Hebrews 12

1Therefore 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,

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses, let us strip off every weight and the sin that trips us up so easily. Let us run with endurance the race that is laid out for us,

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.

2keeping our eyes on Jesus, the one who begins and perfects our faith. Because of the joy waiting for him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has now sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.

3For consider him that hath endured such gainsaying of sinners against himself, that ye wax not weary, fainting in your souls.

3Think about him, who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, so that you won't become tired and give up.

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

4In your struggle against sin, you haven't yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

5and ye have forgotten the exhortation which reasoneth with you as with sons, My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art reproved of him;

5And you have forgotten the encouraging words that address you as children: 'My child, do not think lightly of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he corrects you.

6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

6For the Lord disciplines the ones he loves, and he punishes every child he accepts.'

7It is for chastening that ye endure; God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father chasteneth not?

7Endure your hardships as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what child is never disciplined by their father?

8But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

8If you are not disciplined—and everyone experiences it—then you are illegitimate children and not true sons and daughters.

9Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

9Besides, we had human fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Shoudn't we even more willingly submit to the Father of spirits and live?

10For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.

10Our human fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our own good, so that we may share in his holiness.

11All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness.

11No discipline seems pleasant at the time; it is painful. But later on, it produces a harvest of peace and right living for those who have been trained by it.

12Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the palsied knees;

12So, strengthen your tired hands and steady your weak knees.

13and make straight paths for your feet, that that which is lame be not turned out of the way, but rather be healed.

13Make straight paths for your feet, so that the person who is limping won't be disabled, but will instead be healed.

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

14Try to live in peace with everyone and work toward a holy life, because without holiness no one will see the Lord.

15looking carefully lestthere beany man that falleth short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby the many be defiled;

15Make sure that no one misses out on the grace of God, and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and corrupt many people.

16lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright.

16Make sure that no one is sexually immoral or godless like Esau, who sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son for a single meal.

17For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind in his father, though he sought it diligently with tears.

17You know that even afterward, when he wanted to receive the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no way to change what he had done, even though he searched for it with tears.

18For ye are not come unto a mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

18You have not come to a mountain that can be touched, that burns with fire, or to darkness, gloom, and a storm.

19and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that no word more should be spoken unto them;

19You haven't come to a trumpet blast or a voice speaking words that made those who heard it beg that not another word be spoken to them.

20for they could not endure that which was enjoined, If even a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned;

20They could not handle the command: 'If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.'

21and so fearful was the appearance, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:

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

22but ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable hosts of angels,

22Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to countless thousands of angels in joyful gathering.

23to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

23You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of everyone, and to the spirits of righteous people who have been made perfect.

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

24You have come to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than the blood of Abel.

25See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not when they refused him that warned them on earth, much more shall not we escape who turn away from him that warneth from heaven:

25Be careful not to refuse the one who is speaking. For if those people did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, we will certainly not escape if we turn away from the one who warns us from heaven.

26whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more will I make to tremble not the earth only, but also the heaven.

26Back then, his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, 'Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.'

27And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that have been made, that those things which are not shaken may remain.

27The phrase 'once more' means that the things that can be shaken—the things that were created—will be removed, so that only the things that cannot be shaken will remain.

28Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe:

28Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. By this thankfulness, let us worship God in a way that pleases him, with holy fear and awe.

29for our God is a consuming fire.

29For our God is a fire that consumes everything.