Hebrews 12
1 Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us,
So then, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we too must run with endurance the race that is set before us, laying aside every impediment and the sin that so easily ensnares,
2 looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
looking unto Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of the Faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured a cross, scorning its ignominy, and took His seat at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls.
Do consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so as not to grow weary, losing courage in your souls.
4 You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin.
In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed.
5 You have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him;
And you have forgotten the exhortation that instructs you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, nor lose heart when you are reproved by Him;
6 for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
because whom the Lord loves He chastens, yes scourges every son whom He accepts.”
7 It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline?
If you are enduring discipline, God is dealing with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not discipline?
8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then you are illegitimate, and not children.
But if you are without discipline (something everyone undergoes), then you are illegitimate and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
Furthermore, we have had our human fathers as correctors and respected them. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they indeed for a few days disciplined us as seemed good to them, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
Now they indeed disciplined us during a short period as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, so that we may partake of His holiness.
11 All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Now no discipline seems to be pleasant at the time, but painful; yet afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised by it.
12 Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,
Therefore strengthen the listless hands and weakened knees,
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
and make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame not be turned aside but rather be healed.
14 Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,
Pursue peace with all, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord;
15 looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and many be defiled by it,
taking care that no one come short of the grace of God, that no root of bitterness springing up cause trouble and thereby many be defiled,
16 lest there be any sexually immoral person or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.
that no one be a fornicator, or worldly like Esau, who in exchange for one meal gave up his birthright.
17 For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears.
Because you do indeed know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing he was rejected; he found no place for a change of mind, though he sought it diligently with tears.
18 For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm,
Now you have not come to a touchable mountain burning with fire, to blackness and darkness, to tempest;
19 the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them,
to a trumpet blast and spoken words such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them
20 for they could not stand that which was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned”.
(because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain it must be stoned!”
21 So fearful was the appearance that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
and the sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling!”);
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,
but you have come to Mount Zion, even to the City of the Living God, Heavenly Jerusalem; to myriads of angels in festal gathering,
23 to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
to an assembly of firstborn ones who have been enrolled in heaven; to God, Judge of all; to the spirits of the perfected righteous;
24 to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.
to Jesus, Mediator of a new covenant, and to a blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
25 See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,
See to it that you not refuse Him who speaks. Because if they did not escape who refused Him who gave divine warning on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from Him who warns from Heaven!
26 whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.”
Then His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth but also the heaven.”
27 This phrase, “Yet once more” signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.
Now the ‘yet once more’ clearly indicates the removal of the things being shaken (created things), so that the unshakables may remain.
28 Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,
Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us hold on to the grace by which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear;
29 for our God is a consuming fire.
because our God is indeed a consuming fire.
