Focused Passage

Hebrews 12:4-11

Run with Endurance, Receive the Father's Discipline, and Worship the Unshakable Kingdom

Hebrews 12 moves from the cloud of witnesses to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of faith, then to fatherly discipline, communal holiness, the contrast between Sinai and Zion, and the final warning not to refuse the God whose kingdom cannot be shaken.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

5 And 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.

6 For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.”

7 Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

8 If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

9 Furthermore, 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 Our 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.

11 No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 4

Original words

In your struggle ἀνταγωνιζόμενοι G464 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Plural against πρὸς G4314 Preposition - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular sin ἁμαρτίαν G266 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular vvv Οὔπω G3768 Adverb you have not yet resisted ἀντικατέστητε G478 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural to the point of μέχρις G3360 Preposition shedding your blood αἵματος G129 Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Verse 5

Original words

And καὶ G2532 Conjunction you have forgotten ἐκλέλησθε G1585 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular exhortation παρακλήσεως G3874 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular that ἥτις G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Feminine Singular addresses διαλέγεται G1256 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural as ὡς G5613 Adverb sons υἱοῖς G5207 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural My μου G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Singular son Υἱέ G5207 Noun - Vocative Masculine Singular {do} not μὴ G3361 Adverb take lightly ὀλιγώρει G3643 Verb - Present Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular [the] discipline παιδείας G3809 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular of [the] Lord Κυρίου G2962 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and [do not] μηδὲ G3366 Conjunction lose heart ἐκλύου G1590 Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Singular - ὑπ’ G5259 Preposition [when] He αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular rebukes you ἐλεγχόμενος G1651 Verb - Present Participle Middle or Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 6

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction [the] Lord Κύριος G2962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular disciplines παιδεύει G3811 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the one ὃν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular He loves ἀγαπᾷ G25 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular and δὲ G1161 Conjunction He chastises μαστιγοῖ G3146 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular every πάντα G3956 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular son υἱὸν G5207 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular . . . ὃν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular He receives παραδέχεται G3858 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • Literally and He flogs every son He receives; Proverbs 3:11–12 (see also LXX)
Verse 7

Original words

Endure suffering ὑπομένετε G5278 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural as Εἰς G1519 Preposition discipline παιδείαν G3809 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular God Θεός G2316 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular is treating προσφέρεται G4374 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural as ὡς G5613 Adverb sons υἱοῖς G5207 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction what τίς G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular son υἱὸς G5207 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular - ὃν G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Masculine Singular vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb is not disciplined παιδεύει G3811 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular [by his] father πατήρ G3962 Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 8

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction If εἰ G1487 Conjunction you do not experience ἐστε G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural . . . χωρίς G5565 Preposition discipline παιδείας G3809 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular like ἧς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Feminine Singular everyone πάντες G3956 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural vvv γεγόνασιν G1096 Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural else μέτοχοι G3353 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural then ἄρα G686 Conjunction you are ἐστε G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural illegitimate children νόθοι G3541 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction not true οὐχ G3756 Adverb sons υἱοί G5207 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Verse 9

Original words

Furthermore εἶτα G1534 Adverb . . . μὲν G3303 Conjunction we have all had εἴχομεν G2192 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural vvv ἡμῶν G1473 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural vvv τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular earthly σαρκὸς G4561 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural fathers πατέρας G3962 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural who disciplined [us] παιδευτὰς G3810 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction we respected [them] ἐνετρεπόμεθα G1788 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Passive - 1st Person Plural {Should we} not οὐ G3756 Adverb much πολὺ G4183 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular more δὲ G1161 Conjunction . . . μᾶλλον G3123 Adverb submit ὑποταγησόμεθα G5293 Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 1st Person Plural to the τῷ G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Singular Father Πατρὶ G3962 Noun - Dative Masculine Singular of [our] τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Neuter Plural spirits πνευμάτων G4151 Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction live ζήσομεν G2198 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Verse 10

Original words

- γὰρ G1063 Conjunction [Our fathers] disciplined [us] ἐπαίδευον G3811 Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural for πρὸς G4314 Preposition vvv μὲν G3303 Conjunction vvv Οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural a short ὀλίγας G3641 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Plural time ἡμέρας G2250 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural as κατὰ G2596 Preposition - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular they αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural thought best δοκοῦν G1380 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singular but δὲ G1161 Conjunction [God disciplines us] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular for ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition [our] τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular good συμφέρον G4851 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singular so that εἰς G1519 Preposition - τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular we may share μεταλαβεῖν G3335 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active - τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular in His αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular holiness ἁγιότητος G41 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 11

Original words

- δὲ* G1161 Conjunction vvv πᾶσα G3956 Adjective - Nominative Feminine Singular No οὐ G3756 Adverb discipline παιδεία G3809 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular seems δοκεῖ G1380 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular vvv εἶναι G1510 Verb - Present Infinitive Active enjoyable χαρᾶς G5479 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular - μὲν G3303 Conjunction at πρὸς G4314 Preposition the τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular time παρὸν G3918 Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Neuter Singular but ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction painful λύπης G3077 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular Later on ὕστερον G5305 Adverb however δὲ G1161 Conjunction it yields ἀποδίδωσιν G591 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular a harvest καρπὸν G2590 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular of righteousness δικαιοσύνης G1343 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular [and] peace εἰρηνικὸν G1516 Adjective - Accusative Masculine Singular to those who τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural have been trained γεγυμνασμένοις G1128 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Dative Masculine Plural by δι’ G1223 Preposition it αὐτῆς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular

BSB notes

  • Or it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.