Hebrews 12:1-22 ▼

1 Therefore, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us ?having thrown off every encumbrance and the easily besetting sin—let us run with patience the race lying before us;

2 looking away to the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus; Who, in consideration of the joy lying before Him, endured the cross, despising shame, and hath taken a seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For consider Him Who hath endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye become weary, fainting in your souls.

4 Not yet did ye resist unto blood, contending against sin;

5 and ye have forgotten the exhortation which, indeed, reasons with you as with sons: "My son, do not lightly regard the chastening of the Lord; neither faint, when reproved by Him;

6 for whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He acknowledgeth."

7 For chastening endure ye: God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father chastens not?

8 But, if ye are without chastisement, of which all have become partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

9 Furthermore, we used to have the fathers of our flesh as chasteners, and we reverenced them: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of our spirits, and live?

10 For they, indeed, for a few days were chastening us , according to what seemed good to them; but He for our profit, that we may partake of His holiness.

11 All chastening, indeed, for the present seems not to be joyous, but grievous; but afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained thereby.

12 Wherefore, lift up the relaxed hands and the feeble knees,

13 and make straight paths for your feet, that the lame be not turned out of the way , but rather be healed.

14 Pursue peace with all, and the holiness without which no one shall see the Lord;

15 looking carefully, lest there be any one falling short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness, springing up, trouble you , and through it many be defiled;

16 lest there be any fornicator or profane person, as Esau, who, for one meal, yielded up his own birth-right.

17 For ye know that even after that, when wishing to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for repentance, although he earnestly sought it with tears.

18 For ye have not come to a mount that is touched and burning with fire, and to blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

19 and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice those who heard entreated that no word more should be added to them;

20 for they could not bear that which was being commanded: "And, if a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned";

21 and so terrible was the appearance, Moses said, "I am exceedingly frightened and in fear!"

22 But ye have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the Living God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,