Hebrews 12

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.

1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

5 And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

9 Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?

9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

10 Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

12 Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

13 Make straight paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

14 Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

16 See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;

18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

19 to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken.

19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”

20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

21 The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23 in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

25 See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

26 At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”

26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

27 The words “Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that the unshakable may remain.

27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 “For our God is a consuming fire.”

29 For our God is a consuming fire.