them. Shouldn’t we place ourselves under the authority of God, the father of spirits, so that we will live? 10For a short time our fathers disciplined us as they thought best. Yet, God disciplines us for our own good so that we can become holy like him. 11We don’t enjoy being disciplined. It always seems to cause more pain than joy. But later on, those who learn from that discipline have peace that comes from doing what is right.
12Strengthen your tired arms and weak knees. 13Keep walking along straight paths so that your injured leg won’t get worse. Instead, let it heal.
14Try to live peacefully with everyone, and try to live holy lives, because if you don’t, you will not see the Lord. 15Make sure that everyone has kindness #12:15 Or “grace.” from God so that bitterness doesn’t take root and grow up to cause trouble that corrupts many of you. 16Make sure that no one commits sexual sin or is as concerned about earthly things as Esau was. He sold his rights as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17You know that afterwards, when he wanted to receive the blessing that the firstborn son was to receive, he was rejected. Even though he begged and cried for the blessing, he couldn’t do anything to change what had happened.
18You have not come to something that you can feel, to a blazing fire, to darkness, to gloom, to a storm, 19to a trumpet’s blast, and to a voice. When your ancestors heard that voice, they begged not to hear it say another word. 20They couldn’t obey the command that was given, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.” 21The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said he was trembling and afraid.
22Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to tens of thousands of angels joyfully gathered together 23and to the assembly of God’s firstborn children (whose names are written in heaven). You have come to a judge (the God of all people) and to the spirits of people who have God’s approval and have gained eternal life. 24You have come to Jesus, who brings the new promise #12:24 Or “covenant.” from God, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than Abel’s.
25Be careful that you do not refuse to listen when God speaks. Your ancestors didn’t escape when they refused to listen to God, who warned them on earth. We certainly won’t escape if we turn away from God, who warns us from heaven. 26When God spoke to your ancestors, his voice shook the earth. But now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the sky.”
27The words once more show clearly that God will change what he has made. These are the things that can be shaken. Then only the things that cannot be shaken will remain. 28Therefore, we must be thankful that we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Because we are thankful, we must serve God with fear and awe in a way that pleases him. 29After all, our God is a destructive fire.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Hebrews 12
12
1Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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 perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against himself, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls. 4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin: 5and ye have forgotten the exhortation which reasoneth with you as with sons,
My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord,
Nor faint when thou art reproved of him;
6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,
And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7It is for chastening that ye endure; God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father chasteneth not? 8But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. 11All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness. 12Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees; 13and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.
14Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man shall see the Lord: 15looking carefully lest there be any man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled; 16lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. 17For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind in his father, though he sought it diligently with tears.
18For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them; 20for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned; 21and so fearful was the appearance, 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 innumerable hosts of angels, 23to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel. 25See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape who turn away from him that warneth from heaven: 26whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven. 27And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain. 28Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe: 29for our God is a consuming fire.
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