Hebrews 12–13

12A huge cloud of witnesses is all around us. So let us throw off everything that stands in our way. Let us throw off any sin that holds on to us so tightly. Let us keep on running the race marked out for us.

²Let us keep looking to Jesus. He is the author of faith. He also makes it perfect. He paid no attention to the shame of the cross. He suffered there because of the joy he was looking forward to. Then he sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³He put up with attacks from sinners. So think about him. Then you won’t get tired. You won’t lose hope.

God Trains His Children

⁴You struggle against sin. But you have not yet fought to the point of spilling your blood. ⁵You have forgotten that word of hope. It speaks to you as children. It says,

“My son, think of the Lord’s training as important.

Do not lose hope when he corrects you.

⁶The Lord trains those he loves.

He punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

⁷Put up with hard times. God uses them to train you. He is treating you as children. What children are not trained by their parents? ⁸God trains all of his children. But what if he doesn’t train you? Then you are like children of people who weren’t married to each other. You are not truly God’s children.

⁹Besides, we have all had human parents who trained us. We respected them for it. How much more should we be trained by the Father of our spirits and live!

¹⁰Our parents trained us for a little while. They did what they thought was best. But God trains us for our good. He wants us to share in his holiness.

¹¹No training seems pleasant at the time. In fact, it seems painful. But later on it produces a harvest of godliness and peace. It does that for those who have been trained by it.

¹²So lift your sagging arms. Strengthen your weak knees. ¹³“Make level paths for your feet to walk on.” Then those who have trouble walking won’t be disabled. Instead, they will be healed.

A Warning Against Saying No to God

¹⁴Try your best to live in peace with everyone. Try to be holy. Without holiness no one will see the Lord.

¹⁵Be sure that no one misses God’s grace. See to it that a bitter plant doesn’t grow up. If it does, it will cause trouble. And it will pollute many people. ¹⁶See to it that no one commits sexual sins.

See to it that no one is godless like Esau. He sold the rights to what he would receive as the oldest son. He sold them for a single meal. ¹⁷As you know, after that he wanted to receive his father’s blessing. But he was turned away. With tears he tried to get the blessing. But he couldn’t get his father to change his mind.

¹⁸You haven’t come to a mountain that can be touched. You haven’t come to a mountain that is burning with fire. You haven’t come to darkness, gloom and storm. ¹⁹You haven’t come to a blast from God’s trumpet. You haven’t come to a voice speaking to you. When people heard that voice long ago, they begged it not to say anything more to them. ²⁰What God commanded was too much for them. He said, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be killed with stones.” ²¹The sight was terrifying. Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

²²But you have come to Mount Zion. You have come to the Jerusalem in heaven. It is the city of the living God. You have come to a joyful gathering of angels. There are thousands and thousands of them. ²³You have come to the church of God’s people. God’s first and only Son is over all things. God’s people share in what belongs to his Son. Their names are written in heaven. You have come to God. He is the judge of all people.

You have come to the spirits of godly people who have been made perfect. ²⁴You have come to Jesus. He is the go-between of a new covenant. You have come to the sprinkled blood. It promises better things than the blood of Abel.

²⁵Be sure that you don’t say no to the One who speaks. People did not escape when they said no to the One who warned them on earth. And what if we turn away from the One who warns us from heaven? How much less will we escape!

²⁶At that time his voice shook the earth. But now he has promised, “Once more I will shake the earth. I will also shake the heavens.” ²⁷The words “once more” point out that what can be shaken can be taken away. I’m talking about created things. Then what can’t be shaken will remain.

²⁸We are receiving a kingdom that can’t be shaken. So let us be thankful. Then we can worship God in a way that pleases him. We will worship him with deep respect and wonder. ²⁹Our “God is like a fire that burns everything up.”

Final Words

13Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. ²Don’t forget to welcome strangers. By doing that, some people have welcomed angels without knowing it.

³Remember those in prison as if you were in prison with them. And remember those who are treated badly as if you yourselves were suffering.

⁴All of you should honor marriage. You should keep the marriage bed pure. God will judge the person who commits adultery. He will judge everyone who commits sexual sins.

⁵Don’t be controlled by love for money. Be happy with what you have. God has said,

“I will never leave you.

I will never desert you.”

⁶So we can say boldly,

“The Lord helps me. I will not be afraid.

What can a mere man do to me?”

⁷Remember your leaders. They spoke God’s word to you. Think about the results of their way of life. Copy their faith.

⁸Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

⁹Don’t be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good that God’s grace makes our hearts strong. Don’t depend on foods the Law requires. They have no value for the people who eat them. ¹⁰Some worship at the holy tent. But we have an altar that they have no right to eat from.

¹¹The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Room. He brings their blood as a sin offering. But the bodies are burned outside the camp. ¹²Jesus also suffered outside the city gate. He suffered to make the people holy by spilling his own blood.

¹³So let us go to him outside the camp. Let us be willing to suffer the shame he suffered. ¹⁴Here we do not have a city that lasts. But we are looking for the city that is going to come.

¹⁵So let us never stop offering to God our praise through Jesus. Let us offer it as the fruit of lips that say they believe in him.

¹⁶Don’t forget to do good. Don’t forget to share with others. God is pleased with those kinds of offerings.

¹⁷Obey your leaders. Put yourselves under their authority. They keep watch over you. They know they are accountable to God for everything they do. Obey them so that their work will be a joy. If you make their work a heavy load, it won’t do you any good.

¹⁸Pray for us. We feel sure we have done what is right. We long to live as we should in every way.

¹⁹I beg you to pray that I may return to you soon.

²⁰Our Lord Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep. The God who gives peace brought him back from the dead. He did it because of the blood of the eternal covenant. May God ²¹supply you with everything good. Then you can do what he wants. May he do in us what is pleasing to him. We can do it only with the help of Jesus Christ. Give him glory for ever and ever. Amen.

²²Brothers and sisters, I beg you to accept my word. It tells you to be faithful. I have written you only a short letter.

²³I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been set free. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.

²⁴Greet all of your leaders. Greet all of God’s people. The believers from Italy send you their greetings.

²⁵May grace be with you all.