Hebrews 12
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 weight 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, # Or us, looking to Jesus the source and perfecter # Or the founder and completer of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him # Or who instead of the joy lying before Him ; that is, the joy of heaven endured a cross and despised the shame # Lk 24:26; Php 2:8-9; Heb 13:13 and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.
Fatherly Discipline
3For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you won’t grow weary and lose heart. # 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 faint when you are reproved by Him,
6for the Lord disciplines the one He loves
and punishes every son He receives. # Jb 5:17; Ps 94:12; Pr 3:11-12; Rv 3:16 # Pr 3:11-12
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 # = Christians receive # 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 natural 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 fruit of peace # Is 32:17; Jms 3:17-18 and 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 # 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 by it, defiling many. # 2Co 6:1; Gl 5:4; Heb 3:12; 10:39 16And make sure that there isn’t any immoral or irreverent # 1Tm 1:9; 4:7; 6:20; 2Tm 2:16 person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for one meal. # Gn 25:33 17For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance, though he sought it with tears. # 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: And if even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned! # Ex 19:12-13,18; 20:18-21; Dt 4:11; 5:5,25 # Ex 19:12 21The appearance was so terrifying that Moses said, I am terrified and trembling. # Dt 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 in festive gathering, # Gl 4:26; Heb 11:10 23to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written # Or registered in heaven, to God who is the Judge of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, # Ps 94:2; Lk 10:20; Php 3:12 24to Jesus (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
25Make sure 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 heaven. # Ex 19:18; Hg 2:6 # 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 hold on to grace. # Or let us give thanks, or let us have grace 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
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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