Hebrews 12:4-13
New American Standard Bible
A Father’s Discipline
4 (A)You have not yet resisted [a](B)to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
“(C)My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor (D)faint when you are punished by Him;
6 (E)For (F)whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He punishes every son whom He accepts.”
7 It is for discipline that you endure; (G)God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, (H)of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had [b]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we (I)respected them; shall we not much more be subject to (J)the Father of [c]spirits, and (K)live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, (L)so that we may share His holiness. 11 (M)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 (N)peaceful fruit of righteousness.
12 Therefore, [d](O)strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and (P)make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather (Q)be healed.
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- Hebrews 12:4 Lit as far as blood
- Hebrews 12:9 Lit fathers of our flesh
- Hebrews 12:9 Or our spirits
- Hebrews 12:12 Lit make straight
Hebrews 12:4-13
English Standard Version
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?
(A)“My son, (B)do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For (C)the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. (D)God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, (E)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 (F)the Father of spirits (G)and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, (H)that we may share his holiness. 11 (I)For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields (J)the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore (K)lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and (L)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint (M)but rather be healed.
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Hebrews 12:4-13
Contemporary English Version
4 None of you have yet been hurt[a] in your battle against sin. 5 (A) But you have forgotten that the Scriptures say to God's children,
“When the Lord punishes you,
don't make light of it,
and when he corrects you,
don't be discouraged.
6 The Lord corrects the people
he loves
and disciplines those
he calls his own.”
7 Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don't all parents correct their children? 8 God corrects all his children, and if he doesn't correct you, then you don't really belong to him. 9 Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn't it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?
10 Our human fathers correct us for a short time, and they do it as they think best. But God corrects us for our own good, because he wants us to be holy, as he is. 11 It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace.
12 (B) Now stand up straight! Stop your knees from shaking 13 (C) and walk a straight path. Then lame people will be healed, instead of getting worse.
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- 12.4 hurt: Or “killed.”
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