Hebrews 12

Therefore, 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,

فَبِمَا أَنَّ هَذَا الْعَدَدَ الْكَبِيرَ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ لِلإِيمَانِ، يَتَجَمَّعُ حَوْلَنَا كَأَنَّهُ سَحَابَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ، فَلْنَطْرَحْ جَانِباً كُلَّ ثِقْلٍ يُعِيقُنَا عَنِ التَّقَدُّمِ، وَنَتَخَلَّصْ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْخَطِيئَةِ الَّتِي نَتَعَرَّضُ لِلسُّقُوطِ فِي فَخِّهَا بِسُهُولَةٍ، لِكَيْ نَتَمَكَّنَ، نَحْنُ أَيْضاً، أَنْ نَرْكُضَ بِاجْتِهَادٍ فِي السِّبَاقِ الْمُمْتَدِّ أَمَامَنَا،

fixing 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.

مُتَطَلِّعِينَ دَائِماً إِلَى يَسُوعَ: رَائِدِ إِيمَانِنَا وَمُكَمِّلِهِ. فَهُوَ قَدْ تَحَمَّلَ الْمَوْتَ صَلْباً، هَازِئاً بِمَا فِي ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَارٍ، إِذْ كَانَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى السُّرُورِ الَّذِي يَنْتَظِرُهُ، ثُمَّ جَلَسَ عَنْ يَمِينِ عَرْشِ اللهِ.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

God Disciplines His Children

فَتَأَمَّلُوا مَلِيًّا مَا قَاسَاهُ بِتَحَمُّلِهِ تِلْكَ الْمُعَامَلَةَ الْعَنِيفَةَ الَّتِي عَامَلَهُ بِها الْخَاطِئُونَ، لِكَيْ لَا تَتْعَبُوا وَتَنْهَارُوا!

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

لَمْ تُقَاوِمُوا بَعْدُ حَتَّى بَذْلِ الدَّمِ فِي مُجَاهَدَتِكُمْ ضِدَّ الْخَطِيئَةِ.

And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

فَإِنَّ الَّذِي يُحِبُّهُ الرَّبُّ يُؤَدِّبُهُ. وَهُوَ يَجْلِدُ كُلَّ مَنْ يَتَّخِذُهُ لَهُ ابْناً!»

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

إِذَنْ، تَحَمَّلُوا تَأْدِيبَ الرَّبِّ. فَهُوَ يُعَامِلُكُمْ مُعَامَلَةَ الأَبْنَاءِ: وَأَيُّ ابْنٍ لَا يُؤَدِّبُهُ أَبُوهُ؟

If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.

فَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَتَلَقَّوْنَ التَّأْدِيبَ الَّذِي يَشْتَرِكُ فِيهِ أَبْنَاءُ اللهِ جَمِيعاً، فَمَعْنَى ذَلِكَ أَنَّكُمْ لَسْتُمْ أَبْنَاءَ شَرْعِيِّينَ لَهُ.

Moreover, 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!

كَانَ آبَاؤنَا الأَرْضِيُّونَ يُؤَدِّبُونَنَا وَنَحْنُ أَوْلادٌ، وَكُنَّا نَحْتَرِمُهُمْ. أَفَلا يَجْدُرُ بِنَا الآنَ أَنْ نَخْضَعَ خُضُوعاً تَامّاً لِتَأْدِيبِ أَبِي الأَرْوَاحِ، لِنَحْيَا حَيَاةً فُضْلَى؟

They 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.

وَقَدْ أَدَّبَنَا آبَاؤُنَا فَتْرَةً مِنَ الزَّمَانِ، حَسَبَ مَا رَأَوْهُ مُنَاسِباً. أَمَّا اللهُ، فَيُؤَدِّبُنَا دَائِماً مِنْ أَجْلِ مَنْفَعَتِنَا: لِكَيْ نَشْتَرِكَ فِي قَدَاسَتِهِ.

No 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.

وَطَبْعاً، كُلُّ تَأْدِيبٍ لَا يَبْدُو فِي الْحَالِ بَاعِثاً عَلَى الْفَرَحِ، بَلْ عَلَى الْحُزْنِ. وَلَكِنَّهُ فِيمَا بَعْدُ، يُنْتِجُ بِسَلامٍ فِي الَّذِينَ يَتَلَقَّوْنَهُ ثَمَرَ الْبِرِّ.

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.

لِذَلِكَ، شَدِّدُوا أَيْدِيَكُمُ الْمُرْتَخِيَةَ، وَرُكَبَكُمُ الْمُنْحَلَّةَ.

“Make level paths for your feet,”^[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Warning and Encouragement

وَمَهِّدُوا لأَقْدَامِكُمْ طُرُقاً مُسْتَقِيمَةً، حَتَّى لَا تَنْحَرِفَ أَرْجُلُ الْعُرْجِ، بَلْ تُشْفَى!

التحذير من رفض الله

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

اجْعَلُوا هَدَفَكُمْ أَنْ تُسَالِمُوا جَمِيعَ النَّاسِ، وَتَعِيشُوا حَيَاةً مُقَدَّسَةً. فَبِغَيْرِ قَدَاسَةٍ، لَا يَقْدِرُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَرَى الرَّبَّ.

See 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.

انْتَبِهُوا أَلّا يَسْقُطَ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةِ اللهِ، حَتَّى لَا يَتَأَصَّلَ بَيْنَكُمْ جَذْرُ مَرَارَةٍ، فَيُسَبِّبَ بَلْبَلَةً، وَيُنَجِّسَ كَثِيرِينَ مِنْكُمْ.

See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.

وَحَذَارِ أَنْ يَكُونَ بَيْنَكُمْ زَانٍ أَوْ مُسْتَهْتِرٌ مِثْلُ عِيسُو الَّذِي بَاعَ حُقُوقَهُ الَّتِي كَانَتْ لَهُ بِوَصْفِهِ الابْنَ الْبِكْرَ، لِقَاءَ أَكْلَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ.

Afterward, 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

فَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ جَيِّداً أَنَّهُ لَمَّا أَرَادَ اسْتِعَادَةَ الْبَرَكَةِ مِنْ أَبِيهِ، بَعْدَمَا كَانَ قَدِ اسْتَخَفَّ بِها، رُفِضَ لأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَجِدْ مَجَالاً لِلتَّوْبَةِ، مَعَ أَنَّهُ طَلَبَ الْبَرَكَةَ وَهُوَ يَذْرِفُ الدُّمُوعَ.

جبل الخوف وجبل الفرح

You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;

إِنَّكُمْ لَمْ تَقْتَرِبُوا إِلَى جَبَلٍ مَلْمُوسٍ، مُشْتَعِلٍ بِالنَّارِ، وَلا إلى ضَبَابٍ وَظَلامٍ وَرِيحٍ عَاصِفَةٍ،

to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,

حَيْثُ انْطَلَقَ صَوْتُ بُوقٍ هَاتِفاً بِكَلِمَاتٍ وَاضِحَةٍ، وَقَدْ كَانَ مُرْعِباً حَتَّى إِنَّ سَامِعِيهِ الْتَمَسُوا أَنْ يَتَوَقَّفَ عَنِ الْكَلامِ.

because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”^[c]

فَإِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُطِيقُوا احْتِمَالَ هَذَا الأَمْرِ الصَّادِرِ إِلَيْهِمْ: «حَتَّى الْحَيَوَانُ الَّذِي يَمَسُّ الْجَبَلَ، يَجِبُ أَنْ تَقْتُلُوهُ رَجْماً!»

The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”^[d]

وَالْوَاقِعُ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ الْمَشْهَدَ كَانَ مُرْعِباً إِلَى دَرَجَةٍ جَعَلَتْ مُوسَى يَقُولُ: «أَنَا خَائِفٌ جِدّاً، بَلْ مُرْتَجِفٌ خَوْفاً!»

But 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,

وَلَكِنَّكُمْ قَدِ اقْتَرَبْتُمْ إِلَى جَبَلِ صِهْيَوْنَ، إِلَى مَدِينَةِ اللهِ الْحَيِّ، أُورُشَلِيمَ السَّمَاوِيَّةِ. بَلْ تَقَدَّمْتُمْ إِلَى حَفْلَةٍ يَجْتَمِعُ فِيهَا عَدَدٌ لَا يُحْصَى مِنَ الْمَلائِكَةِ،

to 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,

إِلَى كَنِيسَةٍ تَجْمَعُ أَبْنَاءً لِلهِ أَبْكَاراً، أَسْمَاؤُهُمْ مَكْتُوبَةٌ فِي السَّمَاءِ. بَلْ إِلَى اللهِ نَفْسِهِ، دَيَّانِ الْجَمِيعِ، وَإِلَى أَرْوَاحِ أُنَاسٍ بَرَّرَهُمُ اللهُ وَجَعَلَهُمْ كَامِلِينَ.

to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

كَذلِكَ، تَقَدَّمْتُمْ إِلَى يَسُوعَ، وَسِيطِ الْعَهْدِ الْجَدِيدِ، وَإِلَى دَمِهِ الْمَرْشُوشِ الَّذِي يَتَكَلَّمُ مُطَالِباً بِأَفْضَلَ مِمَّا طَالَبَ بِهِ دَمُ هَابِيلَ.

See 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?

إِذَنْ حَذَارِ أَنْ تَرْفُضُوا الَّذِي يَتَكَلَّمُ! فَمَادَامَ أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ رَفَضُوا الاسْتِمَاعَ لِمَنْ كَلَّمَهُمْ عَلَى هذِهِ الأَرْضِ، لَمْ يُفْلِتُوا (مِنَ الْعِقَابِ) قَطُّ، فَكَمْ بِالأَحْرَى لَا نُفْلِتُ نَحْنُ أَبَداً إِنْ تَحَوَّلْنَا عَنِ الَّذِي يَتَكَلَّمُ إِلَيْنَا مِنَ السَّمَاءِ عَيْنِهَا!

At 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.”^[e]

وَإِذْ تَكَلَّمَ اللهُ قَدِيماً، زَلْزَلَ صَوْتُهُ الأَرْضَ، أَمَّا الآنَ، فَيَعِدُ قَائِلاً: «إِنِّي مَرَّةً أُخْرَى، سَوْفَ أُزَلْزِلُ لَا الأَرْضَ وَحْدَهَا، بَلِ السَّمَاءَ أَيْضاً!»

The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

وَبِقَوْلِهِ: «مَرَّةً أُخْرَى»، يُشِيرُ إِلَى أَنَّهُ سَوْفَ يُزِيلُ كُلَّ مَا لَيْسَ لَهُ أَسَاسٌ مَتِينٌ بِاعْتِبَارِهِ مَخْلُوقاً، حَتَّى لَا تَبْقَى إِلّا تِلْكَ الأَشْيَاءُ الثَّابِتَةُ الأَسَاسِ.

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,

فَبِمَا أَنَّنَا قَدْ حَصَلْنَا عَلَى مَمْلَكَةٍ ثَابِتَةٍ لَا تَتَزَلْزَلُ، لِنَعْبُدِ اللهَ وَنَخْدِمْهُ شَاكِرِينَ، بِصُورَةٍ تُرْضِيهِ، بِكُلِّ احْتِرَامٍ وَمَخَافَةٍ،

for our “God is a consuming fire.”^[f]

مُتَذَكِّرِينَ أَنَّ «إِلَهَنَا نَارٌ آكِلَةٌ!»