12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
12:3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
12:4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
12:5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
12:6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”
12:7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
12:8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
12:9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live!
12:10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.
12:11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12:12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
12:13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
12:14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
12:15 See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
12:16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.
12:17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. He could bring about no change of mind, though he sought the blessing with tears.
12:18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;
12:19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,
12:20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”
12:21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
12:23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,
12:24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
12:25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?
12:26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”
12:27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken–that is, created things–so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
12:29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”
12:1 Therefore let us also, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, put away every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and run with endurance the race which is set before us,
12:2 Looking away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down on the right hand of the throne of God.
12:3 For compare Him who has endured such contradiction by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary, fainting in your souls.
12:4 You have not yet resisted unto blood, struggling against sin,
12:5 And you have completely forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when reproved by Him;
12:6 For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.”
12:7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons. For what son is there whom the father does not discipline?
12:8 But if you are without discipline, of which all sons have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.
12:9 Furthermore we have had the fathers of our flesh as discipliners and we respected them; shall we not much more be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
12:10 For they disciplined for a few days as it seemed good to them; but He, for what is profitable that we might partake of His holiness.
12:11 Now no discipline at the present time seems to be a matter of joy, but of grief; but afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised by it.
12:12 Therefore set straight the hands which hang down and the paralyzed knees,
12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather may be healed.
12:14 Pursue peace with all men and sanctification, without which no one will see the Lord;
12:15 Looking carefully lest anyone fall away from the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and through this many be defiled;
12:16 Lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one meal gave up his own birthright.
12:17 For you know that also afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for repentance, even though he sought it with tears.
12:18 For you have not come forward to a mountain which could be touched and which was set on fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,
12:19 And to the sound of a trumpet and to the voice of words, because of which those who heard entreated that no further word be spoken to them;
12:20 For they could not bear that which was being commanded: “If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned.”
12:21 And so fearful was the sight, Moses said, “I am full of fear and trembling.”
12:22 But you have come forward to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem; and to myriads of angels, to the universal gathering;
12:23 And to the church of the firstborn, who have been enrolled in the heavens; and to God, the Judge of all; and to the spirits of righteous men who have been made perfect;
12:24 And to Jesus, the Mediator of a new covenant; and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaks something better than that of Abel.
12:25 See that you do not refuse Him who speaks, for if those did not escape who refused Him who warned them upon the earth, much more we shall not escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven,
12:26 Whose voice at that time shook the earth but now has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven.”
12:27 And this word, “Yet once more,” shows clearly the removal of the things being shaken as being of things having been made, that the things which are not shaken may remain.
12:28 Therefore receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have grace, through which we may serve God well-pleasingly with piety and fear;
12:29 For our God is also a consuming fire.