God Disciplines His Children

⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.^{(A) 5} And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children.^(E) For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline^(F)—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^(G) and live!^{(H) 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.^{(I) 11} No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace^(J) for those who have been trained by it.

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

Warning and Encouragement

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

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