Hebrews 12:3-13:25

English Standard Version

Do Not Grow Weary

^3 (A)Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or ^(B)fainthearted. ⁴ In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

⁷ It is for discipline that you have to endure. ^(F)God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ If you are left without discipline, ^(G)in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to ^(H)the Father of spirits ^(I)and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, ^(J)that we may share his holiness. ^11 (K)For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields ^(L)the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

¹² Therefore ^(M)lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, ¹³ and ^(N)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint ^(O)but rather be healed. ^14 (P)Strive for peace with everyone, and for the ^(Q)holiness ^(R)without which no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one ^(S)fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ^(T)“root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; ¹⁶ that no one is ^(U)sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. ¹⁷ For you know that ^(V)afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

¹⁸ For you have not come to ^(W)what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest ¹⁹ and ^(X)the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words ^(Y)made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not endure the order that was given, ^(Z)“If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” ²¹ Indeed, ^(AA)so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” ²² But you have come to ^(AB)Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, ^(AC)the heavenly Jerusalem, and to ^(AD)innumerable angels in festal gathering, ²³ and to ^(AE)the assembly^[a] of the firstborn who are ^(AF)enrolled in heaven, and to ^(AG)God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, ^(AH)the mediator of a new covenant, and to ^(AI)the sprinkled blood ^(AJ)that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

²⁵ See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For ^(AK)if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. ²⁶ At that time ^(AL)his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ^(AM)“Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” ²⁷ This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates ^(AN)the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore let us be grateful for receiving ^(AO)a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus ^(AP)let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our ^(AQ)God is a consuming fire.

Sacrifices Pleasing to God

13 Let ^(AR)brotherly love continue. ^2 (AS)Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby ^(AT)some have entertained angels unawares. ^3 (AU)Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. ^4 (AV)Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge ^(AW)the sexually immoral and adulterous. ⁵ Keep your life ^(AX)free from love of money, and ^(AY)be content with what you have, for he has said, ^(AZ)“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁶ So we can confidently say,

⁷ Remember ^(BC)your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and ^(BD)imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is ^(BE)the same yesterday and today and forever. ⁹ Do not be ^(BF)led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, ^(BG)not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. ¹⁰ We have an altar ^(BH)from which those who serve the tent^[b] have no right to eat. ¹¹ For ^(BI)the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned ^(BJ)outside the camp. ¹² So Jesus also ^(BK)suffered ^(BL)outside the gate in order to sanctify the people ^(BM)through his own blood. ¹³ Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear ^(BN)the reproach he endured. ¹⁴ For ^(BO)here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. ^15 (BP)Through him then let us continually offer up ^(BQ)a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, ^(BR)the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. ¹⁶ Do not neglect to do good and ^(BS)to share what you have, for such ^(BT)sacrifices are pleasing to God.

¹⁷ Obey ^(BU)your leaders and submit to them, ^(BV)for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to ^(BW)give an account. ^(BX)Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

^18 (BY)Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. ¹⁹ I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order ^(BZ)that I may be restored to you the sooner.

Benediction

²⁰ Now ^(CA)may the God of peace ^(CB)who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, ^(CC)the great shepherd of the sheep, by ^(CD)the blood of the eternal covenant, ^21 (CE)equip you with everything good that you may do his will, ^(CF)working in us^[c] that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, ^(CG)to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Final Greetings

²² I appeal to you, brothers,^[d] bear with my word of exhortation, for ^(CH)I have written to you briefly. ²³ You should know that ^(CI)our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. ²⁴ Greet all ^(CJ)your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. ^25 (CK)Grace be with all of you.