Hebrews 12

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,	1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us
2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.	2 while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.	3 Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.	4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.
5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:	5 You have also forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons: "My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord or lose heart when reproved by him;
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.	6 for whom the Lord loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges."
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?	7 Endure your trials as "discipline"; God treats you as sons. For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.	8 If you are without discipline, in which all have shared, you are not sons but bastards.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?	9 Besides this, we have had our earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not (then) submit all the more to the Father of spirits and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.	10 They disciplined us for a short time as seemed right to them, but he does so for our benefit, in order that we may share his holiness.
11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.	11 At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;	12 So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees.
13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.	13 Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:	14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;	15 See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God, that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble, through which many may become defiled,
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.	16 that no one be an immoral or profane person like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.
17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.	17 For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit his father's blessing, he was rejected because he found no opportunity to change his mind, even though he sought the blessing with tears.
18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,	18 You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm
19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:	19 and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them,
20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:	20 for they could not bear to hear the command: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned."
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)	21 Indeed, so fearful was the spectacle that Moses said, "I am terrified and trembling."
22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,	22 No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,	23 and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.	24 and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.
25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:	25 See that you do not reject the one who speaks. For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much more in our case if we turn away from the one who warns from heaven.
26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.	26 His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, "I will once more shake not only earth but heaven."
27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.	27 That phrase, "once more," points to (the) removal of shaken, created things, so that what is unshaken may remain.
28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:	28 Therefore, we who are receiving the unshakable kingdom should have gratitude, with which we should offer worship pleasing to God in reverence and awe.
29 For our God is a consuming fire.	29 For our God is a consuming fire.