Hebrews 12

Jesus, the Example

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also 1lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us 2run with 3endurance the race that is set before us,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the 4author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him 5endured the cross, 6despising the shame, and has 7sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For 8consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary 9and lose heart.

A Father's Discipline

4 10You have not yet resisted 11to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;
5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, "12MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR 13FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM.
6 14FOR THOSE 15WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."
7 It is for discipline that you endure; 16God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8 But if you are without discipline, 17of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we 18respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to 19the Father of spirits, and 20live?
10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, 21so that we may share His holiness.
11 All discipline 22for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the 23peaceful fruit of righteousness.
12 Therefore, 24strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,
13 and 25make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather 26be healed.
14 27Pursue peace with all men, and the 28sanctification without which no one will 29see the Lord.
15 See to it that no one 30comes short of the grace of God; that no 31root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be 32defiled;
16 that there be no * 33immoral or 34godless person like Esau, 35who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
17 For you know that even afterwards, 36when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Contrast of Sinai and Zion

18 37For you have not come to 38a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,
19 and to the 39blast of a trumpet and the 40sound of words which sound was such that those who heard 41begged that no further word be spoken to them.
20 For they could not bear the command, "42IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED."
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, "43I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling."
22 But 44you have come to Mount Zion and to 45the city of 46the living God, 47the heavenly Jerusalem, and to 48myriads of angels,
23 to the general assembly and 49church of the firstborn who 50are enrolled in heaven, and to God, 51the Judge of all, and to the 52spirits of the righteous made perfect,
24 and to Jesus, the 53mediator of a new covenant, and to the 54sprinkled blood, which speaks better than 55the blood of Abel.

The Unshaken Kingdom

25 56See to it that you do not refuse Him who is 57speaking. For 58if those did not escape when they 59refused him who 60warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who 61warns from heaven.
26 And 62His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "63YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."
27 This expression, "Yet once more," denotes 64the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we receive a 65kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may 66offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;
29 for 67our God is a consuming fire.

Images for Hebrews 12

Cross References 67

  • 1. Romans 13:12; Ephesians 4:22
  • 2. 1 Corinthians 9:24; Galatians 2:2
  • 3. Hebrews 10:36
  • 4. Hebrews 2:10
  • 5. Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 2:9
  • 6. 1 Corinthians 1:18, 23; Hebrews 13:13
  • 7. Hebrews 1:3
  • 8. Revelation 2:3
  • 9. Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 12:5
  • 10. Hebrews 10:32f; Hebrews 13:13
  • 11. Philippians 2:8
  • 12. Job 5:17; Proverbs 3:11
  • 13. Hebrews 12:3
  • 14. Proverbs 3:12
  • 15. Psalms 119:75; Revelation 3:19
  • 16. Deuteronomy 8:5; 2 Samuel 7:14; Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 19:18; Proverbs 23:13
  • 17. 1 Peter 5:9
  • 18. Luke 18:2
  • 19. Numbers 16:22; Numbers 27:16; Revelation 22:6
  • 20. Isaiah 38:16
  • 21. 2 Peter 1:4
  • 22. 1 Peter 1:6
  • 23. Isaiah 32:17; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 3:17
  • 24. Isaiah 35:3
  • 25. Proverbs 4:26; Galatians 2:14
  • 26. Galatians 6:1; James 5:16
  • 27. Romans 14:19
  • 28. Romans 6:22; Hebrews 12:10
  • 29. Matthew 5:8; Hebrews 9:28
  • 30. 2 Corinthians 6:1; Galatians 5:4; Hebrews 4:1
  • 31. Deuteronomy 29:18
  • 32. Titus 1:15
  • 33. Hebrews 13:4
  • 34. 1 Timothy 1:9
  • 35. Genesis 25:33
  • 36. Genesis 27:30-40
  • 37. 2 Corinthians 3:7-13; Hebrews 12:18f
  • 38. Exodus 19:12, 16f; Exodus 20:18; Deuteronomy 4:11; Deuteronomy 5:22
  • 39. Exodus 19:16, 19; Exodus 20:18; Matthew 24:31
  • 40. Exodus 19:19; Deuteronomy 4:12
  • 41. Exodus 20:19; Deuteronomy 5:25; Deuteronomy 18:16
  • 42. Exodus 19:12
  • 43. Deuteronomy 9:19
  • 44. Revelation 14:1
  • 45. Ephesians 2:19; Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 11:10; Revelation 21:2
  • 46. Hebrews 3:12
  • 47. Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 11:16
  • 48. Revelation 5:11
  • 49. Exodus 4:22; Hebrews 2:12
  • 50. Luke 10:20
  • 51. Genesis 18:25; Psalms 50:6; Psalms 94:2
  • 52. Hebrews 11:40; Revelation 6:9, 11
  • 53. 1 Timothy 2:5; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:15
  • 54. Hebrews 9:19; Hebrews 10:22; 1 Peter 1:2
  • 55. Genesis 4:10; Hebrews 11:4
  • 56. Hebrews 3:12
  • 57. Hebrews 1:1
  • 58. Hebrews 2:2; Hebrews 10:28
  • 59. Hebrews 12:19
  • 60. Exodus 20:22; Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 11:7
  • 61. Exodus 20:22; Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 11:7
  • 62. Exodus 19:18; Judges 5:4
  • 63. Haggai 2:6
  • 64. Isaiah 34:4; Isaiah 54:10; Isaiah 65:17; Romans 8:19, 21; 1 Corinthians 7:31; Hebrews 1:10f
  • 65. Daniel 2:44
  • 66. Hebrews 13:15, 21
  • 67. Deuteronomy 4:24; Deuteronomy 9:3; Isaiah 33:14; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Hebrews 10:27, 31

Footnotes 10

Hebrews 12 Commentaries

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.