Hebrews 12:4–13

12:4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed3 in your struggle against sin. 12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?

“My son, do not scorn4 the Lord’s discipline

or give up when he corrects5 you.

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

12:7 Endure your suffering7 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 sons10 have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 12:9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from11 our earthly fathers12 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 righteousness15 for those trained by it. 12:12 Therefore, strengthen16 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.

3	tn Grk “until blood.”
4	tn Or “disregard,” “think little of.”
5	tn Or “reproves,” “rebukes.” The Greek verb ἐλέγχω (elenchō) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.
6	sn A quotation from Prov 3:11–12.
7	tn Grk “endure,” with the object (“your suffering”) understood from the context.
8	tn Or “in order to become disciplined.”
9	tn Grk “you are without discipline.”
10	tn Grk “all”; “sons” is implied by the context.
11	tn Grk “we had our earthly fathers as discipliners.”
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.
13	tn Grk “and live.” sn Submit ourselves … to the Father of spirits and receive life. This idea is drawn from Proverbs, where the Lord’s discipline brings life, while resistance to it leads to death (cf. Prov 4:13; 6:23; 10:17; 16:17).
14	tn Grk “all discipline at the time does not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow.”
15	tn Grk “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
16	tn Or “straighten.”
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).
18	sn A quotation from Prov 4:26. The phrase make straight paths for your feet is figurative for “stay on God’s paths.”