Hebrews

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Hebrews 12

King James Version (1769) · Tap a verse to see it in context

About this chapter

AI-assisted, sourced

"Seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses," the readers are to lay aside every weight and sin and "run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." They must not despise the Lord's chastening, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth," and though it is grievous now, it later "yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness." They are to "Follow peace with all men, and holiness," for they have not come to the mount that burned with fire but "unto mount Sion... the heavenly Jerusalem," and "to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant," so let them serve God "with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:1Hebrews 12:2Hebrews 12:5Hebrews 12:6Hebrews 12:11Hebrews 12:14Hebrews 12:18Hebrews 12:22Hebrews 12:24Hebrews 12:28Hebrews 12:29

Who, where, when, and the key verses

Who

Jesus "the author and finisher of our faith"; the readers, addressed as sons; and Esau, who "sold his birthright." Hebrews 12:2Hebrews 12:5Hebrews 12:16Hebrews overview

Where

The chapter contrasts the mount "that might be touched, and that burned with fire" with "mount Sion... the heavenly Jerusalem." Hebrews 12:18Hebrews 12:22Mount ZionJerusalem

When

Traditionally dated before AD 70, since the letter speaks of the tabernacle service as still going on and never mentions the temple's fall. Most scholars date it about AD 60-90 and say the writer is unknown. Hebrews overview

How it fits

Chapter 11 ended "that they without us should not be made perfect," and this chapter calls those witnesses a "cloud." Chapter 13 turns to closing instructions: "Let brotherly love continue." Hebrews 11:40Hebrews 12:1Hebrews 13:1Hebrews overview

Key verses

Takeaway

Run your race with patience by keeping your eyes on Jesus, and accept God's discipline as the love of a Father. Hebrews 12:1Hebrews 12:2Hebrews 12:6

Drafted by AI from the Scripture and data shown under “Show sources,” then checked automatically and by a separate AI reader. Updated 2026-11-01.

Run the race

1Wherefore 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, 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

The Lord's chastening

5And 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: 6For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9Furthermore 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? 10For 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. 11Now 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. 12Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Follow peace and holiness

14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17For 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.

Mount Sion and a kingdom that cannot be moved

18For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, 19And 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: 21And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 22But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 23To 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, 24And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. 25See 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: 26Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27And 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. 28Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29For our God is a consuming fire.