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).
Hebrews 12
King James Version
12 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.
Hebrews 12
English Standard Version
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and (A)sin which clings so closely, and (B)let us run (C)with endurance the race that is (D)set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, (E)who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising (F)the shame, and (G)is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Do Not Grow Weary
3 (H)Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or (I)fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
(J)“My son, (K)do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For (L)the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. (M)God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, (N)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 (O)the Father of spirits (P)and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, (Q)that we may share his holiness. 11 (R)For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields (S)the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore (T)lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and (U)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint (V)but rather be healed. 14 (W)Strive for peace with everyone, and for the (X)holiness (Y)without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one (Z)fails to obtain the grace of God; that no (AA)“root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is (AB)sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that (AC)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 (AD)what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and (AE)the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words (AF)made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, (AG)“If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, (AH)so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to (AI)Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, (AJ)the heavenly Jerusalem, and to (AK)innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to (AL)the assembly[a] of the firstborn who are (AM)enrolled in heaven, and to (AN)God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, (AO)the mediator of a new covenant, and to (AP)the sprinkled blood (AQ)that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For (AR)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 (AS)his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, (AT)“Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates (AU)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 (AV)a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus (AW)let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our (AX)God is a consuming fire.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 12:23 Or church
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
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
