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,
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.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
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:
6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
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?
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.
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.
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble 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.
14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall 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;
16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
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.
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,
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:
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:
21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
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,
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,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things 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:
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.
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.
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:
29 For our God is a consuming fire.

1Wherefore, seeing wee also are compassed about with so great a cloude of witnesses, let vs lay aside euery weight, & the sinne which doth so easily beset vs, and let vs runne with patience vnto the race that is set before vs,

2Looking vnto Iesus the Authour and finisher of our faith, who for the ioy that was set before him, endured the crosse, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3For consider him that indured such contradiction of sinners against himselfe, lest ye be wearied and faint in your mindes.

4Yee haue not yet resisted vnto blood, striuing against sinne.

5And ye haue forgotten the exhortation which speaketh vnto you as vnto children, My sonne, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.

6For whome the Lord loueth hee chasteneth, and scourgeth euery sonne whom he receiueth.

7If yee endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sonnes: for what sonne is he whom the father chasteneth not?

8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sonnes.

9Furthermore, wee haue had fathers of our flesh, which corrected vs, and we gaue them reuerence: shall we not much rather bee in subiection vnto the Father of Spirits, and liue?

10For they verily for a fewe dayes chastened vs after their owne pleasure, but hee for our profit, that we might bee partakers of his holinesse.

11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be ioyous, but grieuous: neuerthelesse, afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruite of righteousnesse, vnto them which are exercised thereby.

12Wherefore lift vp the handes which hang downe, and the feeble knees.

13And make straight paths for your feete, lest that which is lame bee turned out of the way, but let it rather bee healed.

14Followe peace with all men, and holinesse, without which no man shall see the Lord:

15Looking diligently, lest any man faile of the grace of God, lest any roote of bitternesse springing vp, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled:

16Lest there bee any fornicatour, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsell of meat sold his birthright.

17For yee know how that afterward when hee would haue inherited the blessing, hee was reiected: for hee found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with teares.

18For yee are not come vnto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor vnto blacknesse, and darknes, and tempest,

19And the sound of a trumpet, and the voyce of wordes, which voyce they that heard, entreated that the word should not bee spoken to them any more.

20For they could not indure that which was commaunded: And if so much as a beast touch the Mountaine, it shall be stoned, or thrust thorow with a dart.

21And so terrible was the sight, that Moses sayde, I exceedingly feare, and quake.

22But ye are come vnto mount Sion, and vnto the citie of the liuing God the heauenly Ierusalem, and to an innumerable company of Angels:

23To the generall assembly, and Church of the first borne which are written in heauen, and to God the Iudge of all, and to the spirits of iust men made perfect:

24And to Iesus the mediatour of the new Couenant, and to the blood of sprinckling, that speaketh better things then that of Abel.

25See that yee refuse not him that speaketh: for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape if wee turne away from him that speaketh from heauen.

26Whose voice then shooke the earth, but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth onely, but also heauen.

27And this word Yet once more, signifieth the remouing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remaine.

28Wherefore wee receiuing a kingdome which cannot bee moued, let vs haue grace, whereby wee may serue God acceptably, with reuerence and godly feare.

29For our God is a consuming fire.

 

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 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 Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood. 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 loves, he disciplines; he scourges every son he acknowledges." 7 Endure your trials as "discipline"; God treats you as sons. For what "son" is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are without discipline, in which all have shared, you are not sons but bastards. 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 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 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 So strengthen your drooping hands and your weak knees. 13 Make straight paths for your feet, that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 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 that no one be an immoral or profane person like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 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 You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm 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 bear to hear the command: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned." 21 Indeed, so fearful was the spectacle that Moses said, "I am terrified and trembling." 22 No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, 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 Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel. 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 His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, "I will once more shake not only earth but heaven." 27 That phrase, "once more," points to (the) removal of shaken, created things, so that what is unshaken may remain. 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.

v 1. The place in which Greeks ran their races was called a stadium because of the distance, a stadium was 600 Greek feet, 606 &3/4 feet English. Seating was on either side for the spectators, or witnesses. (Cloud of witnesses of chapter 11. This does not mean they are sitting in heaven watching us, they have other things to do there. They have witnessed by their lives setting an example for us.) Greek Olympic participants ran, then came up to sit and watch the rest of the race. A judge held the prize at the end and the competitors kept their eyes on him. (Looking unto Jesus, v 2.) The length of the race varied from one to twenty four times the length of the stadium. The distance runners had to  “run with patience”. Paul refers to Olympic terms so many times that this is another inference that he might be the author. (As a child I ran in heavy muddy overshoes, then took them off to run and jump on dry ground.) We need to lay aside any thing that is a hindrance, but besetting sins may include neglecting our Bibles and prayer, selfishness, laziness and time wasting, gossip etc Perhaps the greatest besetting sin of believers is unbelief. Believers don’t have a choice as to if they will run the race, but how. 
v 2. As author and finisher, Christ is the originator and executor of our faith. He insures that we can reach the goal, and for that joy and satisfaction, He was willing to go to the cross for us. That work is finished and He is seated, see Heb. 10:12.
v 3, As we consider Him, Chap. 1,2 He was better than angels, Chap 3,4 He was better than Moses, Chap. 5-10 He was the best high priest, Chap. 11 by faith in Him we have access to God, and Chap 2,2 He was the supreme sacrifice and worthy of our praise. Most of us have not suffered persecution to the point of martyrdom, but if we become mentally down and discouraged, which also brings on physical fatigue, then remind ourselves of what Christ went through in our behalf.
v 5-7. As a father chastens his child, the Lord, even more fairly chastens His children. V 6, more severe for older children. It may be through the hand of unsaved or enemies, just as God used wicked nations to judge Israel, but the Lord permits it. Discipline means train, and includes chastening and correcting, Prov. 2:11,12.
v 8. Chastening may be a sign of our son ship. Unsaved may prosper now.
v 9-11. We should reverence and obey God when we are chastened, even if it is  unpleasant, because it is given to benefit us and make us righteous in practice.
v 12,13. Defeated Christians remind us of defeated refugees in their actions. We should encourage them and guide them in the right way by our example.
v 14. This verse must be taken with Rom. 12:18, “if it be possible.”  We can’t please all. We have holiness positionally here and in verse 10, but we must urgently work at living peaceably with those around us and achieving practical holiness.
v 15. To knowingly turn from the blessings of God and allow bitterness in our own lives is bound to spread and harm others. We are to seek God’s best.
v 16,17. Moral purity can be thrown away in a reckless moment, and Esau threw away the sacred privilege of being priest of the family and all the other primogeniture (first born) rights for one hasty meal. He was unconcerned about that, but later,  when he did not receive the blessing he was wept bitterly. Though he wept over what was done, it was a final act, and could not be changed by repentance for his error. Actually, Esau sought repentance or change of his father’s heart and mind. This he sought with tears in order that he might receive the blessing. He was not repentant himself as proven by his immediate desire to go kill Jacob. We must not allow spiritual lethargy to rob us of blessing.
v 18-21. Believers don’t come to Mt. Sinai, representing the law. It was fearful and could bring death, Ex. 19:12-22; 20:18-21, so the people asked Moses to speak to them instead of God.    
Mount Sinai                            Mount Zion
God came to earth  Believers go to heaven
Wilderness                    Heavenly home 
Old Covenant (Law)  New Covenant (Grace)
Fear and trembling     Unshakable kingdom
v 22-24. In contrast believers are assured of coming to Mt. Zion representing the Gospel and life. Christians do not actually inhabit it until we die or are caught up, but we all have the privileges of the first born. When we arrive we will see: the heavenly Jerusalem, innumerable angels, the general assembly, God our righteous judge and protector, the souls of those who have died and gone on, Jesus personally, and the blood which he offered on the heavenly altar. This was infinitely superior to  the blood which Able sacrificed on his altar. (It is difficult to understand how Christ was able to offer His blood. It was spilled on the ground and did not reenter His body. He carried it separate from His body. Apparently not the material blood He shed, but His blood through the Spirit in a way I can not explain, but perhaps in a similar way to which our heart and conscience is sprinkled, 10:22.) Many think from Gen. 4:`10, “Abel’s blood” is his own calling out for vengeance, whereas Christ’s blood speaks of pardon. But it may be comparing apples to oranges, and sacrifice is what is in question for both.
v 25. This continues the warning begun in verse 15. Those who refused the word given through Moses were punished. These Hebrews had the complete Old Testament with all it’s revelations and prophesies, some of the New Testament writings, and if saved, the indwelling Holy Spirit. They (any apostates) are therefore more responsible, and how can they escape punishment if they deliberately turn away? If people have not truly turned to God and are accepted by Him now, there is no hope of them being accepted by Him in the future.
v 26-28. When God shook Mt Sinai, people trembled in fear. The future shaking may refer to Hag. 2:6,7,  before the new heaven and earth. Believers receive a kingdom which survives all shaking, so we should serve God with reverence and awe and in a manner pleasing to Him. Those not in the kingdom will be “shaken”.
v 29. This quotes Deut. 4:24. He is a jealous God (intolerant of disloyalty) and deserves our full devotion.