Hebrews 12

God Disciplines His Sons

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.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 opposition from sinful men, 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 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,

6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.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!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.

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 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.

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

Warning Against Refusing God

14 Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.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.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.

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.
18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;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,20 because 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 Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”
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,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,

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. 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?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.”

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.
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,

29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”

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