Heb 12 | NASB1995 | STEP | Therefore , since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12

Jesus, the Example

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also ^alay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us ^brun with ^cendurance the race that is set before us, 2 ^{▼▼ Lit looking to}fixing our eyes on Jesus, the ^{▼▼ Or leader
,} ^fauthor and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him ^gendured the cross, ^hdespising the shame, and has ⁱsat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 For ^jconsider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary ^{▼▼ Lit fainting in your souls
,} ^land lose heart.

A Father’s Discipline

4 ^mYou have not yet resisted ^{▼▼ Lit as far as blood
,} ^oto the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ^p“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
Nor ^q faint when you are reproved by Him;
6 ^r For those ^s whom the Lord loves He disciplines,
And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you endure; ^tGod deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 But if you are without discipline, ^uof which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we had ^{▼▼ Lit fathers of our flesh}earthly fathers to discipline us, and we ^wrespected them; shall we not much rather be subject to ^xthe Father of ^{▼▼ Or our spirits}spirits, and ^zlive? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, ^aaso that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline ^abfor the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the ^acpeaceful fruit of righteousness.

12 Therefore, ^{▼▼ Lit make straight
,} ^aestrengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13 and ^afmake straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather ^agbe healed.

14 ^ahPursue peace with all men, and the ^aisanctification without which no one will ^ajsee the Lord. 15 See to it that no one ^akcomes short of the grace of God; that no ^alroot of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be ^amdefiled; 16 that there be no ^animmoral or ^aogodless person like Esau, ^apwho sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that even afterwards, ^aqwhen he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Contrast of Sinai and Zion

18 ^arFor you have not come to ^as a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, 19 and to the ^atblast of a trumpet and the ^ausound of words which sound was such that those who heard ^avbegged that no further word be spoken to them. 20 For they could not bear the command, ^aw“If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.” 21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, ^ax“I am full of fear and trembling.” 22 But ^ayyou have come to Mount Zion and to ^azthe city of ^bathe living God, ^bbthe heavenly Jerusalem, and to ^bcmyriads of ^{▼▼ Or angels in festive gathering, and to the church}angels, 23 to the general assembly and ^bechurch of the firstborn who ^bfare enrolled in heaven, and to God, ^bgthe Judge of all, and to the ^bhspirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the ^bimediator of a new covenant, and to the ^bjsprinkled blood, which speaks better than ^bk the blood of Abel.

The Unshaken Kingdom

25 ^blSee to it that you do not refuse Him who is ^bmspeaking. For ^bnif those did not escape when they ^borefused him who ^bpwarned them on earth, ^{▼▼ Lit much rather we will not escape...}much less will we escape who turn away from Him who ^br warns from heaven. 26 And ^bsHis voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, ^bt“Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” 27 This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes ^buthe removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we receive a ^bvkingdom which cannot be shaken, let us ^{▼▼ Lit have}show gratitude, by which we may ^bxoffer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; 29 for ^byour God is a consuming fire.