The Race of Faith

12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, (A)let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and (B)let us run (C)with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the [a]author and [b]finisher of our faith, (D)who for the joy that was set before Him (E)endured the cross, despising the shame, and (F)has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Discipline of God(G)

(H)For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, (I)lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. (J)You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

(K)“My son, do not despise the [c]chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For (L)whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives.”

(M)If[d] you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what (N)son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, (O)of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to (P)the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, (Q)that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no [e]chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields (R)the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Renew Your Spiritual Vitality(S)

12 Therefore (T)strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

14 (U)Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, (V)without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone (W)fall short of the grace of God; lest any (X)root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; 16 lest there be any (Y)fornicator or [f]profane person like Esau, (Z)who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. 17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was (AA)rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears.

The Glorious Company

18 For you have not come [g]to (AB)the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and [h]darkness and tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it (AC)begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. 20 (For they could not endure what was commanded: (AD)“And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned [i]or shot with an arrow.” 21 And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, (AE)“I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”)

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the [j]general assembly and church of (AF)the firstborn (AG)who are registered in heaven, to God (AH)the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men (AI)made perfect, 24 to Jesus (AJ)the Mediator of the new covenant, and to (AK)the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things (AL)than that of Abel.

Hear the Heavenly Voice

25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For (AM)if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, 26 whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, (AN)“Yet once more I [k]shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” 27 Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the (AO)removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we [l]may (AP)serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For (AQ)our God is a consuming fire.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:2 originator
  2. Hebrews 12:2 perfecter
  3. Hebrews 12:5 discipline
  4. Hebrews 12:7 NU, M It is for discipline that you endure; God
  5. Hebrews 12:11 discipline
  6. Hebrews 12:16 godless
  7. Hebrews 12:18 NU to that which
  8. Hebrews 12:18 NU gloom
  9. Hebrews 12:20 NU, M omit the rest of v. 20.
  10. Hebrews 12:23 festal gathering
  11. Hebrews 12:26 NU will shake
  12. Hebrews 12:28 M omits may

12 τοιγαρουν και ημεις τοσουτον εχοντες περικειμενον ημιν νεφος μαρτυρων ογκον αποθεμενοι παντα και την ευπεριστατον αμαρτιαν δι υπομονης τρεχωμεν τον προκειμενον ημιν αγωνα

αφορωντες εις τον της πιστεως αρχηγον και τελειωτην ιησουν ος αντι της προκειμενης αυτω χαρας υπεμεινεν σταυρον αισχυνης καταφρονησας εν δεξια τε του θρονου του θεου εκαθισεν

αναλογισασθε γαρ τον τοιαυτην υπομεμενηκοτα υπο των αμαρτωλων εις αυτον αντιλογιαν ινα μη καμητε ταις ψυχαις υμων εκλυομενοι

ουπω μεχρις αιματος αντικατεστητε προς την αμαρτιαν ανταγωνιζομενοι

και εκλελησθε της παρακλησεως ητις υμιν ως υιοις διαλεγεται υιε μου μη ολιγωρει παιδειας κυριου μηδε εκλυου υπ αυτου ελεγχομενος

ον γαρ αγαπα κυριος παιδευει μαστιγοι δε παντα υιον ον παραδεχεται

ει παιδειαν υπομενετε ως υιοις υμιν προσφερεται ο θεος τις γαρ εστιν υιος ον ου παιδευει πατηρ

ει δε χωρις εστε παιδειας ης μετοχοι γεγονασιν παντες αρα νοθοι εστε και ουχ υιοι

ειτα τους μεν της σαρκος ημων πατερας ειχομεν παιδευτας και ενετρεπομεθα ου πολλω μαλλον υποταγησομεθα τω πατρι των πνευματων και ζησομεν

10 οι μεν γαρ προς ολιγας ημερας κατα το δοκουν αυτοις επαιδευον ο δε επι το συμφερον εις το μεταλαβειν της αγιοτητος αυτου

11 πασα δε παιδεια προς μεν το παρον ου δοκει χαρας ειναι αλλα λυπης υστερον δε καρπον ειρηνικον τοις δι αυτης γεγυμνασμενοις αποδιδωσιν δικαιοσυνης

12 διο τας παρειμενας χειρας και τα παραλελυμενα γονατα ανορθωσατε

13 και τροχιας ορθας ποιησατε τοις ποσιν υμων ινα μη το χωλον εκτραπη ιαθη δε μαλλον

14 ειρηνην διωκετε μετα παντων και τον αγιασμον ου χωρις ουδεις οψεται τον κυριον

15 επισκοπουντες μη τις υστερων απο της χαριτος του θεου μη τις ριζα πικριας ανω φυουσα ενοχλη και δια ταυτης μιανθωσιν πολλοι

16 μη τις πορνος η βεβηλος ως ησαυ ος αντι βρωσεως μιας απεδοτο τα πρωτοτοκια αυτου

17 ιστε γαρ οτι και μετεπειτα θελων κληρονομησαι την ευλογιαν απεδοκιμασθη μετανοιας γαρ τοπον ουχ ευρεν καιπερ μετα δακρυων εκζητησας αυτην

18 ου γαρ προσεληλυθατε ψηλαφωμενω ορει και κεκαυμενω πυρι και γνοφω και σκοτω και θυελλη

19 και σαλπιγγος ηχω και φωνη ρηματων ης οι ακουσαντες παρητησαντο μη προστεθηναι αυτοις λογον

20 ουκ εφερον γαρ το διαστελλομενον καν θηριον θιγη του ορους λιθοβοληθησεται η βολιδι κατατοξευθησεται

21 και ουτως φοβερον ην το φανταζομενον μωσης ειπεν εκφοβος ειμι και εντρομος

22 αλλα προσεληλυθατε σιων ορει και πολει θεου ζωντος ιερουσαλημ επουρανιω και μυριασιν αγγελων

23 πανηγυρει και εκκλησια πρωτοτοκων εν ουρανοις απογεγραμμενων και κριτη θεω παντων και πνευμασιν δικαιων τετελειωμενων

24 και διαθηκης νεας μεσιτη ιησου και αιματι ραντισμου κρειττονα λαλουντι παρα το αβελ

25 βλεπετε μη παραιτησησθε τον λαλουντα ει γαρ εκεινοι ουκ εφυγον τον επι της γης παραιτησαμενοι χρηματιζοντα πολλω μαλλον ημεις οι τον απ ουρανων αποστρεφομενοι

26 ου η φωνη την γην εσαλευσεν τοτε νυν δε επηγγελται λεγων ετι απαξ εγω σειω ου μονον την γην αλλα και τον ουρανον

27 το δε ετι απαξ δηλοι των σαλευομενων την μεταθεσιν ως πεποιημενων ινα μεινη τα μη σαλευομενα

28 διο βασιλειαν ασαλευτον παραλαμβανοντες εχωμεν χαριν δι ης λατρευωμεν ευαρεστως τω θεω μετα αιδους και ευλαβειας

29 και γαρ ο θεος ημων πυρ καταναλισκον

12 Therefore, we also having so great a cloud of witnesses set around us, every weight having put off, and the closely besetting sin, through endurance may we run the contest that is set before us,

looking to the author and perfecter of faith -- Jesus, who, over-against the joy set before him -- did endure a cross, shame having despised, on the right hand also of the throne of God did sit down;

for consider again him who endured such gainsaying from the sinners to himself, that ye may not be wearied in your souls -- being faint.

Not yet unto blood did ye resist -- with the sin striving;

and ye have forgotten the exhortation that doth speak fully with you as with sons, `My son, be not despising chastening of the Lord, nor be faint, being reproved by Him,

for whom the Lord doth love He doth chasten, and He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth;'

if chastening ye endure, as to sons God beareth Himself to you, for who is a son whom a father doth not chasten?

and if ye are apart from chastening, of which all have become partakers, then bastards are ye, and not sons.

Then, indeed, fathers of our flesh we have had, chastising [us], and we were reverencing [them]; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of the spirits, and live?

10 for they, indeed, for a few days, according to what seemed good to them, were chastening, but He for profit, to be partakers of His separation;

11 and all chastening for the present, indeed, doth not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow, yet afterward the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those exercised through it -- it doth yield.

12 Wherefore, the hanging-down hands and the loosened knees set ye up;

13 and straight paths make for your feet, that that which is lame may not be turned aside, but rather be healed;

14 peace pursue with all, and the separation, apart from which no one shall see the Lord,

15 looking diligently over lest any one be failing of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up may give trouble, and through this many may be defiled;

16 lest any one be a fornicator, or a profane person, as Esau, who in exchange for one morsel of food did sell his birthright,

17 for ye know that also afterwards, wishing to inherit the blessing, he was disapproved of, for a place of reformation he found not, though with tears having sought it.

18 For ye came not near to the mount touched and scorched with fire, and to blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

19 and a sound of a trumpet, and a voice of sayings, which those having heard did entreat that a word might not be added to them,

20 for they were not bearing that which is commanded, `And if a beast may touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or with an arrow shot through,'

21 and, (so terrible was the sight,) Moses said, `I am fearful exceedingly, and trembling.'

22 But, ye came to Mount Zion, and to a city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of messengers,

23 to the company and assembly of the first-born in heaven enrolled, and to God the judge of all, and to spirits of righteous men made perfect,

24 and to a mediator of a new covenant -- Jesus, and to blood of sprinkling, speaking better things than that of Abel!

25 See, may ye not refuse him who is speaking, for if those did not escape who refused him who upon earth was divinely speaking -- much less we who do turn away from him who [speaketh] from heaven,

26 whose voice the earth shook then, and now hath he promised, saying, `Yet once -- I shake not only the earth, but also the heaven;'

27 and this -- `Yet once' -- doth make evident the removal of the things shaken, as of things having been made, that the things not shaken may remain;

28 wherefore, a kingdom that cannot be shaken receiving, may we have grace, through which we may serve God well-pleasingly, with reverence and religious fear;

29 for also our God [is] a consuming fire.

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