⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.^(A) For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline^(B)—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits^(C) and live!^{(D) 10} They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.^{(E) 11} No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace^(F) for those who have been trained by it.

¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.^{(G) 13} “Make level paths for your feet,”^[a](H) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.^(I)

Warning and Encouragement

¹⁴ Make every effort to live in peace with everyone^(J) and to be holy;^(K) without holiness no one will see the Lord.^{(L) 15} See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God^(M) and that no bitter root^(N) grows up to cause trouble and defile many. ¹⁶ See that no one is sexually immoral,^(O) or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.^{(P) 17} Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears,^(Q) he could not change what he had done.

The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy

¹⁸ You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;^{(R) 19} to a trumpet blast^(S) or to such a voice speaking words^(T) that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,^{(U) 20} because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”^{[b](V) 21} The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”^[c](W)

²² But you have come to Mount Zion,^(X) to the city^(Y) of the living God,^(Z) the heavenly Jerusalem.^(AA) You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, ²³ to the church of the firstborn,^(AB) whose names are written in heaven.^(AC) You have come to God, the Judge of all,^(AD) to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,^{(AE) 24} to Jesus the mediator^(AF) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood^(AG) that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.^(AH)