Hebrews 12

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 With so many witnesses in a great cloud all around us, we too, then, should throw off everything thatweighs us down and the sin that clings so closely, and with perseverance keep running in the race which liesahead of us.	1 Furthermore, since we also have so great a cloud of witnesses over us, let us set aside every burden and sin which may surround us, and advance, through patience, to the struggle offered to us.
2 Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection: for the sakeof the joy which lay ahead of him, he endured the cross, disregarding the shame of it, and has taken his seat atthe right of God's throne.	2 Let us gaze upon Jesus, as the Author and the completion of our faith, who, having joy laid out before him, endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and who now sits at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Think of the way he persevered against such opposition from sinners and then you will not lose heartand come to grief.	3 So then, meditate upon him who endured such adversity from sinners against himself, so that you may not become weary, failing in your souls.
4 In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of bloodshed.	4 For you have not yet resisted unto blood, while striving against sin.
5 Have you forgotten that encouraging text in which you are addressed as sons? My son, do not scorncorrection from the Lord, do not resent his training,	5 And you have forgotten the consolation which speaks to you like sons, saying: “My son, do not be willing to neglect the discipline of the Lord. Neither should you become weary, while being rebuked by him.”
6 for the Lord trains those he loves, and chastises every son he accepts.	6 For whomever the Lord loves, he chastises. And every son whom he accepts, he scourges.
7 Perseverance is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons. Has there ever been any sonwhose father did not train him?	7 Persevere in discipline. God presents you to himself as sons. But what son is there, whom his father does not correct?
8 If you were not getting this training, as all of you are, then you would be not sons but bastards.	8 But if you are without that discipline in which all have become sharers, then you are of adultery, and you are not sons.
9 Besides, we have all had our human fathers who punished us, and we respected them for it; al themore readily ought we to submit to the Father of spirits, and so earn life.	9 Then, too, we have certainly had the fathers of our flesh as instructors, and we reverenced them. Should we not obey the Father of spirits all the more, and so live?
10 Our human fathers were training us for a short life and according to their own lights; but he does it al for our own good, so that we may share his own holiness.	10 And indeed, for a few days and according to their own wishes, they instructed us. But he does so to our benefit, so that we may receive his sanctification.
11 Of course, any discipline is at the time a matter for grief, not joy; but later, in those who haveundergone it, it bears fruit in peace and uprightness.	11 Now every discipline, in the present time, does not seem a gladness, of course, but a grief. But afterwards, it will repay a most peaceful fruit of justice to those who become trained in it.
12 So steady al weary hands and trembling knees	12 Because of this, lift up your lazy hands and your lax knees,
13 and make your crooked paths straight; then the injured limb wil not be maimed, it wil get betterinstead.	13 and straighten the path of your feet, so that no one, being lame, may wander astray, but instead may be healed.
14 Seek peace with al people, and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord.	14 Pursue peace with everyone. Pursue sanctity, without which no one shall see God.
15 Be careful that no one is deprived of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness should begin togrow and make trouble; this can poison a large number.	15 Be contemplative, lest anyone lack the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring up and impede you, and by it, many might be defiled,
16 And be careful that there is no immoral person, or anyone worldly minded like Esau, who sold hisbirthright for one single meal.	16 lest any fornicator or worldly person be like Esau, who, for the sake of one meal, sold his birthright.
17 As you know, when he wanted to obtain the blessing afterwards, he was rejected and, though hepleaded for it with tears, he could find no way of reversing the decision.	17 For you know that afterwards, when he desired to inherit the benediction, he was rejected. For he found no place for repentance, even though he had sought it with tears.
18 What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or gloom or totaldarkness, or a storm;	18 But you have not drawn near to a tangible mountain, or a burning fire, or a whirlwind, or a mist, or a storm,
19 or trumpet-blast or the sound of a voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that nomore should be said to them.	19 or the sound of a trumpet, or a voice of words. Those who had experienced these things excused themselves, lest the Word be spoken to them.
20 They could not bear the order that was given: If even a beast touches the mountain, it must bestoned.	20 For they could not bear what was said, and so, if even a beast would have touched the mountain, it would have been stoned.
21 The whole scene was so terrible that Moses said, 'I am afraid and trembling.'	21 And what was seen was so terrible that even Moses said: “I am terrified, and so, I tremble.”
22 But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalemwhere the mil ions of angels have gathered for the festival,	22 But you have drawn near to mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of Angels,
23 with the whole Church of first-born sons, enrolled as citizens of heaven. You have come to Godhimself, the supreme Judge, and to the spirits of the upright who have been made perfect;	23 and to the Church of the first-born, those who have been inscribed in the heavens, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect,
24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to purifying blood which pleads more insistentlythan Abel's.	24 and to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Testament, and to a sprinkling of blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
25 Make sure that you never refuse to listen when he speaks. If the people who on earth refused tolisten to a warning could not escape their punishment, how shal we possibly escape if we turn away from avoice that warns us from heaven?	25 Be careful not to reject the One who is speaking. For if those who rejected him who was speaking upon the earth were not able to escape, so much more we who might turn away from the One who is speaking to us from heaven.
26 That time his voice made the earth shake, but now he has given us this promise: I am going to shakethe earth once more and not only the earth but heaven as wel .	26 Then, his voice moved the earth. But now, he makes a promise, saying: “There is still one more time, and then I will move, not only the earth, but also heaven itself.”
27 The words once more indicate the removal of what is shaken, since these are created things, so thatwhat is not shaken remains.	27 And so, in saying, “There is still one more time,” he declares the transfer of the moveable things of creation, so that those things which are immoveable may remain.
28 We have been given possession of an unshakeable kingdom. Let us therefore be grateful and useour gratitude to worship God in the way that pleases him, in reverence and fear.	28 Thus, in receiving an immoveable kingdom, we have grace. So, through grace, let us be of service, by pleasing God with fear and reverence.
29 For our God is a consuming fire.	29 For our God is a consuming fire.