Hebrews 12:3–11

Fatherly Discipline

³For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you won’t grow weary and lose heart. ^y4In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons:

My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly

or faint when you are reproved by Him,

⁶for the Lord disciplines the one He loves

and punishes every son He receives. ^za

⁷Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? ⁸But if you are without discipline—which all ^breceive ^c—then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ^d9Furthermore, we had natural fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? ^e10For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but He does it for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness. ^f11No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace ^gand righteousness to those who have been trained by it. ^h