The Epistle to the Hebrews

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 12 -

(2 Timothy 2:1–13)

Wherefore 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,

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

God Disciplines His Sons

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

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

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

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

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

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

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

And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

A Call to Holiness

(1 Peter 1:13–21)

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

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

An Unshakable Kingdom

(Exodus 20:18–21; Deuteronomy 5:22–33)

For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

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

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

Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

For our God is a consuming fire.

(2 Timothy 2:1–13)

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,

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.

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

God Disciplines His Sons

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

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;

for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines, and chastises every son whom he receives.”(a)

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?

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

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?

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.

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.

Therefore lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees, (b)

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

A Call to Holiness

(1 Peter 1:13–21)

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

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,

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

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.

An Unshakable Kingdom

(Exodus 20:18–21; Deuteronomy 5:22–33)

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

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,

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

(e)

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

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

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,

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

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,

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.”(h)

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.

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

for our God is a consuming fire.(i)

Footnotes

(a)12:6 ℘ Proverbs 3:11-12

(b)12:12 ℘ Isaiah 35:3

(d)12:20 TR adds “or shot with an arrow”

(e)12:20 ℘ Exodus 19:12-13

(f)12:21 ℘ Deuteronomy 9:19

(g)12:24 ℘ Jeremiah 31:31

(h)12:26 ℘ Haggai 2:6

(i)12:29 ℘ Deuteronomy 4:24