Hebrews 12

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.

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.

3 Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.

6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”

7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

9 Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?

10 Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.

11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

12 Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.

13 Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

14 Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.

16 See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.

17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.

18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to blackness, darkness, and storm;

19 to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken.

20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”

21 The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels

23 in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?

26 At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”

27 The words “Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that the unshakable may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

29 “For our God is a consuming fire.”

1 ¶ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

4 ¶ Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

10 For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness.

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

14 Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled;

16 Lest there [be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

18 ¶ For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

21 And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven:

26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

27 And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 For our God [is] a consuming fire.

1 Therefore we also, having such a company of witnesses about us, let us put away the sin which always clings to us and makes us sluggish, and let us walk by patience in the fight which is appointed for us,

2 And looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who, when he might have had joy, endured the cross, and was not ashamed, and sat on the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Remember him that endured such contradiction of sinners against him, that ye faint not in your courage, and be not moved.

4 For ye have not yet withstood to the death the strife against sin.

5 And have already forgotten the comfort that speaketh unto you as unto children: My son, regard not the chastening of the LORD lightly, neither despair when thou art punished of him;

6 For whom the LORD loveth he chasteneth: but he chasteneth every son whom he receiveth.

7 If ye endure chastening, God beareth you children: for where is there a son whom the father chasteneth not?

8 But if ye be without chastening, which they all have had, then are ye bastards, and not children.

9 Even if we have had our fathers in the flesh to chasten us, and have shunned them, ought we not much more to be subject unto our spiritual father, that we may live?

10 And they chastened us a few days according to their pleasure, but he for our profit, that we might obtain his sanctification.

11 But all chastening, when it is, seemeth unto us not joy, but sorrow: but afterward it shall give peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby.

12 Wherefore straighten again the lazy hands and the weary knees

13 And do with your feet a certain tread, lest any man stumble like a lame man, but rather be healed.

14 Pursue peace toward all men, and sanctification; without which no man shall see the LORD.

15 And take heed lest any man neglect the grace of God, lest a "bitter root grow up, and cause mischief, and many be defiled by it;

16 Lest any man be a fornicator, or an ungodly man, as Esau, which sold his firstborn for meat.

17 But know that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he is rejected; For he found no room for repentance, though he sought it with tears.

18 For ye are not come unto the mountain that was touched, and burned with fire, nor unto darkness and gloom and tempest.

19 Nor to the sound of the trumpet, nor to the voice of the words, "Which they refused to hear, that the word should not be spoken unto them.

20 For they could not bear what was said. And if any beast touched the mountain, it should be stoned, or shot with a projectile.

21 And so the vision was terrible, that Moses said: I am afraid and tremble),

22 But ye are come unto mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the multitude of many thousands of angels.

23 And to the congregation of the firstborn who are written in heaven, and to GOD, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the perfect righteous.

24 And to the mediator of the new testament, JESUS, and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better than Abel.

25 Take heed that ye refuse not him which speaketh. For they that refused him when he spake on earth fled not; much less we, if we refuse him that speaketh from heaven,

26 Which voice at that time moved the earth. But now he hath promised, saying, Once more I will not only move the earth, but also heaven.

27 But such "once more" signifieth that the movable shall be changed, as that which is made, that there may remain the immovable.

28 Therefore, because we receive an immovable kingdom, we have grace, by which we ought to serve God, to please him with discipline and fear.

29 For our God is a consuming fire.