Hebrews 12:7-13:14

English Standard Version

⁷ It is for discipline that you have to endure. ^(A)God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ If you are left without discipline, ^(B)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 ^(C)the Father of spirits ^(D)and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, ^(E)that we may share his holiness. ^11 (F)For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields ^(G)the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

¹² Therefore ^(H)lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, ¹³ and ^(I)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint ^(J)but rather be healed. ^14 (K)Strive for peace with everyone, and for the ^(L)holiness ^(M)without which no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one ^(N)fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ^(O)“root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; ¹⁶ that no one is ^(P)sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. ¹⁷ For you know that ^(Q)afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

¹⁸ For you have not come to ^(R)what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest ¹⁹ and ^(S)the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words ^(T)made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. ²⁰ For they could not endure the order that was given, ^(U)“If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” ²¹ Indeed, ^(V)so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” ²² But you have come to ^(W)Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, ^(X)the heavenly Jerusalem, and to ^(Y)innumerable angels in festal gathering, ²³ and to ^(Z)the assembly^[a] of the firstborn who are ^(AA)enrolled in heaven, and to ^(AB)God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ and to Jesus, ^(AC)the mediator of a new covenant, and to ^(AD)the sprinkled blood ^(AE)that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

²⁵ See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For ^(AF)if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. ²⁶ At that time ^(AG)his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ^(AH)“Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” ²⁷ This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates ^(AI)the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore let us be grateful for receiving ^(AJ)a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus ^(AK)let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, ²⁹ for our ^(AL)God is a consuming fire.

Sacrifices Pleasing to God

13 Let ^(AM)brotherly love continue. ^2 (AN)Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby ^(AO)some have entertained angels unawares. ^3 (AP)Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. ^4 (AQ)Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge ^(AR)the sexually immoral and adulterous. ⁵ Keep your life ^(AS)free from love of money, and ^(AT)be content with what you have, for he has said, ^(AU)“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ⁶ So we can confidently say,

⁷ Remember ^(AX)your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and ^(AY)imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is ^(AZ)the same yesterday and today and forever. ⁹ Do not be ^(BA)led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, ^(BB)not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. ¹⁰ We have an altar ^(BC)from which those who serve the tent^[b] have no right to eat. ¹¹ For ^(BD)the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned ^(BE)outside the camp. ¹² So Jesus also ^(BF)suffered ^(BG)outside the gate in order to sanctify the people ^(BH)through his own blood. ¹³ Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear ^(BI)the reproach he endured. ¹⁴ For ^(BJ)here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.