Hebrews 12:1-29 (New American Standard)

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 ^afixing our eyes on Jesus, the ^b4author 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 ^c9and lose heart.

A Father's Discipline

4 ¹⁰You have not yet resisted ^d11to 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 ^eearthly fathers to discipline us, and we ¹⁸respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to ¹⁹the Father of ^fspirits, 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, ^g24strengthen 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 ^hangels, 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, ⁱmuch 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 ^jshow gratitude, by which we may ⁶⁶offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe ; 29 for ⁶⁷our God is a consuming fire.