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Endure your suffering[a] as discipline;[b] God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? But if you do not experience discipline,[c] something all sons[d] have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 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.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:7 tn Grk “endure,” with the object (“your suffering”) understood from the context.
  2. Hebrews 12:7 tn Or “in order to become disciplined.”
  3. Hebrews 12:8 tn Grk “you are without discipline.”
  4. Hebrews 12:8 tn Grk “all”; “sons” is implied by the context.
  5. Hebrews 12:9 tn Grk “we had our earthly fathers as discipliners.”
  6. 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.
  7. 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).
  8. Hebrews 12:11 tn Grk “all discipline at the time does not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow.”
  9. Hebrews 12:11 tn Grk “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
  10. Hebrews 12:12 tn Or “straighten.”
  11. 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).
  12. 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.”

Endure it for discipline. God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there whom a father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, in which all legitimate sons[a] have become participants, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had our earthly fathers[b] who disciplined us, and we respected them. Will we not much rather subject ourselves to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a few days according to what seemed appropriate to them, but he does so for our benefit, in order that we can have a share in his holiness. 11 Now all discipline seems for the moment not to be joyful but painful, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness for those who are trained by it.

A Serious Warning Against Refusing God

12 Therefore strengthen your slackened hands and your weakened knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame will not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:8 The phrase “legitimate sons” is not in the Greek text but is implied
  2. Hebrews 12:9 Literally “the flesh of our fathers”