Hebrews 12
New American Standard Bible
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, 2 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.
3 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
4 (J)You have not yet resisted [c](K)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,
“(L)My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor (M)faint when you are punished by Him;
6 (N)For (O)whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He punishes every son whom He accepts.”
7 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? 8 But if you are without discipline, (Q)of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 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
- Hebrews 12:2 Or leader
- Hebrews 12:3 Lit fainting in your souls
- 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 12:20 Lit bear
- Hebrews 12:22 Or angels in festive gathering, and to the church
- Hebrews 12:25 Lit much rather we will not escape...
- Hebrews 12:28 Lit have
Hebrews 12
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
So Run Your Race With Endurance, Looking To Jesus
12 So-therefore we also[a], having so large a cloud of witnesses[b] surrounding us, having laid-aside every weight[c] and the easily-entangling[d] sin, let us be running the race being set-before us with endurance 2 while looking-away toward the author and perfecter[e] of the faith[f]— Jesus— Who endured a cross for[g] the joy being set-before Him, having disregarded[h] the shame[i], and has sat-down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider His Endurance
3 For consider[j] the One having endured such opposition[k] by sinners against Himself, in order that you may not be weary in your souls, losing-heart— 4 you did not yet resist to the point of blood while struggling against sin!
And Have You Forgotten That God Disciplines Those He Loves?
5 And have[l] you completely-forgotten[m] the exhortation which speaks[n] to you as sons?: “My son, do not be thinking-lightly[o] of the discipline[p] of the Lord, nor losing-heart while being rebuked by Him. 6 For the one whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He whips[q] every son whom He accepts” [Prov 3:11-12].
God Is Dealing With You As Sons
7 You are enduring[r] [your trials] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers[s], then you are illegitimate[t] children and not sons.
And God Is Disciplining You For Your Benefit
9 Furthermore, we had fathers of our flesh[u] as discipliners and were respecting them— but shall we not much more be subject to the Father of [our] spirits and live? 10 For the ones were disciplining us for a few days according to the thing seeming good to them; but the One does so for our benefit[v], so that we may share-in His holiness.
And His Discipline Will Yield The Fruit of Righteousness
11 And all discipline for the present does not seem to be a thing of joy, but of grief— but later it yields[w] the peaceful fruit of righteousness to the ones having been trained by it.
Therefore Straighten Up And Walk Straight Paths
12 Therefore straighten-up[x] the hands having been slackened[y] and the knees having been made-feeble[z], 13 and be making straight paths for your feet, in order that the lame part may not be dislocated[aa] but rather may be healed.
Pursue Peace And Holiness
14 Be pursuing peace with[ab] all people, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord, 15 while exercising-oversight that someone may not be coming-short of the grace of God; that some root of [ac] bitterness growing[ad] up may not be causing-trouble and many be defiled[ae] by it; 16 that someone may not be sexually-immoral or[af] profane like Esau, who sold his own firstborn-rights[ag] for one meal[ah]. 17 For you know that indeed afterward, while wanting to inherit the blessing, he was rejected— for he did not find a place of [ai] repentance— even-though having sought-for it[aj] with tears.
For You Have Come To The City of God, The Heavenly Jerusalem
18 For you have not come-to a mountain being touched[ak], and a fire having been burning, and darkness and gloom and a storm, 19 and a blast of a trumpet, and a sound of words— of which, the ones having heard begged that a word not be added to them. 20 For they were not bearing the thing being commanded: “If even a wild-animal should touch the mountain, it shall be stoned” [Ex 19:12-13]. 21 And so fearful was the thing appearing[al], Moses said “I am terrified and trembling”. 22 But you have come to Mount Zion; and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem; and the myriads of angels, a festive-gathering[am]; 23 and the church[an] of the firstborn ones having been registered[ao] in the heavens; and the Judge, God of all; and the spirits of righteous ones having been perfected; 24 and the mediator of the new covenant, Jesus; and the blood of sprinkling speaking better than Abel.
Do Not Refuse The One Warning From Heaven, But Worship Him With Gratitude
25 Be watching-out that you not refuse[ap] the One speaking. For if those did not escape, having refused the One warning on earth, much more we will not escape: the ones turning-away-from the One warning from the heavens— 26 Whose voice shook the earth at that time, but now He has promised, saying [in Hag 2:6] “I will shake once more not only the earth, but also the heaven”. 27 And the phrase “once more” indicates the removal of the things being shaken— as of things having been made— so that the things not being shaken may continue. 28 Therefore while receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have gratitude, through which we may worship[aq] God pleasingly[ar], with reverence and awe. 29 For indeed our God is a consuming fire.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 12:1 The writer now applies the lesson from chapter 11, returning to the exhortation of 10:36-39.
- Hebrews 12:1 That is, witnesses of endurance by faith while awaiting the promises, such as those just mentioned.
- Hebrews 12:1 That is, such as would impede a runner.
- Hebrews 12:1 Or, easily-ensnaring, besetting, clinging.
- Hebrews 12:2 Or, finisher, consummator, completer.
- Hebrews 12:2 Or, of faith, of our faith.
- Hebrews 12:2 That is, to obtain; or, instead-of (the joy He had or could have had).
- Hebrews 12:2 Or, cared-nothing-for.
- Hebrews 12:2 Or, humiliation, disgrace.
- Hebrews 12:3 Or, compare, calculate in comparison.
- Hebrews 12:3 Or, dispute, hostility, rebellion.
- Hebrews 12:5 Or, And you have.
- Hebrews 12:5 If the readers thought they should be exempt from suffering for their faith, they must have utterly-forgotten Prov 3:11-12, and they must have failed to consider the Son, v 3.
- Hebrews 12:5 Or, reasons with.
- Hebrews 12:5 Or, making-little-of.
- Hebrews 12:5 Or, training, correction, corporal punishment.
- Hebrews 12:6 Or, scourges.
- Hebrews 12:7 Or, Be enduring.
- Hebrews 12:8 Or, sharers.
- Hebrews 12:8 Or, born-out-of-wedlock. That is, children not part of the father’s family, not having a father to train them, not heirs.
- Hebrews 12:9 That is, human fathers.
- Hebrews 12:10 Lit, for the thing being beneficial (from our Father’s viewpoint).
- Hebrews 12:11 Or, pays back.
- Hebrews 12:12 Or, set straight.
- Hebrews 12:12 Or, relaxed, weakened.
- Hebrews 12:12 Or, lame, paralyzed.
- Hebrews 12:13 Or, turned-out of joint.
- Hebrews 12:14 Or, together-with.
- Hebrews 12:15 That is, characterized by. Some bitter root, referring to a person.
- Hebrews 12:15 Or, springing.
- Hebrews 12:15 Or, polluted, stained.
- Hebrews 12:16 Or, sexually-immoral, or profane like Esau (so that only ‘profane’ applies to Esau).
- Hebrews 12:16 That is, the status and inheritance rights of the firstborn son.
- Hebrews 12:16 Or, eating; one act of eating.
- Hebrews 12:17 That is, for.
- Hebrews 12:17 That is, the blessing. Or, repentance.
- Hebrews 12:18 That is, a physical mountain.
- Hebrews 12:21 That is, the sight Moses saw.
- Hebrews 12:22 Or, public festival, general assembly.
- Hebrews 12:23 That is, assembly.
- Hebrews 12:23 Or, enrolled, listed.
- Hebrews 12:25 Or, decline, shun, beg-off.
- Hebrews 12:28 Or, let us worship.
- Hebrews 12:28 Or, acceptably (to God).
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
