The Epistle to the Hebrews

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

(2 Timothy 2:1–13)

Therefore, we also having so great a cloud of witnesses set around us, having put off every weight, and the closely besetting sin, may we run the contest that is set before us through endurance,

looking to the Author and Perfecter of the faith—Jesus, who, for the joy set before Him, endured a cross, having despised shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God;

for again consider Him who endured such contradiction from the sinners to Himself, that you may not be wearied in your souls—being faint.

God Disciplines His Sons

You did not yet resist to blood—striving with sin;

and you have forgotten the exhortation that speaks fully to you as to sons, “My son, do not despise [the] discipline of [the] LORD, nor be faint, being reproved by Him,

for whom the LORD loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives”;

if you endure discipline, God bears Himself to you as to sons, for who is a son whom a father does not discipline?

And if you are apart from discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are bastards, and not sons.

Then, indeed, we have had fathers of our flesh, correctors, and we respected [them]; will we not much rather be subject to the Father of the spirits, and live?

For they, indeed, for a few days, according to what seemed good to them, were disciplining, but He for profit, to be partakers of His separation;

and all discipline for the present, indeed, does not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow, yet afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those exercised through it.

For this reason, lift up the hanging-down hands and the loosened knees;

and make straight paths for your feet, so that which is lame may not be turned aside, but rather be healed;

A Call to Holiness

(1 Peter 1:13–21)

pursue peace with all, and the separation, apart from which no one will see the LORD,

observing lest anyone be failing of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up may give trouble, and through this many may be defiled;

lest anyone be a fornicator, or a profane person, as Esau, who in exchange for one morsel of food sold his birthright,

for you know that also afterward, wishing to inherit the blessing, he was disapproved of, for he did not find a place of conversion, though having sought it with tears.

An Unshakable Kingdom

(Exodus 20:18–21; Deuteronomy 5:22–33)

For you did not come near to the mountain touched and scorched with fire, and to blackness, and darkness, and storm,

and a sound of a trumpet, and a voice of sayings, which those having heard begged that a word might not be added to them,

for they were not bearing that which is commanded, “And if a beast may touch the mountain, it will be stoned, or shot through with an arrow,”

and (so terrible was the sight), Moses said, “I am exceedingly fearful, and trembling.”

But you came to Mount Zion, and to [the] city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of messengers,

to the assembly-place and Assembly of the Firstborn registered in Heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to spirits of righteous men made perfect,

and to a mediator of a new covenant—Jesus, and to blood of sprinkling, speaking better things than that of Abel!

Watch out lest you refuse Him who is speaking, for if those did not escape who refused him who was divinely speaking on earth—much less we who turn away from Him who [speaks] from Heaven,

whose voice shook the earth then, and now He has promised, saying, “Yet once [more]—I shake not only the earth, but also Heaven”;

and this, “Yet once [more],” makes evident the removal of the things shaken, as of things having been made, that the things not shaken may remain;

for this reason, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, may we have grace, through which we may serve God well-pleasingly, with reverence and fear,

for our God [is] also a consuming fire.

(2 Timothy 2:1–13)

Therefore let’s also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls.

God Disciplines His Sons

You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin.

You have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with children, “My son, don’t take lightly the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by him;

for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and chastises every son whom he receives.”(a)

It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what son is there whom his father doesn’t discipline?

But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then you are illegitimate, and not children.

Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?

For they indeed for a few days disciplined us as seemed good to them, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

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

Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees, (b)

and make straight paths for your feet,(c) so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

A Call to Holiness

(1 Peter 1:13–21)

Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,

looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and many be defiled by it,

lest there be any sexually immoral person or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.

For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with tears.

An Unshakable Kingdom

(Exodus 20:18–21; Deuteronomy 5:22–33)

For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm,

the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which those who heard it begged that not one more word should be spoken to them,

for they could not stand that which was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned”.(d)

(e)

So fearful was the appearance that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”(f)

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels,

to the festal gathering and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,(g) and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better than that of Abel.

See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven,

whose voice shook the earth then, but now he has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens.”(h)

This phrase, “Yet once more” signifies the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.

Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

for our God is a consuming fire.(i)

Footnotes

(a)12:6 ℘ Proverbs 3:11-12

(b)12:12 ℘ Isaiah 35:3

(d)12:20 TR adds “or shot with an arrow”

(e)12:20 ℘ Exodus 19:12-13

(f)12:21 ℘ Deuteronomy 9:19

(g)12:24 ℘ Jeremiah 31:31

(h)12:26 ℘ Haggai 2:6

(i)12:29 ℘ Deuteronomy 4:24