1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God Disciplines His Children
4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”12:5,6 Prov. 3:11,12 (see Septuagint)
7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13“Make level paths for your feet,”12:13 Prov. 4:26 so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Warning and Encouragement
14Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. 15See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. 16See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son. 17Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.
The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy
18You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; 19to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, 20because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”12:20 Exodus 19:12,13 21The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”12:21 See Deut. 9:19.
22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? 26At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”12:26 Haggai 2:6 27The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29for our “God is a consuming fire.”12:29 Deut. 4:24
Yɛn Agya Nyankopɔn
1Yɛn de, yɛwɔ nnansefo bebree a wɔatwa yɛn ho ahyia. Momma yɛntwe yɛn ho mfi akwanside nyinaa ne bɔne a akyekyere yɛn denneennen no nyinaa ho na yɛnyere yɛn ho wɔ mmirikakansi a ɛda yɛn anim no mu. 2Momma yɛmfa yɛn ani nto Yesu a yɛn gyidi mfiase ne nʼawie gyina ne so no so. Asennua no nti wampa abaw. Esiane anigye a na ɛretwɛn no no nti, animguasewu a owui wɔ asennua so no anhaw no. Enti mprempren ɔte Onyankopɔn ahengua no nifa so. 3Dwene ɔhaw a ɔfaa mu no ho sɛ nnipa nnebɔneyɛfo tan a wɔtan no nso, otumi gyinaa ano no. Ɛno nti mommpa abaw. 4Na mo ne bɔne ko mu no, monko nkoduu sɛ mubehwie mogya agu.
Onyankopɔn Asotwe Fata Yɛn
5Mo werɛ afi nkuranhyɛsɛm a Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ mo, sɛnea agya kasa kyerɛ ne mma no? Se,
“Me ba, sɛ Awurade teɛ wo a, tie no yiye,
na sɛ ɔka wʼanim a, mpa abaw.
6Efisɛ obiara a Awurade pɛ nʼasɛm no, ɔtwe nʼaso
sɛnea agya teɛ ɔba a ɔdɔ no no.”
7Amanehunu biara a ɛbɛto mo no, munnhinhim na momfa no sɛ Agya no nteɛso, efisɛ mo amanehunu no kyerɛ nteɛso a Onyankopɔn wɔ ma ne mma. Na dɛn nti na agya ntwe ne mma aso? 8Sɛ wanteɛ mo sɛ ne mma no bi a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ monnyɛ ne mma kann. 9Sɛ yɛn agyanom a wɔwɔ asase so twee yɛn aso ma yebuu wɔn a, mpɛn ahe na ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛbrɛ yɛn ho ase ma honhom mu Agya no na yetumi tena ase? 10Yɛn agyanom a wɔwɔ asase so ha twee yɛn aso sɛnea wɔpɛ wɔ bere tiaa bi. Nanso yɛn yiyedi nti, Onyankopɔn yɛɛ saa sɛnea yɛn ho bɛtew. 11Sɛ wɔtwe yɛn aso a ɛma yɛn werɛ how wɔ saa bere no mu na yɛn ani nnye. Na akyiri no a wɔn a wɔfa saa asotwe no mu no nya wɔn ho ntease no, wonya asomdwoe na wɔtena ase trenee mu.
12Monhyehyɛ nsa ne nkotodwe a emu agugow no mu den. 13Munsiesie akwan na momfa so, na mpakye anyɛ mmubuafo, na mmom, wɔasa wɔn yare.
14Mo ne nnipa nyinaa ntena ase asomdwoe mu, na mommɔ mmɔden ntena ase trenee mu. Anyɛ saa a, morenhu Awurade. 15Monhwɛ yiye na mo mu bi annan nʼakyi ankyerɛ Onyankopɔn adom no. Monhwɛ yiye na mo mu bi anyɛ sɛ afifide a ɛyɛ nwen a enyin ma ne bɔnwoma no haw afoforo. 16Monhwɛ yiye na mo mu bi anyɛ oguamanfo ne obi a ɔmfɛre Onyankopɔn sɛ Esau a obuu nʼani guu nʼagyapade so tɔn nʼabakan a ɔyɛ de gyee aduan no. 17Na afei eduu bere bi a ɔpɛɛ sɛ ne nsa ka nʼagya hɔ nhyira no, ɔde kamee no. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ɔde nusu peree sɛ wanya adwensakra de, nanso anyɛ yiye.
Onyankopɔn Anuonyam
18Munhyiaa nneɛma a ɛyɛ hu, ogyatannaa, awerɛhow, sum ne ahum sɛnea Israelfo no hyiaa wɔ Sinai Bepɔw no so bere a Onyankopɔn de ne mmara no mae no. 19Efisɛ na wɔrebɔ torobɛnto denneennen a nne bi a ɛreka kasa a ɛyɛ hu nenam mu, nti nnipa no srɛɛ Onyankopɔn sɛ onnyae kasa, 20efisɛ na wontumi nni mmara a na ɛka se, “Sɛ mpo aboa koraa de ne ho ka bepɔw no a, ɛsɛ sɛ wosiw no abo kum no” no so. 21Na beae hɔ yɛ hu ara kosii sɛ Mose kae se. “Misuro, na me ho popo.”
22Na mo de, moaba Sion Bepɔw so ne Onyankopɔn a ɔte ase no kurow, ɔsorosoro Yerusalem a ɔsoro abɔfo mpempem wɔ mu no mu. 23Moaba Onyankopɔn asafomma dedaw a wɔn ani gye wɔn ho a wɔakyerɛw wɔn din wɔ ɔsoro no mu. Moaba Onyankopɔn a ɔyɛ nnipa nyinaa temmufo ne atreneefo a wɔayɛ wɔn pɛ no mu. 24Moaba Yesu a ɔhyehyɛɛ apam foforo ne mogya a wɔapete a ɛka nneɛma pa ho asɛm sen Habel mogya no ho.
25Monhwɛ mo ho so yiye na moammu mo ani angu asɛm a ɔka so. Wɔn a wɔantie nea ɔkasa fii asase so no amfa wɔn ho anni. Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na yɛatumi aguan afi nea ɔkasa fi ɔsoro no ho na yɛafa yɛn ho adi? 26Ne nne wosow asase saa bere no, nanso mprempren wahyɛ bɔ se, “Ɛnyɛ asase nko na mɛsan awosow no, na mɛwosow ɔsoro nso bio saa ara.” 27Nsɛm “Nso bio saa ara” no da no adi pefee sɛ ɔbɛwosow nneɛma a wɔbɔɔ no na atutu afi wɔn anan mu na nneɛma a wontumi nwosow no aka.
28Momma yɛnna so ase, efisɛ yɛanya ahenni a wɔwosow no a ɛnyɛ yiye. Momma yɛn ani nsɔ na yɛmfa ɔkwan a ɛbɛsɔ Onyankopɔn ani a ɛyɛ nidi ne osuro so nsom no, 29efisɛ nokware ni, yɛn Nyankopɔn yɛ ogya a ɛhyew na ɛsɛe ade.
