| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, | 1Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, |
| 2looking 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. | 2keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne. |
| 3For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. | 3For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you won't grow weary and lose heart. |
| 4You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin. | 4In struggling against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. |
| 5And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; | 5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: My son, do not take the Lord's discipline lightly or faint when you are reproved by Him, |
| 6For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.” | 6for the Lord disciplines the one He loves and punishes every son He receives. |
| 7If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? | 7Endure suffering as discipline: God is dealing with you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? |
| 8But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. | 8But if you are without discipline--which all receive--then you are illegitimate children and not sons. |
| 9Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? | 9Furthermore, we had natural fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn't we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live? |
| 10For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. | 10For they disciplined us for a short time based on what seemed good to them, but He does it for our benefit, so that we can share His holiness. |
| 11Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. | 11No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the fruit of peace and righteousness to those who have been trained by it. |
| 12Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, | 12Therefore strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, |
| 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. | 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead. |
| 14Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: | 14Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness--without it no one will see the Lord. |
| 15looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled; | 15Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many. |
| 16lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright. | 16And make sure that there isn't any immoral or irreverent person like Esau, who sold his birthright in exchange for one meal. |
| 17For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought it diligently with tears. | 17For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected because he didn't find any opportunity for repentance, though he sought it with tears. |
| 18For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, | 18For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm, |
| 19and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore. | 19to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of words. (Those who heard it begged that not another word be spoken to them, |
| 20(For they could not endure what was commanded: “And if so much as a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned or shot with an arrow.” | 20for they could not bear what was commanded: And if even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned! |
| 21And so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I am exceedingly afraid and trembling.”) | 21The appearance was so terrifying that Moses said, I am terrified and trembling.) |
| 22But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, | 22Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels in festive gathering, |
| 23to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, | 23to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to God who is the Judge of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, |
| 24to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel. | 24to Jesus (mediator of a new covenant), and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel. |
| 25See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven, | 25Make sure that you do not reject the One who speaks. For if they did not escape when they rejected Him who warned them on earth, even less will we if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven. |
| 26whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.” | 26His voice shook the earth at that time, but now He has promised, Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also heaven. |
| 27Now this, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. | 27This expression, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of what can be shaken--that is, created things--so that what is not shaken might remain. |
| 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. | 28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us hold on to grace. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe, |
| 29For our God is a consuming fire. | 29for our God is a consuming fire. |
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