40<THE> GOD FOR US BETTER SOMETHING HAVING PLANNED, SO THAT NOT APART FROM US THEY MAY BE MADE PERFECT. 40God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect.
1THEREFORE ALSO WE OURSELVES SUCH A GREAT HAVING ENCOMPASSING US A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, WEIGHT HAVING LAID ASIDE EVERY AND THE EASILY ENTANGLING SIN, WITH ENDURANCE MAY RUN THE LYING BEFORE US RACE A Call to Endurance (2 Timothy 2:1–13) 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.
2LOOKING TO THE <THE> OF [OUR] FAITH FOUNDER AND PERFECTER JESUS, WHO IN VIEW OF WHAT IS LYING BEFORE HIM JOY ENDURED [THE] CROSS [ITS] SHAME HAVING DESPISED, AT RIGHT HAND AND OF THE THRONE <THE> OF GOD HAS SAT DOWN. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author*NoteCloseOr pioneer or founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3DO CONSIDER FULLY FOR THE [ONE] SUCH GREAT HAVING ENDURED FROM <THE> SINNERS AGAINST HIMSELF HOSTILITY, SO THAT NOT YOU MAY GROW WEARY IN THE SOULS OF YOU FAINTING. 3Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4NOT YET UNTO BLOOD HAVE YOU RESISTED AGAINST <THE> SIN STRUGGLING God Disciplines His Sons 4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
5AND YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN THE EXHORTATION THAT YOU AS TO SONS ADDRESSES: SON OF MINE, NOT DO REGARD LIGHTLY [THE] DISCIPLINE OF [THE] LORD, NOR DO FAINT BY HIM BEING REPROVED. 5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not take lightly the discipline of the Lord, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you.
6WHOM FOR HE LOVES [THE] LORD DISCIPLINES, HE SCOURGES NOW EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES. 6For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”*NoteCloseLiterally and He flogs every son He receives; Proverbs 3:11–12 (see also LXX)
7AS DISCIPLINE ENDURE, AS SONS YOU IS TREATING <THE> GOD; WHAT FOR IS SON [IS THERE] WHOM NOT DISCIPLINES [HIS] FATHER? 7Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?
8IF HOWEVER WITHOUT YOU ARE OF DISCIPLINE OF WHICH PARTAKERS THEY HAVE BECOME ALL, THEN ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN AND NOT SONS YOU ARE. 8If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
9FURTHERMORE <THE> INDEED OF THE FLESH OF US FATHERS WE WERE HAVING CORRECTORS AND WE WERE RESPECTING [THEM]; NOT MUCH HOWEVER MORE WILL WE BE IN SUBJECTION TO THE FATHER <THE> OF SPIRITS AND WILL LIVE? 9Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?
10<THE> INDEED FOR DURING A FEW DAYS ACCORDING TO WHICH IS SEEMING GOOD TO THEM THEY WERE DISCIPLINING [US], [HE] HOWEVER FOR WHICH IS [OUR] BENEFITTING IN ORDER <THE> TO SHARE OF THE HOLINESS OF HIM. 10Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.
11ALL NOW DISCIPLINE FOR INDEED THOSE BEING PRESENT NOT IT SEEMS OF JOY TO BE BUT OF GRIEF, AFTERWARD HOWEVER [THE] FRUIT PEACEABLE TO THOSE THROUGH IT TRAINED IT YIELDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 11No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace*NoteCloseOr it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
12THEREFORE THE DROOPED HANDS AND THE ENFEEBLED KNEES DO LIFT UP, 12Therefore strengthen your limp hands and weak knees.*NoteCloseIsaiah 35:3
13AND PATHS STRAIGHT DO MAKE FOR THE FEET OF YOU, SO THAT NOT THE LAME MAY BE DISABLED, MAY BE HEALED HOWEVER RATHER. 13Make straight paths for your feet,*NoteCloseProverbs 4:26 (see also LXX) so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
14PEACE DO PURSUE WITH ALL AND <THE> HOLINESS, WHICH WITHOUT NO [ONE] WILL BEHOLD THE LORD; A Call to Holiness (1 Peter 1:13–21) 14Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
15OBSERVING LEST ANY BE FAILING OF THE GRACE <THE> OF GOD, LEST ANY ROOT OF BITTERNESS UP SPRINGING MAY TROUBLE [YOU], AND THROUGH THIS MAY BE DEFILED <THE> MANY; 15See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness*NoteCloseSee Deuteronomy 29:18 springs up to cause trouble and defile many.
16LEST [THERE BE] ANY FORNICATOR OR PROFANE PERSON AS ESAU, WHO FOR MEAL ONE SOLD THE BIRTHRIGHT OF HIMSELF. 16See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.
17YOU KNOW FOR THAT EVEN AFTERWARD WISHING TO INHERIT THE BLESSING HE WAS REJECTED; OF REPENTANCE FOR PLACE NOT HE FOUND ALTHOUGH WITH TEARS HAVING EARNESTLY SOUGHT IT. 17For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.
18NOT FOR YOU HAVE COME TO [THAT] BEING TOUCHED MOUNTAIN AND KINDLED WITH FIRE AND TO DARKNESS AND TO GLOOM AND TO STORM An Unshakable Kingdom (Exodus 20:18–21; Deuteronomy 5:22–33) 18For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that*NoteCloseLiterally to what can be touched and is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;
19AND OF A TRUMPET TO [THE] SOUND AND TO A VOICE OF DECLARATION WHICH THOSE HAVING HEARD THEY EXCUSED THEMSELVES [ASKING] NOT TO BE ADDRESSED TO THEM [THE] WORD; 19to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken.
20NOT [ABLE] THEY WERE BEARING FOR WHICH IS BEING COMMANDED: IF EVEN A BEAST SHALL TOUCH THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED OR WITH ARROW WILL BE SHOT DOWN 20For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”*NoteCloseExodus 19:12–13
21AND THUS FEARFUL WAS THE [THING] APPEARING [THAT] MOSES SAID; GREATLY AFRAID I AM AND TREMBLING; 21The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”*NoteCloseDeuteronomy 9:19
22BUT YOU HAVE COME TO ZION MOUNT AND TO [THE] CITY OF GOD [THE] LIVING, TO JERUSALEM [THE] HEAVENLY AND TO MYRIADS OF ANGELS [23] TO [THE] ASSEMBLY 22Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels
23AND TO [THE] CHURCH OF [THE] FIRSTBORN ENROLLED IN [THE] HEAVENS AND TO [THE] JUDGE GOD OF ALL AND TO [THE] SPIRITS OF [THE] RIGHTEOUS PERFECTED 23in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
24AND OF A COVENANT NEW [THE] MEDIATOR TO JESUS AND TO [THE] BLOOD OF SPRINKLING BETTER THING SPEAKING THAN THAT OF ABEL. 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25DO TAKE HEED LEST YOU MAY REFUSE THE [ONE] SPEAKING; IF FOR THEY NOT ESCAPED ON <THE> EARTH HAVING REFUSED THE [ONE] DIVINELY INSTRUCTING [THEM], MUCH LESS WE OURSELVES <THE> THE [ONE] FROM [THE] HEAVENS TURNING AWAY FROM, 25See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if the people did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject Him who warns us from heaven?
26WHOSE <THE> VOICE THE EARTH SHOOK AT THAT TIME, NOW HOWEVER HE HAS PROMISED SAYING; YET ONCE [MORE] I MYSELF WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH BUT ALSO <THE> HEAVEN. 26At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”*NoteCloseHaggai 2:6
27THIS NOW YET ONCE [MORE], SIGNIFIES THAT OF THE [THINGS] BEING SHAKEN REMOVING AS CREATED, SO THAT MAY REMAIN THE [THINGS] NOT BEING SHAKEN. 27The words “Once more ” signify the removal of what can be shaken— that is, created things— so that the unshakable may remain.
28THEREFORE A KINGDOM NOT TO BE SHAKEN RECEIVING WE MAY HAVE GRACE THROUGH WHICH WE MAY SERVE WELL PLEASINGLY <THE> GOD WITH REVERENCE AND FEAR; 28Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.
29ALSO FOR THE GOD OF US [IS] A FIRE CONSUMING. 29For our God is a consuming fire.”*NoteCloseDeuteronomy 4:24