Hebrews 12:7-13

Expanded Bible

⁷ ·So hold on through your sufferings, because they are like a father’s discipline [^LPersevere in discipline]. God is treating you as ·children [or sons]. ·All children are [^LFor what child/son is not…?] disciplined by their fathers. ⁸ If you are never disciplined (and every ·child [or son] must be disciplined), you are ·not true children [^Lillegitimate and not (true) children/sons]. ⁹ [Furthermore; Moreover] We have all had ·fathers [or parents] here on earth who disciplined us, and we respected them. So it is even more important that we accept discipline from ·the Father of our spirits [or our spiritual Father; or the Father of all spirit beings; 12:23; Num. 16:22] so we will have [^Ceternal or true spiritual] life. ¹⁰ ·Our fathers on earth [^LThey] disciplined us for a short time in the way they thought was best. But God disciplines us ·to help us [for our good/benefit], so we can ·become holy as he is [^Lshare in his holiness]. ¹¹ We do not enjoy being disciplined. It is painful at the time, but later, after we have ·learned from [been trained by] it, ·we have peace [^Lit produces/bears the fruit of peace], ·because we start living in the right way [or …and righteousness].

Be Careful How You Live

¹² ·You have become weak, so make yourselves strong again [^LTherefore, strengthen your drooping arms/hands and your weak/disabled knees; Is. 35:3]. ¹³ ·Keep on the right path [^LMake straight/clear paths for your feet; Prov. 4:27], so the ·weak [lame] will not ·stumble [be disabled; put out of joint] but rather be ·strengthened [healed].