Hebrews 12:5

12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?

“My son, do not scorn ¹  the Lord’s discipline

or give up when he corrects ²  you.

Hebrews 12:8

12:8 But if you do not experience discipline, ³  something all sons ⁴  have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons.

Hebrews 12:11

12:11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. ⁵  But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness ⁶  for those trained by it.

Hebrews 12:9

12:9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from ⁷  our earthly fathers ⁸  and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life? ⁹ 

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¹ tn Or “disregard,” “think little of.”

² tn Or “reproves,” “rebukes.” The Greek verb ἐλέγχω (elencw) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.

³ tn Grk “you are without discipline.”

⁴ tn Grk “all”; “sons” is implied by the context.

⁵ tn Grk “all discipline at the time does not seem to be of joy, but of sorrow.”

⁶ tn Grk “the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

⁷ tn Grk “we had our earthly fathers as discipliners.”

⁸ tn Grk “the fathers of our flesh.” In Hebrews, “flesh” is a characteristic way of speaking about outward, physical, earthly life (cf. Heb 5:7; 9:10, 13), as opposed to the inward or spiritual dimensions of life.

⁹ tn Grk “and live.”

sn Submit ourselves…to the Father of spirits and receive life. This idea is drawn from Proverbs, where the Lord’s discipline brings life, while resistance to it leads to death (cf. Prov 4:13; 6:23; 10:17; 16:17).