Hebrews

A Call to Endurance

1Therefore, 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.

2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the authorand 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.

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

God Disciplines His Sons

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

5And 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.

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

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

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

9Furthermore, 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?

10Our 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.

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

12Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.

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

A Call to Holiness

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

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

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

17For 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.

An Unshakable Kingdom

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

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

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

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

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

23in 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,

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

25See 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?

26At 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.”

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

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

29“For our God is a consuming fire.”

1And therefore we also having so great a cloud of witnesses over our head, laying aside every weight and sin which surrounds us, let us run by patience to the fight proposed to us:

2Looking on Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, who having joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and now sitteth on the right hand of the throne of God.

3For think diligently upon him that endured such opposition from sinners against himself; that you be not wearied, fainting in your minds.

4For you have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin:

5And you have forgotten the consolation, which speaketh to you, as unto children, saying: My son, neglect not the discipline of the Lord; neither be thou wearied whilst thou art rebuked by him.

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

7Persevere under discipline. God dealeth with you as with his sons; for what son is there, whom the father doth not correct?

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

9Moreover we have had fathers of our flesh, for instructors, and we reverenced them: shall we not much more obey the Father of spirits, and live?

10And they indeed for a few days, according to their own pleasure, instructed us: but he, for our profit, that we might receive his sanctification.

11Now all chastisement for the present indeed seemeth not to bring with it joy, but sorrow: but afterwards it will yield, to them that are exercised by it, the most peaceable fruit of justice.

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

13And make straight steps with your feet: that no one, halting, may go out of the way; but rather be healed.

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

15Looking diligently, lest any man be wanting to the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up do hinder, and by it many be defiled.

16Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau; who for one mess, sold his first birthright.

17For know ye that afterwards, when he desired to inherit the benediction, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, although with tears he had sought it.

18For you are not come to a mountain that might be touched, and a burning fire, and a whirlwind, and darkness, and storm,

19And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which they that heard excused themselves, that the word might not be spoken to them:

20For they did not endure that which was said: And if so much as a beast shall touch the mount, it shall be stoned.

21And so terrible was that which was seen, Moses said: I am frighted, and tremble.

22But you are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels,

23And to the church of the firstborn, who are written in the heavens, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect,

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

25See that you refuse him not that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spoke upon the earth, much more shall not we, that turn away from him that speaketh to us from heaven.

26Whose voice then moved the earth; but now he promiseth, saying: Yet once more, and I will move not only the earth, but heaven also.

27And in that he saith, Yet once more, he signifieth the translation of the moveable things as made, that those things may remain which are immoveable.

28Therefore receiving an immoveable kingdom, we have grace; whereby let us serve, pleasing God, with fear and reverence.

29For our God is a consuming fire.