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And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children?[a] He said,

“My child,[b] don’t make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and don’t give up when he corrects you.
For the Lord disciplines those he loves,
    and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.”[c]

As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Who ever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father? If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?[d]

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Footnotes

  1. 12:5a Greek sons; also in 12:7, 8.
  2. 12:5b Greek son; also in 12:6, 7.
  3. 12:5-6 Prov 3:11-12 (Greek version).
  4. 12:9 Or and really live?

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