Heb 12:5-11 | NETfull | STEP | And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons? “ My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline or give up when he corrects you.

Hebrews 12:5-11

5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?

“My son, do not scorn ^{▼▼ Or “disregard,” “think little of.”} the Lord’s discipline
or give up when he corrects ^{▼▼ Or “reproves,” “rebukes.” The Greek verb ἐλέγχω (elencō) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.} you.
6 “ For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts. ” ^{▼▼ A quotation from Prov 3:11–12.}
7 Endure your suffering ^{▼▼ Grk “endure,” with the object (“your suffering”) understood from the context.} as discipline; ^{▼▼ Or “in order to become disciplined.”} God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you do not experience discipline, ^{▼▼ Grk “you are without discipline.”} something all sons ^{▼▼ Grk “all”; “sons” is implied by the context.} have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from ^{▼▼ Grk “we had our earthly fathers as discipliners.”} our earthly fathers ^{▼▼ Grk “the fathers of our flesh.” In Hebrews, “flesh” is a characteristic way of speaking about outward, physical, earthly life (cf. Heb 5:7; 9:10, 13), as opposed to the inward or spiritual dimensions of life.} and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life? ^{▼▼ Grk “and live.”} ^{▼▼ Submit ourselves…to the Father of spirits and receive life. This idea is drawn from Proverbs, where the Lord’s discipline brings life, while resistance to it leads to death (cf. Prov 4:13; 6:23; 10:17; 16:17).} 10 For they disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness. 11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. ^{▼▼ Grk “all discipline at the time does not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow.”} But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness ^{▼▼ Grk “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”} for those trained by it.