Hebrews 12

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,	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.
2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.	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.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.	3 Think of the way he persevered against such opposition from sinners and then you will not lose heartand come to grief.
4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.	4 In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of bloodshed.
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons?-- "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him.	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,
6 For the Lord disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."	6 for the Lord trains those he loves, and chastises every son he accepts.
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?	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?
8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.	8 If you were not getting this training, as all of you are, then you would be not sons but bastards.
9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?	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.
10 For they disciplined us for a short time at their pleasure, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.	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.
11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.	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.
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,	12 So steady al weary hands and trembling knees
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.	13 and make your crooked paths straight; then the injured limb wil not be maimed, it wil get betterinstead.
14 Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.	14 Seek peace with al people, and the holiness without which no one can ever see the Lord.
15 See to it that no one fail to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" spring up and cause trouble, and by it the many become defiled;	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.
16 that no one be immoral or irreligious like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.	16 And be careful that there is no immoral person, or anyone worldly minded like Esau, who sold hisbirthright for one single meal.
17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.	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.
18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest,	18 What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or gloom or totaldarkness, or a storm;
19 and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers entreat that no further messages be spoken to them.	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.
20 For they could not endure the order that was given, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned."	20 They could not bear the order that was given: If even a beast touches the mountain, it must bestoned.
21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I tremble with fear."	21 The whole scene was so terrible that Moses said, 'I am afraid and trembling.'
22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering,	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,
23 and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,	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;
24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel.	24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to purifying blood which pleads more insistentlythan Abel's.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.	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?
26 His voice then shook the earth; but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the 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 .
27 This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of what is shaken, as of what has been made, in order that what cannot be shaken may remain.	27 The words once more indicate the removal of what is shaken, since these are created things, so thatwhat is not shaken remains.
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe;	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.
29 for our God is a consuming fire.	29 For our God is a consuming fire.