The Discipline of God(A)

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

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

(G)If[b] you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what (H)son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, (I)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 (J)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, (K)that we may be partakers of His holiness.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:5 discipline
  2. Hebrews 12:7 NU, M It is for discipline that you endure; God

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary(A) and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.(B) 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(C) when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,(D)
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a](E)

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.(F) For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline(G)—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(H) and live!(I) 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.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:6 Prov. 3:11,12 (see Septuagint)