The Valley of Vision

22 The pronouncement concerning the (A)valley of vision:

What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the (B)housetops?
You who were full of noise,
You tumultuous town, you (C)jubilant city;
Your dead were (D)not killed with the sword,
Nor [a]did they die in battle.
(E)All your rulers have fled together,
And have been captured [b]without the bow;
All of you who were found were taken captive together,
[c]Though they had fled far away.
Therefore I say, “Look away from me,
Let me (F)weep bitterly,
Do not [d]try to comfort me concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people.”
(G)For the Lord [e]God of armies has a (H)day of panic, (I)subjugation, and confusion
(J)In the valley of vision,
A breaking down of walls
And a crying [f]to the mountain.
(K)Elam picked up the quiver,
With the chariots, [g]infantry, and horsemen;
And (L)Kir uncovered the shield.
Then your choicest valleys were full of chariots,
And the horsemen took positions at the gate.
And He removed the [h]defense of Judah.
On that day you [i]depended on the weapons of the (M)house of the forest,
And you saw that the breaches
In the wall of the city of David were many;
And you (N)collected the waters of the lower pool.
10 Then you counted the houses of Jerusalem
And tore down houses to fortify the wall.
11 And you made a reservoir (O)between the two walls
For the waters of the (P)old pool.
But you did not [j]depend on Him who made it,
Nor did you [k]take into consideration Him who planned it long ago.

12 Therefore on that day the Lord [l]God of armies called you to (Q)weeping, to wailing,
To (R)shaving the head, and to wearing sackcloth.
13 Instead, there is (S)joy and jubilation,
Killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep,
Eating of meat and drinking of wine:
(T)Let’s eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die.”
14 But the Lord of armies revealed Himself [m]to me:
“Certainly this (U)wrongdoing (V)will not be [n]forgiven you
(W)Until you die,” says the Lord [o]God of armies.

15 This is what the Lord [p]God of armies says:

“Come, go to this steward,
To (X)Shebna who is in charge of the royal household,
16 ‘What right do you have here,
And whom do you have here,
That you have (Y)cut out a tomb for yourself here,
You who cut out a tomb on the height,
You who carve a resting place for [q]yourself in the rock?
17 Behold, the Lord is about to hurl you violently, you strong man.
And He is about to grasp you firmly
18 And wrap you up tightly like a ball,
To be (Z)driven into a vast country;
There you will die,
And there your splendid chariots will be,
You shame of your master’s house!’
19 I will (AA)depose you from your office,
And [r]I will pull you down from your position.
20 Then it will come about on that day,
That I will summon My servant (AB)Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
21 And I will clothe him with your tunic
And tie your sash securely around him.
I will hand your [s]authority over to him,
And he will become a (AC)father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
22 Then I will put (AD)the key of the (AE)house of David on his shoulder;
When he opens, no one will shut,
When he shuts, no one will (AF)open.
23 I will drive him like a (AG)peg in a firm place,
And he will become a (AH)throne of glory to his father’s house.

24 So they will hang on him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the [t]descendants, all the least of vessels, from bowls to all the jars. 25 On that day,” declares the Lord of armies, “the (AI)peg driven into a firm place will give way; it will even (AJ)break off and fall, and the load that is hanging on it will be cut off, for the (AK)Lord has spoken.”

The Fall of Tyre

23 The pronouncement concerning (AL)Tyre:

Wail, you (AM)ships of (AN)Tarshish,
For Tyre is destroyed, without house or [u](AO)harbor;
It is reported to them from the land of [v](AP)Cyprus.
(AQ)Be silent, you inhabitants of the coastland,
You merchants of Sidon;
[w]Your messengers crossed the sea
And were on many waters.
(AR)The grain of the [x](AS)Nile, the harvest of the River was her revenue;
And she was the (AT)market of nations.
Be ashamed, (AU)Sidon,
For the sea speaks, the stronghold of the sea, saying,
“I have neither been in labor nor given birth,
I have neither brought up young men nor raised virgins.”
When the report reaches Egypt,
They will be in (AV)anguish over the report of Tyre.
Pass over to (AW)Tarshish;
Wail, you inhabitants of the coastland.
Is this your (AX)jubilant city,
Whose origin is from antiquity,
Whose feet used to bring her to [y]colonize distant places?

Who has planned this against Tyre, (AY)the bestower of crowns,
Whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth?
(AZ)The Lord of armies has planned it, to (BA)defile the pride of all beauty,
To despise all the (BB)honored of the earth.
10 [z]Overflow your land like the Nile, you daughter of Tarshish,
There is no more [aa]restraint.
11 He has (BC)stretched His hand out (BD)over the sea,
He has (BE)made the kingdoms tremble;
The Lord has given a command concerning Canaan to (BF)demolish its strongholds.

12 He has said, “(BG)You shall not be jubilant anymore, you crushed virgin daughter of Sidon.
Arise, pass over to [ab](BH)Cyprus; even there you will find no rest.”

13 Behold, the land of the Chaldeans—this is the people that did not exist; (BI)Assyria allocated it for (BJ)desert creatures—they erected their siege towers, they stripped its palaces, (BK)they made it a ruin.

14 Wail, you (BL)ships of Tarshish,
For your stronghold is destroyed.

15 Now on that day Tyre will be forgotten for (BM)seventy years like the days of one king. At the end of seventy years it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:

16 Take your harp, wander around the city,
You forgotten prostitute;
Pluck the strings skillfully, sing many songs,
That you may be remembered.

17 It will come about at (BN)the end of seventy years that the Lord will visit Tyre. Then she will go back to her prostitute’s wages and (BO)commit prostitution with all the kingdoms [ac]on the face of the earth. 18 Her (BP)profit and her prostitute’s wages will be (BQ)sacred to the Lord; it will not be stored up or hoarded, but her profit will become sufficient food and magnificent attire for those who dwell in the presence of the Lord.

Judgment on the Earth

24 Behold, the Lord (BR)lays the earth waste, devastates it, twists its surface, and scatters its inhabitants. And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the female servant like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the (BS)creditor like the debtor. The earth will be completely laid waste and completely plundered, for the Lord has spoken this word. The (BT)earth dries up and crumbles away, the mainland dries out and crumbles away, the (BU)exalted of the people of the earth dwindle. The earth is also (BV)defiled [ad]by its inhabitants, for they violated laws, altered statutes, and (BW)broke the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a (BX)curse devours the earth, and those who live on it suffer for their guilt. Therefore, the (BY)inhabitants of the earth decrease in number, and few people are left.

The (BZ)new wine mourns,
The vine decays,
All the joyful-hearted sigh.
The (CA)joy of tambourines ceases,
The noise of revelers stops,
The joy of the harp ceases.
They do not drink wine with song;
(CB)Intoxicating drink is (CC)bitter to those who drink it.
10 The (CD)city of chaos is broken down;
(CE)Every house is shut up so that no one may enter.
11 There is an (CF)outcry in the streets concerning the wine;
(CG)All joy [ae]turns to gloom.
The joy of the earth is banished.
12 Desolation is left in the city
And the (CH)gate is battered to ruins.
13 For (CI)so it will be in the midst of the earth among the peoples,
As the [af]shaking of an olive tree,
As the gleanings when the grape harvest is over.
14 (CJ)They raise their voices, they shout for joy;
They cry out from the [ag]west concerning the majesty of the Lord.
15 Therefore (CK)glorify the Lord in the [ah]east,
The (CL)name of the Lord, the God of Israel,
In the [ai](CM)coastlands of the sea.
16 From the (CN)ends of the earth we hear songs: “(CO)Glory to the Righteous One,”
But I say, “[aj]I am finished! I am finished! Woe to me!
The (CP)treacherous deal treacherously,
And the treacherous deal very treacherously.”
17 (CQ)Terror and pit and snare
[ak]Confront you, you inhabitant of the earth.
18 Then it will be that the one who flees the sound of terror will fall into the pit,
And the one who [al]climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare;
For the (CR)windows [am]above are opened, and the (CS)foundations of the earth shake.
19 (CT)The earth is broken apart,
The earth is (CU)split through,
The earth is shaken violently.
20 The earth (CV)trembles like a heavy drinker
And sways like a hut,
For its (CW)wrongdoing is heavy upon it,
And it will fall, (CX)never to rise again.
21 So it will happen on that day,
That the Lord will (CY)punish the rebellious [an](CZ)angels of [ao]heaven on high,
And the (DA)kings of the earth on earth.
22 They will be gathered together
Like (DB)prisoners in the [ap]dungeon,
And will be confined in prison;
And after many days they will (DC)be punished.
23 Then the (DD)moon will be ashamed and the sun be put to shame,
For the (DE)Lord of armies will reign on (DF)Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
And His glory will be before His elders.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 22:2 Lit dead in battle
  2. Isaiah 22:3 Lit from a bow
  3. Isaiah 22:3 As in ancient versions; MT They fled far away
  4. Isaiah 22:4 Lit insist
  5. Isaiah 22:5 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  6. Isaiah 22:5 Or against
  7. Isaiah 22:6 Lit man
  8. Isaiah 22:8 Lit covering
  9. Isaiah 22:8 Lit looked to
  10. Isaiah 22:11 Or look to, consider
  11. Isaiah 22:11 Lit see Him
  12. Isaiah 22:12 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  13. Isaiah 22:14 Lit in my ears
  14. Isaiah 22:14 Lit atoned for
  15. Isaiah 22:14 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  16. Isaiah 22:15 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  17. Isaiah 22:16 Lit himself
  18. Isaiah 22:19 As in many ancient versions; MT He
  19. Isaiah 22:21 Lit dominion
  20. Isaiah 22:24 Or perhaps, leaf
  21. Isaiah 23:1 Lit entering
  22. Isaiah 23:1 Heb Kittim
  23. Isaiah 23:2 As in DSS; MT Who passed over the sea, they replenished you
  24. Isaiah 23:3 Heb Shihor
  25. Isaiah 23:7 Lit sojourn afar off
  26. Isaiah 23:10 Lit Pass over
  27. Isaiah 23:10 Perhaps girdle or shipyard
  28. Isaiah 23:12 Heb Kittim
  29. Isaiah 23:17 Lit of the earth on the face of the land
  30. Isaiah 24:5 Lit under
  31. Isaiah 24:11 Lit is darkened
  32. Isaiah 24:13 Lit striking
  33. Isaiah 24:14 Lit sea
  34. Isaiah 24:15 Lit region of light
  35. Isaiah 24:15 Or islands
  36. Isaiah 24:16 Meaning uncertain
  37. Isaiah 24:17 Lit Are upon you
  38. Isaiah 24:18 Lit goes up from the midst of
  39. Isaiah 24:18 Lit from the height; i.e., heaven
  40. Isaiah 24:21 Lit host
  41. Isaiah 24:21 Lit the height in the height
  42. Isaiah 24:22 Lit pit

A Prophecy About Jerusalem

22 A prophecy(A) against the Valley(B) of Vision:(C)

What troubles you now,
    that you have all gone up on the roofs,(D)
you town so full of commotion,
    you city of tumult(E) and revelry?(F)
Your slain(G) were not killed by the sword,(H)
    nor did they die in battle.
All your leaders have fled(I) together;
    they have been captured(J) without using the bow.
All you who were caught were taken prisoner together,
    having fled while the enemy was still far away.
Therefore I said, “Turn away from me;
    let me weep(K) bitterly.
Do not try to console me
    over the destruction of my people.”(L)

The Lord, the Lord Almighty, has a day(M)
    of tumult and trampling(N) and terror(O)
    in the Valley of Vision,(P)
a day of battering down walls(Q)
    and of crying out to the mountains.
Elam(R) takes up the quiver,(S)
    with her charioteers and horses;
    Kir(T) uncovers the shield.
Your choicest valleys(U) are full of chariots,
    and horsemen are posted at the city gates.(V)

The Lord stripped away the defenses of Judah,
    and you looked in that day(W)
    to the weapons(X) in the Palace of the Forest.(Y)
You saw that the walls of the City of David
    were broken through(Z) in many places;
you stored up water
    in the Lower Pool.(AA)
10 You counted the buildings in Jerusalem
    and tore down houses(AB) to strengthen the wall.(AC)
11 You built a reservoir between the two walls(AD)
    for the water of the Old Pool,(AE)
but you did not look to the One who made it,
    or have regard(AF) for the One who planned(AG) it long ago.

12 The Lord, the Lord Almighty,
    called you on that day(AH)
to weep(AI) and to wail,
    to tear out your hair(AJ) and put on sackcloth.(AK)
13 But see, there is joy and revelry,(AL)
    slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep,
    eating of meat and drinking of wine!(AM)
“Let us eat and drink,” you say,
    “for tomorrow we die!”(AN)

14 The Lord Almighty has revealed this in my hearing:(AO) “Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned(AP) for,” says the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

15 This is what the Lord, the Lord Almighty, says:

“Go, say to this steward,
    to Shebna(AQ) the palace(AR) administrator:(AS)
16 What are you doing here and who gave you permission
    to cut out a grave(AT) for yourself(AU) here,
hewing your grave on the height
    and chiseling your resting place in the rock?

17 “Beware, the Lord is about to take firm hold of you
    and hurl(AV) you away, you mighty man.
18 He will roll you up tightly like a ball
    and throw(AW) you into a large country.
There you will die
    and there the chariots(AX) you were so proud of
    will become a disgrace to your master’s house.
19 I will depose you from your office,
    and you will be ousted(AY) from your position.(AZ)

20 “In that day(BA) I will summon my servant,(BB) Eliakim(BC) son of Hilkiah. 21 I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash(BD) around him and hand your authority(BE) over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah. 22 I will place on his shoulder(BF) the key(BG) to the house of David;(BH) what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.(BI) 23 I will drive him like a peg(BJ) into a firm place;(BK) he will become a seat[a] of honor(BL) for the house of his father. 24 All the glory of his family will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots—all its lesser vessels, from the bowls to all the jars.

25 “In that day,(BM)” declares the Lord Almighty, “the peg(BN) driven into the firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down.” The Lord has spoken.(BO)

A Prophecy Against Tyre

23 A prophecy against Tyre:(BP)

Wail,(BQ) you ships(BR) of Tarshish!(BS)
    For Tyre is destroyed(BT)
    and left without house or harbor.
From the land of Cyprus
    word has come to them.

Be silent,(BU) you people of the island
    and you merchants(BV) of Sidon,(BW)
    whom the seafarers have enriched.
On the great waters
    came the grain of the Shihor;(BX)
the harvest of the Nile[b](BY) was the revenue of Tyre,(BZ)
    and she became the marketplace of the nations.

Be ashamed, Sidon,(CA) and you fortress of the sea,
    for the sea has spoken:
“I have neither been in labor nor given birth;(CB)
    I have neither reared sons nor brought up daughters.”
When word comes to Egypt,
    they will be in anguish(CC) at the report from Tyre.(CD)

Cross over to Tarshish;(CE)
    wail, you people of the island.
Is this your city of revelry,(CF)
    the old, old city,
whose feet have taken her
    to settle in far-off lands?
Who planned this against Tyre,
    the bestower of crowns,
whose merchants(CG) are princes,
    whose traders(CH) are renowned in the earth?
The Lord Almighty planned(CI) it,
    to bring down(CJ) her pride in all her splendor
    and to humble(CK) all who are renowned(CL) on the earth.

10 Till[c] your land as they do along the Nile,
    Daughter Tarshish,
    for you no longer have a harbor.
11 The Lord has stretched out his hand(CM) over the sea
    and made its kingdoms tremble.(CN)
He has given an order concerning Phoenicia
    that her fortresses be destroyed.(CO)
12 He said, “No more of your reveling,(CP)
    Virgin Daughter(CQ) Sidon, now crushed!

“Up, cross over to Cyprus;(CR)
    even there you will find no rest.”
13 Look at the land of the Babylonians,[d](CS)
    this people that is now of no account!
The Assyrians(CT) have made it
    a place for desert creatures;(CU)
they raised up their siege towers,(CV)
    they stripped its fortresses bare
    and turned it into a ruin.(CW)

14 Wail, you ships(CX) of Tarshish;(CY)
    your fortress is destroyed!(CZ)

15 At that time Tyre(DA) will be forgotten for seventy years,(DB) the span of a king’s life. But at the end of these seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:

16 “Take up a harp, walk through the city,
    you forgotten prostitute;(DC)
play the harp well, sing many a song,
    so that you will be remembered.”

17 At the end of seventy years,(DD) the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her lucrative prostitution(DE) and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth.(DF) 18 Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord;(DG) they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the Lord,(DH) for abundant food and fine clothes.(DI)

The Lord’s Devastation of the Earth

24 See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth(DJ)
    and devastate(DK) it;
he will ruin its face
    and scatter(DL) its inhabitants—
it will be the same
    for priest as for people,(DM)
    for the master as for his servant,
    for the mistress as for her servant,
    for seller as for buyer,(DN)
    for borrower as for lender,
    for debtor as for creditor.(DO)
The earth will be completely laid waste(DP)
    and totally plundered.(DQ)
The Lord has spoken(DR) this word.

The earth dries up(DS) and withers,(DT)
    the world languishes and withers,
    the heavens(DU) languish with the earth.(DV)
The earth is defiled(DW) by its people;
    they have disobeyed(DX) the laws,
violated the statutes
    and broken the everlasting covenant.(DY)
Therefore a curse(DZ) consumes the earth;
    its people must bear their guilt.
Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up,(EA)
    and very few are left.
The new wine dries up(EB) and the vine withers;(EC)
    all the merrymakers groan.(ED)
The joyful timbrels(EE) are stilled,
    the noise(EF) of the revelers(EG) has stopped,
    the joyful harp(EH) is silent.(EI)
No longer do they drink wine(EJ) with a song;
    the beer is bitter(EK) to its drinkers.
10 The ruined city(EL) lies desolate;(EM)
    the entrance to every house is barred.
11 In the streets they cry out(EN) for wine;(EO)
    all joy turns to gloom,(EP)
    all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.
12 The city is left in ruins,(EQ)
    its gate(ER) is battered to pieces.
13 So will it be on the earth
    and among the nations,
as when an olive tree is beaten,(ES)
    or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.(ET)

14 They raise their voices, they shout for joy;(EU)
    from the west(EV) they acclaim the Lord’s majesty.
15 Therefore in the east(EW) give glory(EX) to the Lord;
    exalt(EY) the name(EZ) of the Lord, the God of Israel,
    in the islands(FA) of the sea.
16 From the ends of the earth(FB) we hear singing:(FC)
    “Glory(FD) to the Righteous One.”(FE)

But I said, “I waste away, I waste away!(FF)
    Woe(FG) to me!
The treacherous(FH) betray!
    With treachery the treacherous betray!(FI)
17 Terror(FJ) and pit and snare(FK) await you,
    people of the earth.(FL)
18 Whoever flees(FM) at the sound of terror
    will fall into a pit;(FN)
whoever climbs out of the pit
    will be caught in a snare.(FO)

The floodgates of the heavens(FP) are opened,
    the foundations of the earth shake.(FQ)
19 The earth is broken up,(FR)
    the earth is split asunder,(FS)
    the earth is violently shaken.
20 The earth reels like a drunkard,(FT)
    it sways like a hut(FU) in the wind;
so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion(FV)
    that it falls(FW)—never to rise again.(FX)

21 In that day(FY) the Lord will punish(FZ)
    the powers(GA) in the heavens above
    and the kings(GB) on the earth below.
22 They will be herded together
    like prisoners(GC) bound in a dungeon;(GD)
they will be shut up in prison
    and be punished[e] after many days.(GE)
23 The moon will be dismayed,
    the sun(GF) ashamed;
for the Lord Almighty will reign(GG)
    on Mount Zion(GH) and in Jerusalem,
    and before its elders—with great glory.(GI)

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 22:23 Or throne
  2. Isaiah 23:3 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls Sidon, / who cross over the sea; / your envoys are on the great waters. / The grain of the Shihor, / the harvest of the Nile,
  3. Isaiah 23:10 Dead Sea Scrolls and some Septuagint manuscripts; Masoretic Text Go through
  4. Isaiah 23:13 Or Chaldeans
  5. Isaiah 24:22 Or released

Jesus, the Example

12 Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s (A)rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s (B)run with (C)endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the [a](D)originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him (E)endured the cross, (F)despising the shame, and has (G)sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For (H)consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary [b](I)and lose heart.

A Father’s Discipline

(J)You have not yet resisted [c](K)to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

(L)My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor (M)faint when you are punished by Him;
(N)For (O)whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He punishes every son whom He accepts.”

It is for discipline that you endure; (P)God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, (Q)of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had [d]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we (R)respected them; shall we not much more be subject to (S)the Father of [e]spirits, and (T)live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, (U)so that we may share His holiness. 11 (V)For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the (W)peaceful fruit of righteousness.

12 Therefore, [f](X)strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and (Y)make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather (Z)be healed.

14 (AA)Pursue peace with all people, and the (AB)holiness without which no one will (AC)see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one (AD)comes short of the grace of God; that no (AE)root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many become (AF)defiled; 16 that there be no (AG)sexually immoral or (AH)godless person like Esau, (AI)who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that even afterward, (AJ)when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Contrast of Sinai and Zion

18 (AK)For you have not come to (AL)a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 and to the (AM)blast of a trumpet and the (AN)sound of words, which sound was such that those who heard (AO)begged that no further word be spoken to them. 20 For they could not [g]cope with the command, “(AP)If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “(AQ)I am terrified and trembling.” 22 But (AR)you have come to Mount Zion and to (AS)the city of (AT)the living God, (AU)the heavenly Jerusalem, and to (AV)myriads of [h]angels, 23 to the general assembly and (AW)church of the firstborn who (AX)are enrolled in heaven, and to God, (AY)the Judge of all, and to the (AZ)spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the (BA)mediator of a new covenant, and to the (BB)sprinkled blood, which speaks better than (BC)the blood of Abel.

The Unshaken Kingdom

25 (BD)See to it that you do not refuse Him who is (BE)speaking. For (BF)if those did not escape when they (BG)refused him who (BH)warned them on earth, [i]much less will we escape who turn away from Him who (BI)warns us from heaven. 26 And (BJ)His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “(BK)Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes (BL)the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we receive a (BM)kingdom which cannot be shaken, let’s [j]show gratitude, by which we may (BN)offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for (BO)our God is a consuming fire.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:2 Or leader
  2. Hebrews 12:3 Lit fainting in your souls
  3. Hebrews 12:4 Lit as far as blood
  4. Hebrews 12:9 Lit fathers of our flesh
  5. Hebrews 12:9 Or our spirits
  6. Hebrews 12:12 Lit make straight
  7. Hebrews 12:20 Lit bear
  8. Hebrews 12:22 Or angels in festive gathering, and to the church
  9. Hebrews 12:25 Lit much rather we will not escape...
  10. Hebrews 12:28 Lit have

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run(A) with perseverance(B) the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus,(C) the pioneer(D) and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,(E) scorning its shame,(F) and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.(G) Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary(H) and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.(I) And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart(J) when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,(K)
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a](L)

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.(M) For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline(N)—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 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(O) and live!(P) 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.(Q) 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace(R) for those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.(S) 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[b](T) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.(U)

Warning and Encouragement

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone(V) and to be holy;(W) without holiness no one will see the Lord.(X) 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God(Y) and that no bitter root(Z) grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16 See that no one is sexually immoral,(AA) or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.(AB) 17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears,(AC) 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;(AD) 19 to a trumpet blast(AE) or to such a voice speaking words(AF) that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,(AG) 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”[c](AH) 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”[d](AI)

22 But you have come to Mount Zion,(AJ) to the city(AK) of the living God,(AL) the heavenly Jerusalem.(AM) You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn,(AN) whose names are written in heaven.(AO) You have come to God, the Judge of all,(AP) to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,(AQ) 24 to Jesus the mediator(AR) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood(AS) that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.(AT)

25 See to it that you do not refuse(AU) him who speaks.(AV) If they did not escape when they refused him who warned(AW) them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?(AX) 26 At that time his voice shook the earth,(AY) but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”[e](AZ) 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken(BA)—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,(BB) let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,(BC) 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”[f](BD)

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:6 Prov. 3:11,12 (see Septuagint)
  2. Hebrews 12:13 Prov. 4:26
  3. Hebrews 12:20 Exodus 19:12,13
  4. Hebrews 12:21 See Deut. 9:19.
  5. Hebrews 12:26 Haggai 2:6
  6. Hebrews 12:29 Deut. 4:24