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, 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

(H)Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or (I)fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 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.
For (L)the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and chastises every son whom he receives.”

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? If you are left without discipline, (N)in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 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

  1. Hebrews 12:23 Or church

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,

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).

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.

For you have not yet resisted to the point of death al kiddush ha-Shem in your struggle against Chet;

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”;

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).

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?

But if you are without musar, in which all the yeladim share, then you are not banim but mamzerim.

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]