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Hebrews

About this book
Chapter 12

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us,⁠ 2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,⁠ the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up. 4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in your struggle against sin. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons? “My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline or give up when he corrects you.⁠ 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.”⁠ 7 Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 8 But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from our earthly fathers and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits⁠ and receive life?⁠ 10 For they disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness. 11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees,⁠ 13 and make straight paths for your feet,⁠ so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed. 14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord.⁠ 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up and causing trouble,⁠ and through it many become defiled. 16 And see to it that no one becomes an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing with tears. 18 For you have not come to something that can be touched, to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind⁠ 19 and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words such that those who heard begged to hear no more. 20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”⁠ 21 In fact, the scene was so terrifying that Moses said, “I shudder with fear.”⁠ 22 But you have come to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly 23 and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect,⁠ 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does. 25 Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven? 26 Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.”⁠ 27 Now this phrase “once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, that is, of created things, so that what is unshaken may remain. 28 So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. 29 For our God is indeed a devouring fire.⁠

Texts in conversation

Compare LXX Deuteronomy 29:17 and Hebrews 12:15

Septuagint · New Testament

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Summary

Hebrews echoes Deuteronomy’s warning about a “root of bitterness,” using it to discourage negative attitudes that influence others. In Deuteronomy, it describes those who secretly turn toward other gods, while in Hebrews it describes influence.

Passages

LXX Deuteronomy 29:17

Septuagint
15 For you know how we lived in the land of Egypt, how we came through the midst of the nations through whom you came. 16 And you saw their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which are among them. 17 For fear that there might be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart has turned aside from the Lord your God, having gone to serve the gods of these nations; for fear that there might be in you a root springing up with gall and bitterness. 18 And it shall be if one shall hear the words of this curse, and shall flatter himself in his heart, saying, Let good happen to me, for I will walk in the error of my heart, for fear that the sinner might destroy the guiltless with him: 19 God shall by no means be willing to pardon him, but then the fierce anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall flame out against that man; and all the curses of this covenant shall attach themselves to him, which are written in the book of this law, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven.
300–201 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in LXX Deuteronomy

Hebrews 12:15

New Testament
13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed. 14 Pursue peace with everyone, and holiness, for without it no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, that no one be like a bitter root springing up and causing trouble, and through it many become defiled. 16 And see to it that no one becomes an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing with tears.
80–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Hebrews

References

"... The broader context of Hebrews 12 refers to Deuteronomy: the majority of quotations from, and allusions to, Deuteronomy appear in the latter portions of Hebrews, especially Chapter 12 (Kibbe 2016:121, 132). Hebrews 12:3 probably alludes to Deuteronomy 20:3 (Steyn 2007:160), and Hebrews 12:15 to Deuteronomy 29:18 LXX (Guthrie 2007:988). Finally, there is a possibility that Proverbs 3:11–12 is based on Deuteronomy 8:5, or at least that ‘the concept of discipline’ in Deuteronomy 8 ‘informs the writer of Proverbs’ (Spellman 2016:499). This would explain several of the parallels between Hebrews 12:9 and Proverbs 3:11–12 ..."
Albert J. Coetsee, “Hebrews 12:9 Revisited: The Background of the Phrase ‘and Live’,” HvTSt 76.1 (2020): 1–11.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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LXX Deuteronomy 29:17 and Hebrews 12:15

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