Hebrews 12:1-18

The Lord’s Discipline

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, ¹  we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, 12:2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. ²  12:3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up. 12:4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed ³  in your struggle against sin. 12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?

“My son, do not scorn ⁴  the Lord’s discipline

or give up when he corrects ⁵  you.

12:6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.” ⁶ 

12:7 Endure your suffering ⁷  as discipline; ⁸  God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 12:8 But if you do not experience discipline, ⁹  something all sons ¹⁰  have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 12:9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from ¹¹  our earthly fathers ¹²  and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life? ¹³  12:10 For they disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness. 12:11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. ¹⁴  But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness ¹⁵  for those trained by it. 12:12 Therefore, strengthen ¹⁶  your listless hands and your weak knees, ¹⁷  12:13 and make straight paths for your feet, ¹⁸  so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed.

Do Not Reject God’s Warning

12:14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, ¹⁹  for without it no one will see the Lord. 12:15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up ²⁰  and causing trouble, and through him many become defiled. 12:16 And see to it that no one becomes ²¹  an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. ²²  12:17 For you know that ²³  later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing ²⁴  with tears. 12:18 For you have not come to something that can be touched, ²⁵  to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind

[12:1]  ¹ tn Grk “having such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us.”

[12:2]  ² sn An allusion to Ps 110:1.

[12:4]  ³ tn Grk “until blood.”

[12:5]  ⁴ tn Or “disregard,” “think little of.”

[12:5]  ⁵ tn Or “reproves,” “rebukes.” The Greek verb ἐλέγχω (elencw) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.

[12:6]  ⁶ sn A quotation from Prov 3:11-12.

[12:7]  ⁷ tn Grk “endure,” with the object (“your suffering”) understood from the context.

[12:7]  ⁸ tn Or “in order to become disciplined.”

[12:8]  ⁹ tn Grk “you are without discipline.”

[12:8]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “all”; “sons” is implied by the context.

[12:9]  ¹¹ tn Grk “we had our earthly fathers as discipliners.”

[12:9]  ¹² tn Grk “the fathers of our flesh.” In Hebrews, “flesh” is a characteristic way of speaking about outward, physical, earthly life (cf. Heb 5:7; 9:10, 13), as opposed to the inward or spiritual dimensions of life.

[12:9]  ¹³ tn Grk “and live.”

[12:11]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “all discipline at the time does not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow.”

[12:11]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

[12:12]  ¹⁶ tn Or “straighten.”

[12:12]  ¹⁷ sn A quotation from Isa 35:3. Strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees refers to the readers’ need for renewed resolve and fresh strength in their struggles (cf. Heb 10:36-39; 12:1-3).

[12:13]  ¹⁸ sn A quotation from Prov 4:26. The phrase make straight paths for your feet is figurative for “stay on God’s paths.”

[12:14]  ¹⁹ sn The references to peace and holiness show the close connection between this paragraph and the previous one. The pathway toward “holiness” and the need for it is cited in Heb 12:10 and 14. More importantly Prov 4:26-27 sets up the transition from one paragraph to the next: It urges people to stay on godly paths (Prov 4:26, quoted here in v. 13) and promises that God will lead them in peace if they do so (Prov 4:27 [LXX], quoted in v. 14).

[12:15]  ²⁰ tn Grk “that there not be any root of bitterness,” but referring figuratively to a person who causes trouble (as in Deut 29:17 [LXX] from which this is quoted).

[12:16]  ²¹ tn Grk “that there not be any,” continuing from v. 15.

[12:16]  ²² sn An allusion to Gen 27:34-41.

[12:17]  ²³ tn Or a command: “for understand that.”

[12:17]  ²⁴ tn Grk “it,” referring either to the repentance or the blessing. But the account in Gen 27:34-41 (which the author appeals to here) makes it clear that the blessing is what Esau sought. Thus in the translation the referent (the blessing) is specified for clarity.

[12:18]  ²⁵ tn This describes the nation of Israel approaching God on Mt. Sinai (Exod 19). There is a clear contrast with the reference to Mount Zion in v. 22, so this could be translated “a mountain that can be touched.” But the word “mountain” does not occur here and the more vague description seems to be deliberate.