Hebrews 12:4-17

Contemporary English Version

⁴None 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.
⁶The Lord corrects the people
    he loves
and disciplines those
    he calls his own.”

⁷Be patient when you are being corrected! This is how God treats his children. Don't all parents correct their children? ⁸God corrects all his children, and if he doesn't correct you, then you don't really belong to him. ⁹Our 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?

¹⁰Our 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. ¹¹It 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.

Warning against Turning from God

¹⁴Try to live at peace with everyone! Live a clean life. If you don't, you will never see the Lord. ¹⁵^(D) Make sure no one misses out on God's wonderful kindness. Don't let anyone become bitter and cause trouble for the rest of you. ¹⁶^(E) Watch out for immoral and ungodly people like Esau, who sold his future blessing^[b] for only one meal. ¹⁷^(F) You know how he later wanted it back. But there was nothing he could do to change things, even though he begged his father and cried.