Hebrews 12
New English Translation
The Lord’s Discipline
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,[a] we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, 2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For[b] the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.[c] 3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed[d] in your struggle against sin. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?
“My son, do not scorn[e] the Lord’s discipline
or give up when he corrects[f] you.
6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.”[g]
7 Endure your suffering[h] as discipline;[i] God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you do not experience discipline,[j] something all sons[k] have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from[l] our earthly fathers[m] and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life?[n] 10 For they disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness. 11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful.[o] But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness[p] for those trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen[q] your listless hands and your weak knees,[r] 13 and make straight paths for your feet,[s] so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed.
Do Not Reject God’s Warning
14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness,[t] for without it no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up[u] and causing trouble, and through it many become defiled. 16 And see to it that no one becomes[v] an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.[w] 17 For you know that[x] later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing[y] with tears. 18 For you have not come to something that can be touched,[z] to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind 19 and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words[aa] such that those who heard begged to hear no more.[ab] 20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”[ac] 21 In fact, the scene[ad] was so terrifying that Moses said, “I shudder with fear.”[ae] 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, the city[af] of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly 23 and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator[ag] of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does.[ah]
25 Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven? 26 Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.”[ai] 27 Now this phrase “once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, that is, of created things, so that what is unshaken may remain. 28 So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. 29 For our God is indeed a devouring fire.[aj]
Footnotes
- Hebrews 12:1 tn Grk “having such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us.”
- Hebrews 12:2 tn Or “Because of”; or “Instead of.” The Greek prepostion can be understood either way. For discussion and sources see Wallace, ExSyn 367-68; cf. also BDAG 88 s.v. 1, “instead of, in place of” and s.v. 3 “(in exchange) for.”
- Hebrews 12:2 sn An allusion to Ps 110:1.
- Hebrews 12:4 tn Grk “until blood.”
- Hebrews 12:5 tn Or “disregard,” “think little of.”
- Hebrews 12:5 tn Or “reproves,” “rebukes.” The Greek verb ἐλέγχω (elenchō) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.
- Hebrews 12:6 sn A quotation from Prov 3:11-12.
- Hebrews 12:7 tn Grk “endure,” with the object (“your suffering”) understood from the context.
- Hebrews 12:7 tn Or “in order to become disciplined.”
- Hebrews 12:8 tn Grk “you are without discipline.”
- Hebrews 12:8 tn Grk “all”; “sons” is implied by the context.
- Hebrews 12:9 tn Grk “we had our earthly fathers as discipliners.”
- Hebrews 12:9 tn Grk “the fathers of our flesh.” In Hebrews, “flesh” is a characteristic way of speaking about outward, physical, earthly life (cf. Heb 5:7; 9:10, 13), as opposed to the inward or spiritual dimensions of life.
- Hebrews 12:9 tn Grk “and live.” sn Submit ourselves…to the Father of spirits and receive life. This idea is drawn from Proverbs, where the Lord’s discipline brings life, while resistance to it leads to death (cf. Prov 4:13; 6:23; 10:17; 16:17).
- Hebrews 12:11 tn Grk “all discipline at the time does not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow.”
- Hebrews 12:11 tn Grk “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
- Hebrews 12:12 tn Or “straighten.”
- Hebrews 12:12 sn A quotation from Isa 35:3. Strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees refers to the readers’ need for renewed resolve and fresh strength in their struggles (cf. Heb 10:36-39; 12:1-3).
- Hebrews 12:13 sn A quotation from Prov 4:26. The phrase make straight paths for your feet is figurative for “stay on God’s paths.”
- Hebrews 12:14 sn The references to peace and holiness show the close connection between this paragraph and the previous one. The pathway toward “holiness” and the need for it is cited in Heb 12:10 and 14. More importantly Prov 4:26-27 sets up the transition from one paragraph to the next: It urges people to stay on godly paths (Prov 4:26, quoted here in v. 13) and promises that God will lead them in peace if they do so (Prov 4:27 [LXX], quoted in v. 14).
- Hebrews 12:15 tn Grk “that there not be any root of bitterness,” but referring figuratively to a person who causes trouble (as in Deut 29:17 [LXX] from which this is quoted).sn An allusion to Deut 29:18.
- Hebrews 12:16 tn Grk “that there not be any,” continuing from v. 15.
- Hebrews 12:16 sn An allusion to Gen 27:34-41.
- Hebrews 12:17 tn Or a command: “for understand that.”
- Hebrews 12:17 tn Grk “it,” referring either to the repentance or the blessing. But the account in Gen 27:34-41 (which the author appeals to here) makes it clear that the blessing is what Esau sought. Thus in the translation the referent (the blessing) is specified for clarity.
- Hebrews 12:18 tn This describes the nation of Israel approaching God on Mt. Sinai (Exod 19). There is a clear contrast with the reference to Mount Zion in v. 22, so this could be translated “a mountain that can be touched.” But the word “mountain” does not occur here and the more vague description seems to be deliberate.
- Hebrews 12:19 tn Grk “a voice of words.”
- Hebrews 12:19 tn Grk “a voice…from which those who heard begged that a word not be added to them.”
- Hebrews 12:20 sn A quotation from Exod 19:12-13.
- Hebrews 12:21 tn Grk “that which appeared.”
- Hebrews 12:21 tn Grk “I am terrified and trembling.”sn A quotation from Deut 9:19.
- Hebrews 12:22 tn Grk “and the city”; the conjunction is omitted in translation since it seems to be functioning epexegetically—that is, explaining further what is meant by “Mount Zion.”
- Hebrews 12:24 tn The Greek word μεσίτης (mesitēs, “mediator”) in this context does not imply that Jesus was a mediator in the contemporary sense of the word, i.e., he worked for compromise between opposing parties. Here the term describes his function as the one who was used by God to enact a new covenant which established a new relationship between God and his people, but entirely on God’s terms.
- Hebrews 12:24 sn Abel’s shed blood cried out to the Lord for justice and judgment, but Jesus’ blood speaks of redemption and forgiveness, something better than Abel’s does (Gen 4:10; Heb 9:11-14; 11:4).
- Hebrews 12:26 sn A quotation from Hag 2:6.
- Hebrews 12:29 sn A quotation from Deut 4:24; 9:3.
Yehudim in Moshiach 12
Orthodox Jewish Bible
12 So, therefore, als (since) we have surrounding us so great an Anan Edim (Cloud of Witnesses), let us also lay aside every weighty impediment and easily ensnaring averos, and let us run with endurance and savlanut the race set before us,
2 Fixing our gaze on the Mekhonen (Founder) of our [Orthodox Messianic Jewish] faith, and the One who makes it Shleimut‖Yehoshua, who because of the simcha set before him, endured HaEtz HaMoshiach, disregarding its bushah (shame), and "sat down at the right hand of the throne of G-d" TEHILLIM 110:1).
3 Let your hitbonenut (meditation) be on the one who endured such opposition from chote’im (sinners), that you may not be weary in your neshamot, losing heart.
4 For you have not yet resisted to the point of death al kiddush ha-Shem in your struggle against Chet;
5 And you have let slip from zikaron (remembrance) the dvar haChizzuk which he speaks to you as banim, "My son, do not despise the musar of Hashem, do not lose heart, resent when rebuked by Him”;
6 KI ES ASHER YE’EHAV HASHEM YOKHI’ACH ("for whom Hashem loves he disciplines" and he punishes ES BEN YIRTZEH every son he receives" MISHLE 3:11-12; IYOV 5:17).
7 For you endure nisyonos for the sake of musar. And Hashem is dealing with you as banim. For what ben is there whom an Abba does not give musar?
8 But if you are without musar, in which all the yeladim share, then you are not banim but mamzerim.
9 Furthermore, we had Avot on HaAretz, who were morim that we reverenced and treated with kavod. Should we not even more subject ourselves to the Avi HaRuchot and live?
10 For they disciplined us for a short time, as seemed tov to them, but Hashem disciplines us for tov lanu in order that we might share in his kedushah.
11 All musar for the moment seems not to be na’im (pleasant), but seems to bring agmat nefesh; yet afterwards to those who have been taught by musar, it yields the p’ri haShalom and the p’ri haTzedek.
12 Therefore, "Bring chizzuk to the weak hands and the feeble knees; Isa 35:3),
13 And make the drakhim straight for your feet, so that the ever (limb, member) which is lame may not be dislocated, but rather have refu’ah (healing).
14 Pursue shalom with kol Bnei Adam, and the kedushah without which no one will see Hashem.
15 See to it that no one fall short of the Chen v’Chesed Hashem; that no SHORESH (Dt 29:19) of merirut (bitterness) sprouting up may cause tzoros, and by it many be made teme’ot;
16 Lest someone guilty of gilui arayot (sexual immorality) or some person who is mitnaged ladat (irreligious, opponent of religion) like Esav, who in exchange for one meal sold HaBechorah belonging to him.
17 For you have da’as that even afterwards, when he desired to receive the nachalah of the bracha, he was rejected, for he found no place for teshuva, though he sought for it with tears.
18 For you have not come to a Har that can be touched and to a blazing Eish and to choshech and gloom and storm,
19 And to the blast of a shofar and the sound of dvarim, which sound was such that the ones having heard begged that no further dvar be spoken to them.
20 For they could not bear the mitzvah "If even a BEHEMAH" (“animal” SHEMOT 13:19) should touch the Har, the punishment will be seqilah (stoning).
21 And so fearful was the sight that Moshe Rabbeinu said "YAGORTI" ("I am afraid” Dt 9:19) and trembling,
22 But you have come to Mount Tziyon, that is, HaIr HaElohim Chayyim, to the Yerushalayim in Shomayim and to myriads of malachim in a knesset innumerable,
23 And to the Kehillat HaBechorim who are inscribed in Shomayim and to Hashem, the Shofet HaKol, and to the ruchot (spirits) of the tzaddikim made shleimim,
24 And to Yehoshua, the Metavekh of a Brit Chadasha and to the dahm hahazzayah (blood of sprinkling Isa 52:15), which speaks better than the dahm haHevel (blood of Abel).
25 See to it that you do not refuse the One speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused Him who gave them warning on ha’aretz, much less shall we escape who turn away from the One whose warning comes from Shomayim.
26 And the bat kol of Hashem shook ha’aretz then, but now He has given havtachah (promise), saying, "Yet once more V’ANI MARISH ES HASHOMAYIM V’ES HA’ARETZ ("And I will shake the heavens and the earth." CHAGGAI 2:6)
27 Now the phrase, "Yet once more" denotes the removal of that which can be shaken, that is, created things, in order that the unshakeable may remain.
28 Therefore, als (since) we are receiving a malchut unshakeable, let us hold on to the Chen v’Chesed Hashem through which we may offer to Hashem, an acceptable avodas kodesh, with yirat Shomayim and chasidus.
29 For, indeed, Eloheinu is a consuming Eish. [Dt 4:24; 9:3; Isa 33:14]
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