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Hebrews 12:1-29 GW Since we are surrounded by so many examples of faith, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and never give up. (2) We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Then he received the highest position in heaven, the one next to the throne of God. (3) Think about Jesus, who endured opposition from sinners (against their own interests), so that you don't become tired and give up. (4) You struggle against sin, but your struggles haven't killed you. (5) You have forgotten the encouraging words that God speaks to you as his children: "My child, pay attention when the Lord disciplines you. Don't give up when he corrects you. (6) The Lord disciplines everyone he loves. He severely disciplines everyone he accepts as his child." (7) Endure your discipline. God corrects you as a father corrects his children. All children are disciplined by their fathers. (8) If you aren't disciplined like the other children, you aren't part of the family. (9) On earth we have fathers who disciplined us, and we respect them. Shouldn't we place ourselves under the authority of God, the father of spirits, so that we will live? (10) For a short time our fathers disciplined us as they thought best. Yet, God disciplines us for our own good so that we can become holy like him. (11) We don't enjoy being disciplined. It always seems to cause more pain than joy. But later on, those who learn from that discipline have peace that comes from doing what is right. (12) Strengthen your tired arms and weak knees. (13) Keep walking along straight paths so that your injured leg won't get worse. Instead, let it heal. (14) Try to live peacefully with everyone, and try to live holy lives, because if you don't, you will not see the Lord. (15) Make sure that everyone has kindness from God so that bitterness doesn't take root and grow up to cause trouble that corrupts many of you. (16) Make sure that no one commits sexual sin or is as concerned about earthly things as Esau was. He sold his rights as the firstborn son for a single meal. (17) You know that afterwards, when he wanted to receive the blessing that the firstborn son was to receive, he was rejected. Even though he begged and cried for the blessing, he couldn't do anything to change what had happened. (18) You have not come to something that you can feel, to a blazing fire, to darkness, to gloom, to a storm, (19) to a trumpet's blast, and to a voice. When your ancestors heard that voice, they begged not to hear it say another word. (20) They couldn't obey the command that was given, "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death." (21) The sight was so terrifying that even Moses said he was trembling and afraid. (22) Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to tens of thousands of angels joyfully gathered together (23) and to the assembly of God's firstborn children (whose names are written in heaven). You have come to a judge (the God of all people) and to the spirits of people who have God's approval and have gained eternal life. (24) You have come to Jesus, who brings the new promise from God, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better message than Abel's. (25) Be careful that you do not refuse to listen when God speaks. Your ancestors didn't escape when they refused to listen to God, who warned them on earth. We certainly won't escape if we turn away from God, who warns us from heaven. (26) When God spoke to your ancestors, his voice shook the earth. But now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the sky." (27) The words once more show clearly that God will change what he has made. These are the things that can be shaken. Then only the things that cannot be shaken will remain. (28) Therefore, we must be thankful that we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Because we are thankful, we must serve God with fear and awe in a way that pleases him. (29) After all, our God is a destructive fire.

Hebrews 12:1-29 Murdock (1) Therefore let us also, who have all these witnesses surrounding us like clouds, cast from us all encumbrances, and sin, which is always prepared for us; and let us run with patience the race that is appointed for us. (2) And let us look on Jesus, who hath become the commencement and the completion of our faith; who, on account of the joy there was for him, endured the cross, and surrendered himself to opprobrium; and is seated on the right hand of the throne of God. (3) Behold, therefore, how much he suffered from sinners, from them who are adversaries of their own soul, that ye may not be discouraged, nor your soul become remiss. (4) Ye have not yet come unto blood, in the contest against sin. (5) And ye have forgotten the monition, which saith to you, as to children, My son, disregard not the chastening of the Lord; nor let thy soul faint, when thou art rebuked by him. (6) For, whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth; and he scourgeth those sons, for whom he hath kind regards. (7) Therefore endure ye the chastisement; because God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there, whom his father chasteneth not? (8) But if ye are without that chastisement, with which every one is chastened, ye are become strangers and not sons. (9) And if our fathers of the flesh chastened us, and we revered them, how much more ought we to be submissive to our spiritual fathers, and live? (10) For they chastened us for a short time, according to their pleasure; but God, for our advantage, that we may become partakers of his holiness. (11) Now all chastisement, in the time of it, is not accounted a matter of joy, but of grief: yet, afterwards, it yieldeth the fruits of peace and righteousness to them who are exercised by it. (12) Wherefore, strengthen ye your relaxed hands, and your tottering knees: (13) and make straight paths for your feet, that the limb which is lame may not be wrenched, but may be healed. (14) Follow after peace with every man; and after holiness, without which a man will not see our Lord. (15) And be careful, lest any be found among you destitute of the grace of God; or lest some root of bitterness shoot forth germs, and trouble you; and thereby many be defiled: (16) or lest any one be found among you a fornicator; or a heedless one like Esau, who for one mess of food, sold his primogeniture (17) For ye know that, afterwards when he wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found not a place for repentance, although he sought it with tears. (18) For ye have not come to the fire that burned, and the tangible [mount]; nor to the darkness and obscurity and tempest; (19) nor to the sound of the trumpet, and the voice of words, which they who heard, entreated that it might no more be spoken to them; (20) for they could not endure what was commanded. And even a beast, if it approached the mountain, was to be stoned. (21) And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I fear and tremble. (22) But ye have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the Jerusalem that is in heaven; and to the assemblies of myriads of angels; (23) and to the church of the first-born, who are enrolled in heaven and to God the judge of all; and to the spirits of the just, who are perfected; (24) and to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant; and to the sprinkling, of his blood, which speaketh better than that of Abel. (25) Beware, therefore, lest ye refuse [to hear] him who speaketh with you. For if they escaped not, who refused [to hear] him who spake with them on the earth, how much more shall we not, if we refuse [to hear] him who speaketh with us from heaven? (26) Whose voice [then] shook the earth; but now he hath promised, and said, yet again once more, I will shake not the earth only, but also heaven. (27) And this his expression, Once more, indicateth the mutation of the things that are shaken, because they are fabricated; that the things which will not be shaken, may remain. (28) Since, therefore, we have received a kingdom that is unshaken, let us grasp the grace whereby we may serve and please God, with reverence and fear. (29) For our God is a consuming fire.

Hebrews 12:1-29 GNB As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us. (2) Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God's throne. (3) Think of what he went through; how he put up with so much hatred from sinners (against their own souls)! So do not let yourselves become discouraged and give up. (4) For in your struggle against sin you have not yet had to resist to the point of being killed. (5) Have you forgotten the encouraging words which God speaks to you as his children? "My child, pay attention when the Lord corrects you, and do not be discouraged when he rebukes you. (6) Because the Lord corrects everyone he loves, and punishes everyone he accepts as a child." (7) Endure what you suffer as being a father's punishment; your suffering shows that God is treating you as his children. Was there ever a child who was not punished by his father? (8) If you are not punished, as all his children are, it means you are not real children, but bastards. (9) In the case of our human fathers, they punished us and we respected them. How much more, then, should we submit to our spiritual Father and live! (10) Our human fathers punished us for a short time, as it seemed right to them; but God does it for our own good, so that we may share his holiness. (11) When we are punished, it seems to us at the time something to make us sad, not glad. Later, however, those who have been disciplined by such punishment reap the peaceful reward of a righteous life. (12) Lift up your tired hands, then, and strengthen your trembling knees! (13) Keep walking on straight paths, so that the lame foot may not be disabled, but instead be healed. (14) Try to be at peace with everyone, and try to live a holy life, because no one will see the Lord without it. (15) Guard against turning back from the grace of God. Let no one become like a bitter plant that grows up and causes many troubles with its poison. (16) Let no one become immoral or unspiritual like Esau, who for a single meal sold his rights as the older son. (17) Afterward, you know, he wanted to receive his father's blessing; but he was turned back, because he could not find any way to change what he had done, even though in tears he looked for it. (18) You have not come, as the people of Israel came, to what you can feel, to Mount Sinai with its blazing fire, the darkness and the gloom, the storm, (19) the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of a voice. When the people heard the voice, they begged not to hear another word, (20) because they could not bear the order which said, "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death." (21) The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling and afraid!" (22) Instead, you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, with its thousands of angels. (23) You have come to the joyful gathering of God's first-born, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, who is the judge of all people, and to the spirits of good people made perfect. (24) You have come to Jesus, who arranged the new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that promises much better things than does the blood of Abel. (25) Be careful, then, and do not refuse to hear him who speaks. Those who refused to hear the one who gave the divine message on earth did not escape. How much less shall we escape, then, if we turn away from the one who speaks from heaven! (26) His voice shook the earth at that time, but now he has promised, "I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven as well." (27) The words "once more" plainly show that the created things will be shaken and removed, so that the things that cannot be shaken will remain. (28) Let us be thankful, then, because we receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be grateful and worship God in a way that will please him, with reverence and awe; (29) because our God is indeed a destroying fire.

Hebrews 12:1-29 NWT 12 So, then, because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus. For the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Indeed, consider closely the one who has endured such contrary talk by sinners against their own interests, that YOU may not get tired and give out in YOUR souls. 4 In carrying on YOUR contest against that sin YOU have never yet resisted as far as blood, 5 but YOU have entirely forgotten the exhortation which addresses YOU as sons: “My son, do not belittle [the] discipline from Jehovah, neither give out when you are corrected by him; 6 for whom Jehovah loves he disciplines; in fact, he scourges every one whom he receives as a son.” 7 It is for discipline YOU are enduring. God is dealing with YOU as with sons. For what son is he that a father does not discipline? 8 But if YOU are without the discipline of which all have become partakers, YOU are really illegitimate children, and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we used to have fathers who were of our flesh to discipline us, and we used to give them respect. Shall we not much more subject ourselves to the Father of our spiritual life and live? 10 For they for a few days used to discipline us according to what seemed good to them, but he does so for our profit that we may partake of his holiness. 11 True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness. 12 Hence straighten up the hands that hang down and the enfeebled knees, 13 and keep making straight paths for YOUR feet, that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather that it may be healed. 14 Pursue peace with all people, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord, 15 carefully watching that no one may be deprived of the undeserved kindness of God; that no poisonous root may spring up and cause trouble and that many may not be defiled by it; 16 that there may be no fornicator nor anyone not appreciating sacred things, like E´sau, who in exchange for one meal gave away his rights as firstborn. 17 For YOU know that afterward also when he wanted to inherit the blessing he was rejected, for, although he earnestly sought a change of mind with tears, he found no place for it. 18 For YOU have not approached that which can be felt and which has been set aflame with fire, and a dark cloud and thick darkness and a tempest, 19 and the blare of a trumpet and the voice of words; on hearing which voice the people implored that no word should be added to them. 20 For the command was not bearable to them: “And if a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” 21 Also, the display was so fearsome that Moses said: “I am fearful and trembling.” 22 But YOU have approached a Mount Zion and a city of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels, 23 in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect, 24 and Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and the blood of sprinkling, which speaks in a better way than Abel’s [blood]. 25 See that YOU do not beg off from him who is speaking. For if they did not escape who begged off from him who was giving divine warning upon earth, much more shall we not if we turn away from him who speaks from the heavens. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, saying: “Yet once more I will set in commotion not only the earth but also the heaven.” 27 Now the expression “Yet once more” signifies the removal of the things being shaken as things that have been made, in order that the things not being shaken may remain. 28 Wherefore, seeing that we are to receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us continue to have undeserved kindness, through which we may acceptably render God sacred service with godly fear and awe. 29 For our God is also a consuming fire.

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You will note the reference windows often include more than one translation of the Bible. The reason is to strive to gain the best possible understanding of the original Hebrew and Greek. Since we don't speak those languages, we rely on those who have come before and made the effort to translate those texts into English for us. Considering several translations gives the benefit of the understanding of several translation committees or individuals.
The Translations we quote are:

ALT - Analytical Literal Translation

ASV - American Standard Version (by the American revision committee in 1897).

BBE - 1965 Bible in Basic English

Bishops - 1568 Bishop's Bible

Calvin - 1856 by Calvin Translation Society

CEV - Contemporary English Version

Coverdale - 1535 Miles Coverdale Bible

Darby - 1889 Darby Bible

DRB - 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible

ESV - English Standard Version

GNB - Good News Bible

GW - God's Word Bible

ISV - International Standard Version

KJV - 1769 King James Version

KJV-1611 - Old King James Version from 1611

LitNT - Literal New Testament

LITV - Literal Translation of the Holy Bible

MKJV - 1962 Modern King James Version

Murdock - 1851 James Murdock New Testament

MWT - Modern World Translation

NWT - New World Translation

RV - Revised Version

Webster - 1833 Webster Bible

WTNT - 1525-26 William Tyndale New Testament

Wycliffe - 1394 Wycliffe Bible

YLT - 1862/1898 Young's Literal Translation

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