Hebrews 12

Run Your Race and Hold the Unshakable Kingdom

1 Since we are surrounded by such a huge cloud of witnesses, let us drop every weight and the sin that keeps wrapping around our feet. Let us run with endurance the race marked out for us.

2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and finisher of faith. Because of the joy waiting ahead, He endured the cross, ignored its shame, and sat down at God’s right hand.

3 Think about how He endured hostility from sinners, so you do not grow tired and give up inside.

4 In your fight against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

5 Have you forgotten the encouragement that speaks to you as God’s children, “My child, do not treat the Lord’s discipline lightly, and do not give up when He corrects you.”

6 “The Lord disciplines everyone He loves, and He corrects every child He accepts.”

7 Endure hardship as discipline. God is treating you as His children. What child is never disciplined by a loving father,

8 If you never receive the discipline shared by all His children, then you are not being treated as true sons and daughters.

9 We respected our earthly fathers when they disciplined us. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and truly live,

10 Our earthly fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good so we can share His holiness.

11 Discipline never feels joyful while it is happening; it hurts. Later, though, it produces a peaceful harvest of righteousness in people trained by it.

12 So lift those tired hands and strengthen those weak knees.

13 Make straight paths for your feet, so what is injured will not get worse but will be healed.

14 Chase peace with everybody, and pursue holiness. Without holiness, nobody will see the Lord.

15 Watch carefully so nobody misses God’s grace and no bitter root grows up, causes trouble, and contaminates many people.

16 Make sure nobody is sexually immoral or godless like Esau, who traded his birthright for one meal.

17 You know that later, when he wanted the blessing, he was rejected. Even with tears, he could not undo what he had done.

18 You have not come to a physical mountain burning with fire, covered in darkness, gloom, and storm.

19 You have not come to a blasting trumpet and a voice so overwhelming that the listeners begged not to hear another word.

20 They could not handle the command: “Even an animal touching the mountain must be stoned.”

21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless joyful angels.

23 You have come to the gathered church of the firstborn whose names are written in heaven, to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous people made complete.

24 You have come to Jesus, mediator of the new covenant, and to sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than Abel’s blood.

25 Be careful not to refuse the One who is speaking. If people did not escape after rejecting God’s warning on earth, we certainly will not escape if we turn from the One warning us from heaven.

26 His voice shook the earth then, but now He promises, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven.”

27 “Once more” means everything created and shakable will be removed, so what cannot be shaken will remain.

28 Since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be grateful and worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

29 Our God is a consuming fire.