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1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.[#12:2 Lit looking to; #12:2 Or leader]
3For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary, fainting in heart.[#12:3 Lit souls]
4You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.[#12:4 Lit as far as blood]
5And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
“My son , do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord ,
Nor faint when you are reproved by Him ;
6For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines ,[#12:6 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Prov 3:12]
And He flogs every son whom He receives .”
7It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them. Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?[#12:9 Lit were having; #12:9 Lit fathers of our flesh; #12:9 Or our spirits]
10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our benefit, so that we may share His holiness.
11And all discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful, but to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
12Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble ,[#12:12 Lit make straight]
13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.
14Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord,
15seeing to it that no one falls short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble , and by it many be defiled;
16that also there be no sexually immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.
17For you know that even afterwards, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.
18For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,
19and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them.
20For they could not bear what was being commanded, “If even a beast touches the mountain , it will be stoned .”
21And so terrible was what appeared, that Moses said, “I am full of fear and trembling.”
22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,[#12:22 Or angels in festive gathering, and to the church]
23to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
24and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
25See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.[#12:25 Lit much rather we will not escape...]
26And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth , but also the heaven .”
27Now this expression , “Yet once more,” indicates the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;[#12:28 Lit have]
29for our God is a consuming fire .