Grace and Perseverance
(Hebrews 12:1–3)

1 Σὺ (You) οὖν (therefore), τέκνον (child) μου (of me), ἐνδυναμοῦ (be empowered) ἐν (in) τῇ (the) χάριτι (grace) τῇ (that is) ἐν (in) Χριστῷ (Christ) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus), 2 καὶ (And) ἃ (the things that) ἤκουσας (you heard) παρ’ (from) ἐμοῦ (me) διὰ (through) πολλῶν (many) μαρτύρων (witnesses), ταῦτα (these) παράθου (entrust) πιστοῖς (to faithful) ἀνθρώποις (men), οἵτινες (such as) ἱκανοὶ (sufficient) ἔσονται (will be) καὶ (also) ἑτέρους (others) διδάξαι (to teach).

3 Συνκακοπάθησον (Share in suffering) ὡς (as) καλὸς (a good) στρατιώτης (soldier) Χριστοῦ (of Christ) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus). 4 οὐδεὶς (No one) στρατευόμενος (serving as a soldier) ἐμπλέκεται (entangles himself) ταῖς (in the) τοῦ (of) βίου (life) πραγματείαις (affairs), ἵνα (so that) τῷ (the one) στρατολογήσαντι (having enlisted him) ἀρέσῃ (he might please). 5 ἐὰν (If) δὲ (now) καὶ (also) ἀθλῇ (competes) τις (anyone), οὐ (not) στεφανοῦται (he is crowned) ἐὰν (if) μὴ (not) νομίμως (lawfully) ἀθλήσῃ (he shall have competed). 6 τὸν (For the) κοπιῶντα (toiling) γεωργὸν (farmer) δεῖ (it is necessary) πρῶτον (first) τῶν (of the) καρπῶν (fruits) μεταλαμβάνειν (to partake). 7 νόει (Consider) ὃ (what) λέγω (I say)· δώσει (will give) γάρ (for) σοι (you) ὁ (the) Κύριος (Lord) σύνεσιν (understanding) ἐν (in) πᾶσιν (all things).

8 Μνημόνευε (Remember) Ἰησοῦν (Jesus) Χριστὸν (Christ) ἐγηγερμένον (having been raised) ἐκ (out from) νεκρῶν (the dead), ἐκ (of) σπέρματος (the seed) Δαυίδ (of David), κατὰ (according to) τὸ (-) εὐαγγέλιόν (gospel) μου (my)· 9 ἐν (in) ᾧ (which) κακοπαθῶ (I suffer hardship) μέχρι (even to) δεσμῶν (chains) ὡς (as) κακοῦργος (an evildoer), ἀλλὰ (But) ὁ (the) λόγος (word) τοῦ (-) Θεοῦ (of God) οὐ (not) δέδεται (has not been bound). 10 διὰ (Because of) τοῦτο (this) πάντα (all things) ὑπομένω (I endure) διὰ (because of) τοὺς (the) ἐκλεκτούς (chosen ones), ἵνα (so that) καὶ (also) αὐτοὶ (they) σωτηρίας (the salvation) τύχωσιν (may obtain) τῆς (that is) ἐν (in) Χριστῷ (Christ) Ἰησοῦ (Jesus) μετὰ (with) δόξης (glory) αἰωνίου (eternal).

11 Πιστὸς (Trustworthy is) ὁ (the) λόγος (word)·

Εἰ (If) γὰρ (for) συναπεθάνομεν (we died together with Him),

καὶ (also) συζήσομεν (we will live together with Him)·

12 εἰ (if) ὑπομένομεν (we endure),

καὶ (also) συμβασιλεύσομεν (we will reign together with Him)·

εἰ (if) ἀρνησόμεθα (we will deny Him),

κἀκεῖνος (He also) ἀρνήσεται (will deny) ἡμᾶς (us)·

13 εἰ (if) ἀπιστοῦμεν (we are faithless),

ἐκεῖνος (He) πιστὸς (faithful) μένει (remains),

ἀρνήσασθαι (to deny) γὰρ (for) ἑαυτὸν (Himself) οὐ (not) δύναται (He is able).

The Lord’s Approved Workman

14 Ταῦτα (These things) ὑπομίμνῃσκε (remind them), διαμαρτυρόμενος (earnestly testifying) ἐνώπιον (before) τοῦ (-) Θεοῦ (God) μὴ (not) λογομαχεῖν (to fight about words), ἐπ’ (for) οὐδὲν (nothing) χρήσιμον (useful), ἐπὶ (but to) καταστροφῇ (the subversion) τῶν (of those) ἀκουόντων (hearing).

15 Σπούδασον (Be diligent) σεαυτὸν (yourself) δόκιμον (approved) παραστῆσαι (to present) τῷ (-) Θεῷ (to God), ἐργάτην (a workman) ἀνεπαίσχυντον (unashamed), ὀρθοτομοῦντα (straightly cutting) τὸν (the) λόγον (word) τῆς (-) ἀληθείας (of truth).

16 Τὰς (-) δὲ (But) βεβήλους (profane) κενοφωνίας (empty utterances) περιΐστασο (avoid)· ἐπὶ (to) πλεῖον (more) γὰρ (for) προκόψουσιν (they will advance) ἀσεβείας (ungodliness), 17 καὶ (and) ὁ (the) λόγος (word) αὐτῶν (of them) ὡς (like) γάγγραινα (gangrene) νομὴν (pasture) ἕξει (will have)· ὧν (of whom) ἐστιν (are) Ὑμέναιος (Hymenaeus) καὶ (and) Φιλητός (Philetus), 18 οἵτινες (who) περὶ (concerning) τὴν (the) ἀλήθειαν (truth) ἠστόχησαν (missed the mark), λέγοντες (saying) τὴν (the) ἀνάστασιν (resurrection) ἤδη (already) γεγονέναι (to have happened), καὶ (and) ἀνατρέπουσιν (they are overturning) τήν (the) τινων (of some) πίστιν (faith).

19 Ὁ (-) μέντοι (Nevertheless) στερεὸς (the firm) θεμέλιος (foundation) τοῦ (of) Θεοῦ (God) ἕστηκεν (has stood), ἔχων (having) τὴν (-) σφραγῖδα (seal) ταύτην (this)· Ἔγνω (Knows) Κύριος (the Lord) τοὺς (those) ὄντας (being) αὐτοῦ (His), καί (and)· Ἀποστήτω (Let depart) ἀπὸ (from) ἀδικίας (unrighteousness) πᾶς (everyone) ὁ (-) ὀνομάζων (naming) τὸ (the) ὄνομα (name) Κυρίου (of the Lord).

20 Ἐν (In) μεγάλῃ (a great) δὲ (now) οἰκίᾳ (house) οὐκ (not) ἔστιν (there are) μόνον (only) σκεύη (vessels) χρυσᾶ (golden) καὶ (and) ἀργυρᾶ (silver), ἀλλὰ (but) καὶ (also) ξύλινα (wooden) καὶ (and) ὀστράκινα (earthen), καὶ (and) ἃ (some) μὲν (indeed) εἰς (for) τιμὴν (honor) ἃ (some) δὲ (however) εἰς (for) ἀτιμίαν (dishonor)· 21 ἐὰν (If) οὖν (therefore) τις (anyone) ἐκκαθάρῃ (shall have cleansed) ἑαυτὸν (himself) ἀπὸ (from) τούτων (these), ἔσται (he will be) σκεῦος (a vessel) εἰς (for) τιμήν (honor), ἡγιασμένον (having been sanctified), εὔχρηστον (useful) τῷ (to the) δεσπότῃ (Master), εἰς (for) πᾶν (every) ἔργον (work) ἀγαθὸν (good) ἡτοιμασμένον (having been prepared).

22 Τὰς (-) δὲ (Now) νεωτερικὰς (youthful) ἐπιθυμίας (lusts) φεῦγε (flee), δίωκε (pursue) δὲ (now) δικαιοσύνην (righteousness), πίστιν (faith), ἀγάπην (love), εἰρήνην (and peace) μετὰ (along with) τῶν (those) ἐπικαλουμένων (calling on) τὸν (the) Κύριον (Lord) ἐκ (out of) καθαρᾶς (pure) καρδίας (a heart).

23 Τὰς (-) δὲ (And) μωρὰς (foolish) καὶ (and) ἀπαιδεύτους (ignorant) ζητήσεις (controversies) παραιτοῦ (refuse), εἰδὼς (knowing) ὅτι (that) γεννῶσιν (they beget) μάχας (quarrels)· 24 δοῦλον (For a servant) δὲ (now) Κυρίου (of the Lord) οὐ (not) δεῖ (it is necessary) μάχεσθαι (to quarrel) ἀλλὰ (but) ἤπιον (kind) εἶναι (to be) πρὸς (toward) πάντας (all), διδακτικόν (able to teach), ἀνεξίκακον (forbearing), 25 ἐν (in) πραΰτητι (gentleness) παιδεύοντα (disciplining) τοὺς (those) ἀντιδιατιθεμένους (opposing), μή‿ (lest) ποτε (ever) δώῃ (may give) αὐτοῖς (them) ὁ (-) Θεὸς (God) μετάνοιαν (repentance) εἰς (unto) ἐπίγνωσιν (a knowledge) ἀληθείας (of the truth), 26 καὶ (and) ἀνανήψωσιν (they might come to their senses) ἐκ (out of) τῆς (the) τοῦ (of the) διαβόλου (devil) παγίδος (snare), ἐζωγρημένοι (having been captured) ὑπ’ (by) αὐτοῦ (him) εἰς (unto) τὸ (-) ἐκείνου (his) θέλημα (will).