Hebrews 12

Jesus, the Example

12THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off {and} throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to {and} entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance {and} steady {and} active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us,G5105G2532G2192G4029G2254G5118G3509G3144G659G2249G659G3956G3591G2532G266G2139G5143G1223G5281G73G4295G22542Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader {and} the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising {and} ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.G872G1519G2424G747G2532G5051G4102G3739G473G5479G4295G846G5278G4716G2706G152G5037G2523G1722G1188G2362G23163Just think of Him Who endured from sinners such grievous opposition {and} bitter hostility against Himself [reckon up and consider it all in comparison with your trials], so that you may not grow weary {or} exhausted, losing heart {and} relaxing {and} fainting in your minds.G1063G357G5278G5108G485G5259G268G1519G846G3363G2577G1590G5216G5590

A Father’s Discipline

4You have not yet struggled {and} fought agonizingly against sin, {nor} have you yet resisted {and} withstood to the point of pouring out your [own] blood.G478G3768G478G3360G129G464G4314G2665And have you [completely] forgotten the divine word of appeal {and} encouragement in which you are reasoned with {and} addressed as sons? My son, do not think lightly {or} scorn to submit to the correction {and} discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage {and} give up {and} faint when you are reproved {or} corrected by Him;G2532G1585G3874G3748G1256G5213G5613G5207G3450G5207G3643G3361G3643G3809G2962G3366G1590G1651G5259G8466For the Lord corrects {and} disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts {and} welcomes to His heart {and} cherishes.G1063G3739G2962G25G3811G1161G3146G3956G5207G3739G38587You must submit to {and} endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train {and} correct {and} discipline?G1487G5278G3809G2316G4374G5213G5613G5207G1063G5101G5207G2076G3739G3962G3811G37568Now if you are exempt from correction {and} left without discipline in which all [of God's children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring {and} not true sons [at all].G1161G1487G2075G5565G3809G3739G3956G1096G3353G686G2075G3541G2532G3756G52079Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded [to them] {and} respected [them for training us]. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so [truly] live?G1534G3303G2192G3962G2257G4561G3810G2532G1788G5293G3756G4183G3123G5293G3962G4151G2532G219810For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a short period of time {and} chastised us as seemed proper {and} good to them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness.G1063G3303G4314G3641G2250G3811G2596G846G1380G1161G1909G4851G1519G3335G846G4111For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous {and} painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness--in conformity to God's will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God].G1161G3956G3756G3809G4314G3303G3918G1380G1511G5479G235G3077G1161G5305G591G1516G2590G1343G1128G1223G84612So then, brace up {and} reinvigorate {and} set right your slackened {and} weakened {and} drooping hands and strengthen your feeble {and} palsied {and} tottering knees,G1352G461G5495G3935G2532G3886G111913And cut through {and} make firm {and} plain {and} smooth, straight paths for your feet [yes, make them safe and upright and happy paths that go in the right direction], so that the lame {and} halting [limbs] may not be put out of joint, but rather may be cured.G2532G4160G3717G5163G5216G4228G3363G5560G1624G1161G2390G3123G239014Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration {and} holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord.G1377G1515G3326G3956G2532G38G5565G3739G3762G3700G296215Exercise foresight {and} be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from {and} fails to secure God's grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble {and} bitter torment, and the many become contaminated {and} defiled by it--G1983G3361G5100G5302G575G5485G2316G3361G5100G4491G4088G5453G507G1776G2532G1223G5026G4183G339216That no one may become guilty of sexual vice, or become a profane (godless and sacrilegious) person as Esau did, who sold his own birthright for a single meal.G3361G5100G4205G2228G952G5613G2269G3739G473G3391G1035G591G846G441517For you understand that later on, when he wanted [to regain title to] his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected (disqualified and set aside), for he could find no opportunity to repair by repentance [what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made], although he sought for it carefully with [bitter] tears.G1063G2467G3754G2532G3347G2309G2816G2129G593G1063G2147G3756G5117G3341G2539G1567G846G1567G3326G1144

Contrast of Sinai and Zion

18For you have not come [as did the Israelites in the wilderness] to a [material] mountain that can be touched, [a mountain] that is ablaze with fire, and to gloom and darkness and a raging storm,G1063G4334G3756G4334G3735G5584G2532G2545G4442G2532G1105G2532G4655G2532G236619And to the blast of a trumpet and a voice whose words make the listeners beg that nothing more be said to them.G2532G2279G4536G2532G5456G4487G3739G191G3868G3056G4369G3361G4369G846G336120For they could not bear the command that was given: If even a wild animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.G1063G5342G3756G5342G1291G2579G2342G2345G3735G3036G2228G2700G100221In fact, so awful {and} terrifying was the [phenomenal] sight that Moses said, I am terrified (aghast and trembling with fear).G2532G3779G5398G2258G5324G3475G2036G1630G1510G2532G179022But rather, you have come to Mount Zion, even to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless multitudes of angels in festal gathering,G235G4334G3735G4622G2532G4172G2198G2316G2032G2419G2532G3461G3223And to the church (assembly) of the Firstborn who are registered [as citizens] in heaven, and to the God Who is Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous (the redeemed in heaven) who have been made perfect,G3831G2532G1577G4416G583G1722G3772G2532G2316G2923G3956G2532G4151G1342G504824And to Jesus, the Mediator (Go-between, Agent) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood which speaks [of mercy], a better {and} nobler {and} more gracious message than the blood of Abel [which cried out for vengeance].G2532G2424G3316G3501G1242G2532G129G4473G2980G2909G3844G6

The Unshaken Kingdom

25So see to it that you do not reject Him {or} refuse to listen to {and} heed Him Who is speaking [to you now]. For if they [the Israelites] did not escape when they refused to listen {and} heed Him Who warned {and} divinely instructed them [here] on earth [revealing with heavenly warnings His will], how much less shall we escape if we reject {and} turn our backs on Him Who cautions {and} admonishes [us] from heaven?G991G3868G3361G2980G1063G1487G1565G5343G3756G3868G5537G1909G1093G4183G3123G2249G654G575G377226Then [at Mount Sinai] His voice shook the earth, but now He has given a promise: Yet once more I will shake {and} make tremble not only the earth but also the [starry] heavens.G3739G5456G5119G4531G1093G1161G3568G1861G3004G2089G530G1473G4579G3756G1093G3440G235G2532G377227Now this expression, Yet once more, indicates the final removal {and} transformation of all [that can be] shaken--that is, of that which has been created--in order that what cannot be shaken may remain {and} continue.G1161G2089G530G1213G3331G4531G5613G4160G2443G3361G4531G330628Let us therefore, receiving a kingdom that is firm {and} stable {and} cannot be shaken, offer to God pleasing service {and} acceptable worship, with modesty {and} pious care and godly fear {and} awe;G1352G3880G932G761G2192G5485G1223G3739G3000G2316G2102G3326G127G2532G212429For our God [is indeed] a consuming fire.G2532G1063G2257G2316G2654G4442