Hebrews 12:1
What does Hebrews 12:1 mean?
A plain-English look at Hebrews 12:1 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Hebrews 12:1 means
This verse urges believers to run the life of faith like a long-distance race. Because many faithful witnesses have gone before us, we should drop anything that slows our progress—habits, fears, or even good things that have become burdens. Especially, we must deal decisively with sin, which clings closely and trips us. The race is not self-chosen; it is “set before us” by God, so endurance rather than speed is the key. The picture is athletic: we are surrounded by spectators who testify that perseverance is possible by God’s help. The call is to intentional, disciplined progress, trusting God’s course, and refusing to quit when resistance and fatigue come.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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,
KJV
King James Version · 1611Wherefore 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,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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,
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For this reason, as we are circled by so great a cloud of witnesses, putting off every weight, and the sin into which we come so readily, let us keep on running in the way which is marked out for us,
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Therefore, we also having so great a cloud of witnesses set around us, every weight having put off, and the closely besetting sin, through endurance may we run the contest that is set before us,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And 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:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Let us also therefore, having so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight, and sin which so easily entangles us, run with endurance the race that lies before us,
Context
Flowing directly from the catalog of faith in the previous chapter, the writer now applies those examples. The “cloud of witnesses” links chapter 12 to the models of endurance in chapter 11. Verse 1 launches the main exhortation section of the chapter: run with endurance, discard hindrances, and face sin squarely. The following verses will show how to do this by looking to Jesus (v. 2), considering His endurance (v. 3), and interpreting trials as God’s fatherly discipline (vv. 4–11). The race imagery frames the entire chapter’s tone: persistent, forward-looking faith under pressure.
v.1This passage
v.2looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Romans 13:11
And this, knowing the season, that already it is time for you to awake out of sleep: for now is salvation nearer to us than when wefirstbelieved.
- Revelation 3:10
Because thou didst keep the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
- 2 Timothy 2:4
No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier.
- Romans 2:7
to them that by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life:
- Ezekiel 38:9
And thou shalt ascend, thou shalt come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy hordes, and many peoples with thee.
- John 4:39
And from that city many of the Samaritans believed on him because of the word of the woman, who testified, He told me all things thateverI did.
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