Poslanica Hebrejima 12
Božji ukor dokaz je njegove ljubavi
1 Budući da smo okruženi tolikim mnoštvom svjedoka vjere, odbacimo svako breme i grijeh koji nam smetaju, osobito grijeh koji nas tako lako zavede. Ustrajno trčimo utrku koju nam je Bog odredio!2 Uprimo pogled u Isusa, Začetnika i Dovršitelja naše vjere. On je podnio smrt na križu ne mareći za sramotu, ali čekala ga je radost. Sada sjedi na najuzvišenijemu mjestu u nebu, zdesna Božjemu prijestolju.3 Razmišljajte o svemu onomu što je on podnio od grešnika, svojih protivnika, da ne sustanete i da ne klonete duhom.
4 Još se nikad niste oduprli grijehu do krvi.
5 Zar ste već zaboravili Božje ohrabrujuće riječi upućene svojoj djeci? Rekao je:
"Sine moj, ne prezri opomenu Gospodnju
i ne obeshrabri se kad te Bog opomene.6 Jer Gospodin kori one koje voli
i kažnjava one koje prihvaća za svoju djecu."7 Trpite Božju stegu jer vas Bog njome odgaja - postupa s vama kao sa svojom djecom. A ima li djeteta kojega otac ne kori?8 Ako vas Bog ne kori, kao što čini sa svom svojom djecom, onda mu niste prava, nego nezakonita djeca.
9 Kad su nas već naši tjelesni očevi korili i mi smo ih poštivali, nećemo li se još radije pokoriti stezi našega duhovnog Oca da postignemo vječni život?
10 Jer zemaljski su nas očevi korili kratko vrijeme kako im se činilo najbolje. Ali Božja je stega uvijek za naše dobro - da postanemo dionicima njegove svetosti.
11 Nijedan se ukor, doduše, ne čini radošću, nego žalošću dok ga trpimo. Ali onima koji se njime odgajaju poslije donosi plod pun mira: pravednost.
12 Zato uspravite klonule ruke i klecava koljena.
13 Poravnajte staze pred sobom da se hromi ud ne iščaši, nego da ozdravi.
Poziv na poslušnost Bogu
14 Trudite se sa svima živjeti u miru, čistim i svetim životom, jer koji nisu sveti, neće vidjeti Gospodina.15 Pazite da tko od vas ne ostane bez Božje milosti, da ne proklija kakav korijen gorčine pa unese zabunu i mnoge zarazi.16 Pazite da tko ne postane bludnikom ili bezbožnikom poput Ezava, koji je za jedan jedini obrok prodao pravo koje je imao kao prvorođeni sin.
17 Kada je poslije htio da ga otac blagoslovi, on to nije učinio. Bilo je prekasno za kajanje premda je gorko plakao.
18 Vi niste prišli opipljivoj gori, usplamtjelome ognju, tami ni oluji poput Izraelaca na gori Sinaju kad im je Bog dao Zakon.19 Oni su čuli takav zvuk trublje i takvu tutnjavu izgovorenih riječi da su molili Boga da više ne govori.20 Prestravila ih je Božja naredba: "Ako se makar i životinja dotakne gore, mora se kamenovati!"
21 I sam se Mojsije tako prestrašio tog prizora da je rekao: "Strah me je i dršćem."
22 Vi ste, naprotiv, pristupili gori Sionu i gradu živoga Boga, nebeskome Jeruzalemu, svečanome skupu bezbrojnih tisuća anđela.23 Pristupili ste skupu Božjih prvorođenaca kojih su imena zapisana na nebesima. Pristupili ste samome Bogu, koji je sudac svim ljudima. Pristupili ste duhovima otkupljenika na nebu, koji su učinjeni savršenima.
24 Pristupili ste Isusu, posredniku novoga saveza između Boga i ljudi, škropljeničkoj krvi koja milostivo prašta, a ne traži osvetu poput Abelove.
25 Pazite da budete poslušni Bogu, onomu koji vam govori. Jer ako Izraelci nisu umaknuli kad su odbili slušati Mojsija, zemaljskoga glasnika, kako da umaknemo mi ako odbijemo slušati onoga koji nam govori s nebesa?26 Kad je Bog govorio sa Sinaja, njegov je glas uzdrmao zemlju. "Još jednom ću protresti ne samo zemlju nego i nebesa", rekao je.
27 To znači da će ono što je zemaljsko biti uzdrmano kako bi ostalo samo ono vječno.
28 Budući da smo primili kraljevstvo koje se ne može uzdrmati, budimo zahvalni i ugađajmo Bogu služeći mu sa strahopoštovanjem i s predanjem.
29 Jer naš je Bog oganj koji proždire!
Hebrews 12
The Lord’s Discipline
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,t we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us,2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.s3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up.4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshedt in your struggle against sin.
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?
“My son, do not scorntthe Lord’s discipline
or give up when he correctstyou.
6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.”s
7 Endure your sufferingt as discipline;t 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,t something all sonst have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons.9 Besides, we have experienced discipline fromt our earthly fatherst and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life?ts10 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.t But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousnesst for those trained by it.12 Therefore, strengthentyour listless hands and your weak knees,s
13 and make straight paths for your feet,s so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed.
Do Not Reject God’s Warning
14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness,s for without it no one will see the Lord.15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter rootspringing upts and causing trouble, and through him many become defiled.16 And see to it that no one becomest an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.s17 For you know thatt later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessingt with tears.18 For you have not come to something that can be touched,t to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind19 and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering wordst such that those who heard begged to hear no more.t20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”s21 In fact, the scenet was so terrifying that Moses said, “I shudder with fear.”ts22 But you have come to Mount Zion, the cityt of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly23 and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect,
24 and to Jesus, the mediatort of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does.s
25 Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven?26 Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.”s27 Now this phrase “once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, that is, of created things, so that what is unshaken may remain.28 So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe.
29 For our God is indeed a devouring fire.s