Hebrews 12:7-13
New English Translation
7 Endure your suffering[a] as discipline;[b] 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,[c] something all sons[d] have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from[e] our earthly fathers[f] and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life?[g] 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.[h] But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness[i] for those trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen[j] your listless hands and your weak knees,[k] 13 and make straight paths for your feet,[l] so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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 12:7-13
Common English Bible
7 Bear hardship for the sake of discipline. God is treating you like sons and daughters! What child isn’t disciplined by his or her father? 8 But if you don’t experience discipline, which happens to all children, then you are illegitimate and not real sons and daughters. 9 What’s more, we had human parents who disciplined us, and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live? 10 Our human parents disciplined us for a little while, as it seemed best to them, but God does it for our benefit so that we can share his holiness. 11 No discipline is fun while it lasts, but it seems painful at the time. Later, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who have been trained by it.
12 So strengthen your drooping hands and weak knees! 13 Make straight paths for your feet so that if any part is lame, it will be healed rather than injured more seriously.
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