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,
Seeing then that we are encircled with this great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and the sin that clings about us. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
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 pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured a cross, despising shame, and has now taken 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.
Compare yourselves with him who endured such hostility against himself at the hands of sinners, lest you grow weary, fainting in your souls.
4 You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin.
Not yet have you resisted unto blood in your fight against sin;
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 have you forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as sons? My son, do not despise the training of the Lord, Nor faint when he corrects you;
6 for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and chastises every son whom he receives.”
For it is those whom he loves that he disciplines, And he scourges every son whom he acknowledges.
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?
It is for discipline that you are enduring these sufferings. God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there whom his 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.
If you are left without discipline, in which all children share, then are you bastards 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, our earthly fathers used to discipline us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather 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.
For they only disciplined us for a few days, as seemed good to them; but he does it for our profit, that we may share 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 for the present to be joyous, but grievous; but afterward it yields the peaceable fruits of righteousness to those who have been trained under it.
12 Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,
Wherefore lift up your listless hands, strengthen your feeble knees;
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
make straight path for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
14 Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,
Run swiftly after peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall 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,
Look carefully that there be no one who falls back from the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up to trouble you, and by its means many become defiled.
16 lest there be any sexually immoral person or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.
Take care lest there be any fornicator or scorner like Esau among you, who for one meal sold 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.
For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; he found no room for repentance, though he sought it earnestly, 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,
For you are not come to a palpable and enkindled fire,
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,
nor to gloom and darkness and tempest and the blare of a trumpet and an audible voice. Those who heard that voice entreated that no word more should 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”.
For they could not endure that which was enjoined, Even if a wild beast touches the mountain it shall be stoned to death;
21 So fearful was the appearance that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”
and so terrible was the scene that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and tremble.
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,
On the contrary you are come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to innumerable hosts of angels,
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 the festal assemblage and church of the firstborn, registered in heaven, to a Judge who is God of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.
to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to his sprinkled Blood whose message cries louder 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 that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape punishment when they refused to listen to their instructor on earth, much less shall we escape if we turn away from him who is teaching us 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.”
whose voice then shook the earth, but now he has promised, saying, Once again, once for all, I make not only earth, but heaven also to tremble.
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.
That phrase, "Once again," signifies the removal of the things which can be shaken, created things, in order that the things which cannot be shaken 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,
Wherefore since we are receiving a kingdom which is unshakable, let us give thanks, and so offer acceptable worship to God, with holy awe and fear,
29 for our God is a consuming fire.
FOR INDEED OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE.
