Hebrews 12

¹ 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, 1 CCC

² 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. CCC

³ For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls. CCC

⁴ You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin.

⁵ 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;

⁶ for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and chastises every son whom he receives.” Fathers

⁷ 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?

⁸ But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then you are illegitimate, and not children.

⁹ 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?

¹⁰ 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.

¹¹ 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.

¹² Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,

¹³ and make straight paths for your feet, so what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

¹⁴ Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord,

¹⁵ 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,

¹⁶ lest there be any sexually immoral person or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.

¹⁷ 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.

¹⁸ For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm,

¹⁹ 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,

²⁰ for they could not stand that which was commanded, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned”.

²¹ So fearful was the appearance that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”

²² But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels, CCC

²³ 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, CCC

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

²⁵ 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,

²⁶ 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.”

²⁷ 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.

²⁸ Therefore, receiving a Kingdom that can’t be shaken, let’s have grace, through which we serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire.

¹ AAnd 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: 1 CCC

² Looking 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. CCC

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

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

⁵ And 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.

⁶ For whom the Lord loveth he chastiseth: and he scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Fathers

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

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

⁹ Moreover, 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?

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

¹¹ Now 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.

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

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

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

¹⁵ Looking 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:

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

¹⁷ For 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.

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

¹⁹ And 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.

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

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

²² But 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, CCC

²³ And 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, CCC

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

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

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

²⁷ And 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.

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

²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.