Hebrews 12:1-29

At the end of “chapter 11” we read: ^.39And all (of them) having been witnessed-of by means of the belief did not bring-to-themselves the promise of God, ^.40having observed-towards some stronger-thing concerning us, in order that they may not be made-complete without us.

Now we continue:

Hebrews 12:1 and 2:

^12:1For-therefore also we, having so-much a cloud of witnesses lying-around us, having put-away every projection and the circumstantial sin from-ourselves, by means of patient-endurance let us run the contest lying-before us, ^.2seeing into the author and completer of the belief – Jesus – who, in-the-place-of the joy lying-before him, patiently-endured the cross, having despised shame, and sat-down in (the) right-side of the throne of God.

Following on consequently, also emphatically we – since we presently have this much of a degree (such a definite amount) of a cloud of witnesses lying in position about us (referring to the throng of people written about in Hebrews 11:2 and 4-39 relative to the belief that God made known; those people are still dead but their witness is surrounding us; since this cloud of witnesses is encompassing us) –

after we have put (placed, set) away from ourselves
- every projection (all/every bulging mass thrusting itself out and forcing its bulk into a prominent position before us, which would affect our behavior adversely if left in its position in front of us blocking our progress)
- and the circumstantial sin (the sin that stands itself in a good/well position around us from its viewpoint, endeavoring to distract us, to pull us out ‘off of the race course’ to follow its false advantage and thereby exercise its influencing control over us in our behavior),
then by means of patient-endurance (through bearing-up, holding, enduring and remaining upwards relative-to God and the things of God under any obstacles)…

…let us run the contest lying-before us (the usage of “let us” is a polite command or a very strong suggestion advising us to do what Paul writes – let us hasten, hurry, quickly-move during the contest that is presently laid ahead of us, set in position in-front-of us at the present time)…

[The word "contest" refers to being in a place of contest where there are two opposing parties conflicting against each other in order to be the one to gain the prize at the end of the contest. The usage of athletic terminology draws attention to holy-people and the truth of being together moving in the direction of the same objective, being on the same team in the same contest, not a different contest or on a different team. In the amphitheatre, the runners would put/take off most, if not all, of their clothes so that not even their clothing could hinder them in their race.]

…seeing into (looking away-from where we are now, from what is happening at this moment, so as to perceive with our eyes and understand the object of sight in our mind’s thoughts, looking away from the ‘starting line’ of the race with our attention focused and directed into)…

the author (the source, cause, chief, first one, the beginner, the one who set the rule)
and completer (the one who ultimately arrived at the state of completeness which God intends, the one who reached God's intended fulfilling ending-issue, which is not the ending of a departed state but its completion, the perfecter)
- of the belief (pertaining to the information that God made known to him to have confidence-in, to believe, to have faith-in, to trust with assured certainty and surety)

… – Jesus (Jesus is the author and completer of the belief) – …

who,
- in-the-place-of the joy lying-before him (in-exchange-for, in-opposition-to, instead of the rejoicing that is now lying ahead of him, the joy that is laid or set in position in-front-of him at the present time),
patiently-endured the cross (during a past time he held-out, bore-up, stayed or remained upright relative to God and the things of God while he was under all that was involved regarding the complete sacrifice of himself on the cross; Jesus was crucified on a stake, as the trunk of a tree or a single log of wood stuck upright into a hole in the ground, and he patiently endured it),
- after he despised shame (he thought down-on or against what is shameful from God’s viewpoint; "shame" refers to what is shameful and causes the feeling or emotion of disgrace and guilt bringing reproach after recognizing and being sorry for one's own performance of an improper, ignominious or dishonorable deed from God's point of view – Jesus was treated shamefully by others and there was great shame in being hung on a cross as a criminal; yes, Jesus was the object of shame, but he did not behave himself shamefully no matter what was going on around him, instead, he despised it; Jesus continued to do what God told him to do even though he was receiving the consequences of mankind’s sins against God),
and then he sat-down in the right-side (he sat within the sphere of action of and is continuing at the right-hand side, which gives him the authority, power, honor, blessing, grace, approval, and excellence, being an extension of the power, etc, of the One Whose side he is at; [some Greek texts have the perfect tense for the verb “sat-down” showing that he sat and he is still sitting down in the right-side])
- of the throne (the high seat designated for a king and so it would include all the regal authority associated with that position)
  - of God.

God made the Lord Jesus Christ to sit-down at His right-hand side, on His throne, which was the ‘prize’ or compensation payment promised to him by God that he would receive when he would reach the ‘finish line’ of the race set by God for him to reach.

[Reference: Genesis 3:15; Psalm 110:1; Matthew chapter 27; Acts 3:15, 5:31; Romans 8:34; I Corinthians 9:24-27; II Corinthians 4:2; Ephesians 1:19-23, 4:22 and 25; Philippians 1:30, 2:8, 3:13, 14, 18, and 19; Colossians 1:27-29, 2:1, 3:1 and 8, 4:12; I Thessalonians 2:2; I Timothy 4:10, 6:11 and 12; II Timothy 4:7 and 8; Hebrews 1:3, 2:10, 4:16, 6:18-20; 8:1, 10:12 and 32-39, 11:1 and 2; Revelation 22:1 and 3. For a detailed explanation of mankind’s sin(s) against God, please refer to my study of Appendix to Romans – the fall of Adam.]

Verse 3:

^.3For you must calculate-up the (person) having patiently-endured² this-kind-of contradiction by the sinners into themselves, in order that you may not be-weary having been loosened-out² from (your) souls;

In truth, you must calculate-up (compute, reckon, count up in your minds) the person/one…

who has patiently-endured (bore-up, held, endured and remained upwards) and is continuing to patiently-endure
- this kind of contradiction by the sinners (this sort of speech against him, such anti or opposing words spoken by the sinful people, it was and is still being done under the power, hand, or agency of those who miss the mark of what God says, who swerve from His Word)
  - resulting in it being into or directed to themselves (in reality what these sinners do is speak against themselves [many of the later Greek texts read this as “into himself”]),

…for the purpose and result that you may not be weary (overworked, exhausted from labor)…

which would happen after you have been loosened-out and continuing loosened-out from your souls (after you have been caused to be released, untied or unbound out from where you are supposed to be living your everyday lives, when you become relaxed or pulled-out from your breath-life to the point of exhaustion, almost to the point of death).

[Reference: Romans 10:21; Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 10:36; James 5:15; Jude 1:11.]

Verses 4-8:

^.4not-yet did you stand-firm against the sin contesting up-until blood; ^.5and have you forgotten² the encouragement, the-one-which throughly-speaks to you as sons? – “My son, you must not care-little-for (the) Lord’s training, nor be loosened-out being refuted by Him, ^.6for whom (the) Lord loves¹ He trains, but He whips every son whom He accepts.” ^.7You must patiently-endure into training. As sons God carries-Himself to you; for what son (is considered by a father to be his son) whom a father does not train? ^.8But if you are without training, which all (sons) became² sharers, consequently you are illegitimate-children and not sons.

Up until now, you have not actively stood firm against the sin (you have not put, made, caused yourselves to stand-down in the level or position of opposing the sin, resisting the sin of mankind) while you are contesting (presently conflicting being in the place of contest) up until blood (to the point of your lives ending, death). The meaning of “contest” is explained above.

Jesus stood firm against the sin contesting up-until blood, and this truth has not changed; in fact he substituted himself, in the place of all of us, to be the sacrifice shedding his own blood. The sin refers to the initial sin of Adam in not believing what God told him and then doing what God told him not to do, giving the devil access to mankind in order to kill him and thereby attempt to thwart the purposes of the only true God relative to mankind; refer to Romans 5:12-21, 6:1-23, the study of Appendix to Romans – the fall of Adam, and I Corinthians 15:56. Adam was not listed in Hebrews chapter 11. Also, the persecution carried out by Nero against Christians (about 65-68 AD) may not have started yet when this writing of Hebrews was written.

Paul continues: …also, have you forgotten (caused yourselves to completely forget, have you willingly escaped to place notice on, ceased to pay attention to, disregarded) and you still forget…

the encouragement (exhortation, as a concerned father or mother would invite their children close to them to help them to do what is right),
emphatically and specifically the encouragement which throughly speaks to you as sons (the exhortation which presently converses, discusses thoroughly, has dialogue with you in comparison to having discourse with sons)?

The following is taken from Proverbs 3:11 and 12 (of the Greek Septuagint), and it is also applicable today:

“My son (the word ‘son’ emphasizes origin, quality, and essence),
you must not care little for the Lord’s training (you individually, singularly, must not think small of, esteem to be of small account, regard lightly, belittle what the Lord God deems necessary in bringing-up, rearing His sons, which not only includes instruction but also education, discipline, correction, etc),
nor be loosened-out (as verse 3 above) while you are being refuted by Him (when you are being proved wrong, convicted and convinced of your error by Him, when the refuting is being carried out by the power of, from under the hand of, the instrumental agent being the Lord),
in truth, whom the Lord loves¹ He trains (the word "loves¹" comes from the Greek word agape which is God's kind of love; whom God loves with His kind of love – He trains),
but He whips (scourges, flogs) every son whom He accepts (whom God welcomes alongside Himself approvingly, all of His sons whom He receives with approval).”

If God did not train his son, including to refute and whip him when the son would do something wrong, then God would not be able to accept that son after his wrong-doing. It is the refuting and whipping that gives the son the opportunity to be sorry for his wrong-doing, ask for forgiveness, and then behave himself from that time onwards. Afterwards, God can again accept him giving him all that God deems suitable. God will not leave His son drift off course away from Him without giving His son the way, opportunity, and means to come back to Him.

You holy-people (Christians, children of God) must patiently-endure into training. You must presently and actively bear-up, hold, endure and remain upwards for (with a view to, directed to, regarding) what the Lord God deems necessary in bringing-up or rearing His sons, not only instruction but also education including discipline, correction, etc.

God carries (brings, offers) Himself to you as sons. God treats you in the manner in which He should conduct Himself being your Father and you being His sons.

In truth, what son is considered by his father to be his son whom his father does not train? None. There may be many fathers who have biological sons, but those fathers who do not train their sons therefore do not treat them as their sons from God’s viewpoint, because those fathers do not conduct themselves as fathers should towards their sons.

But if you are without (apart, separated from) the Lord’s training…

– which all sons became and continue to be sharers (partners, all sons have become partakers in association with one-another of the object which is God’s training) –

…consequently you are illegitimate children and not sons (then, correspondingly you are bastards and not genuine, true sons). You have disowned your Father, God, in your behavior.

[Reference: Deuteronomy chapter 8; Proverbs 3:11 and 12, 13:24; Jeremiah 5:3-31; Matthew 7:9-11; Romans 5:12, 21, and chapters 6 and 13; I Corinthians 11:32 and chapter 13, 14:24; Ephesians 6:4; Philippians 2:8; II Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 3:1, 13 and 14, 5:7 and 8, 9:26-28; I John 5:1-3.]

Verses 9-11:

^.9Then, indeed we used-to-have the fathers of our flesh (as our) trainers and we used-to-be caused-shame – but much rather we will be subject to the Father of the spirits and we will live, won’t we? - (yes.) ^.10For the (fathers of our flesh) towards a little-amount (of) days used-to-train (us) according to the-thing considering (to be suitable) by them, but the (Father of the spirits trains us) on the-thing contributing with-a-view-for (us) to receive His holiness. ^.11But all training indeed towards the-thing being present does not consider to be of joy but sorrow – but afterwards it gives-away peaceful fruit of righteousness to the (people) having been exercised² by means of it.

Following-on in sequence after what is written above…

indeed on the one hand, for a period of time that has now passed we used to have the fathers of our flesh (of our fleshy body with its soul-life; we had our physical fathers) as our trainers
- and during that past time we used to be caused shame (we became ashamed, we were caused to turn in on ourselves recoiling from that-which was wrong when we reflected on our own bad behavior, our misconduct) –
but on the other hand, much rather (a lot more-so, more and more) we will be subject to the Father of the spirits (we will be in subjection to, be submissive to, be arranged in the position of being underneath the One Who created spirits, Who causes men and women to receive spirit originating from Himself to become part of our beings [during the old covenant times God gave spirit to those who walked, behaved, conducted themselves according to what God told them, and today all holy-people have received the gift of holy spirit which is the spirit of Christ within us, this spirit is what makes us holy-people, true Christians] – much rather we will be subject to the Father of the spirits)
- and we will live (we will be alive from the time we receive spirit from God onwards, we will not only have life but we will live it, we will manifest God’s life in all of its fullness during the everyday living of our lives),
  - won’t we? Yes. The Greek sentence is constructed in such a manner that this question must receive the answer of “Yes”.

In truth, the fathers of our flesh for a small amount of days (a short period of time) used to train us according to what they supposed to be suitable or proper training –

but the Father of the spirits trains us in motion downwards with the intention of the-thing that is presently and actively contributing (being contributive, bringing together, conferring help and benefit to us who are the recipients of what He contributes, the contribution)
- with a view for us to receive His holiness (for the purpose of us taking or participating of what is given to us by our Father which is His sanctity, in company and association with one another; God’s purpose is for us to partake of the quality of sanctification belonging-to and proceeding-from Him in the walk/behavior category).

A contribution is something that is brought together with other parts to make one whole-unit, a unifying collection. It confers help and benefit. It is conducive to any holy-person's well-being. Therefore, what is contributed contributes to the whole church's well-being in our walk with and for God.

But all (every) training that is given by a trainer…

indeed, on the one hand, for the purpose of the-thing being present (for what is presently going on, for the present time while a person is being trained, for what is now being near-by or beside the one being trained),

…does not consider to be of joy (it does not suppose that it proceeds-from and is characterized-by rejoicing, it is not considered to be a time of rejoicing), but on the contrary, it is of sorrow (grief) –

but afterwards (after that time)

…it gives-away peaceful fruit of righteousness (it pays-back what is due or obligated, which is fruit that is produced proceeding-from and characterized-by justice, justness, being and doing what is just/right from God's viewpoint; this fruit/produce of righteousness is described as being tranquil and harmonious, wholesome, without any strife or disagreement)

to the people having been exercised and continuing exercised by means of it (for those who are trained as a gymnast without any hindrance by means of the training given to them, and they continue living this way; a gymnast during Paul’s time was an athlete who took off clothes that might hinder him during the competition, the contest).

[Reference: Isaiah 42:5; Acts 20:20; Romans 8:15; I Corinthians 4:14, 12:7, 14:32; II Corinthians 1:12; Galatians 4:6; Philippians 1:11; Colossians 1:27; I Timothy 4:7 and 8; II Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:10, 5:14; James 3:18.]

Verses 12 and 13:

^.12On-which-account you must set-upright the hands having been let-go-beside² and the knees having been paralyzed², ^.13and you must make upright tracks for your feet in order that the lame-person may not be turned-out (from them) but rather he may be healed.

On account of this you must set (put)…

your hands, which are dropping down wearily beside you (languishing and thus not behaving correctly because they are not carrying out their functions),
and your knees, which are paralyzed (loosened from being beside what they should be joined to, and thus not behaving correctly because they are not carrying out their functions),

…into an upright position (you must straighten them, make them erect)…

…and you must make upright tracks for your feet (make straight, erect trails or courses, as made by wheel tracks, for your feet to run on) – for the purpose and result that the person who is lame (disabled in his feet; figuratively referring to the person who is not behaving correctly)…

may not be turned-out (would not be turned out from where he should be, not be dislocated) from the upright tracks
but rather he may be healed (more-so, more and more he would be caused to recover from his illness, and thus stay on the upright tracks, behave himself correctly).

[Reference: Proverbs 4:26; Acts 14:8-10, 20:26; Romans 10:15; I Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 3:14, 6:15; Philippians 2:10; I Timothy 1:6, 2:8, 5:15, 6:20; II Timothy 4:4.]

Verses 14-17:

^.14You must pursue peace with all-people and the holiness, without which not-one-person will see the Lord, ^.15overseeing (that there is) not someone lacking from the grace of God, not some root of bitterness sprouting upwardly in gall and by means of it many-people may be stained, ^.16not some fornicator or profane-person as Esau who in-the-place-of one eating gave-away the firstborn-rights, ^.17for you must have known² that also after-that intending to inherit the blessing he was disapproved, for he did not find a place of repentance even-indeed having sought it out with tears.

You must presently and actively pursue (during the everyday living of your lives in the walk/behavior category, you must follow or proceed earnestly after)…

peace (tranquility, peaceful wholeness, harmony, without any strife or disagreement)
- in company and association with all-people (everybody)
and the holiness (the sanctification, the state of corresponding to the essence of God Who is Holy, Holiness, Sanctity; also refer to verse 10 above),
- without which not-one-person will see the Lord (nobody who is apart or separated from holiness will see God, in the sense that the Lord God will not present Himself to be perceived with their eyes and known by them),

…and at the same time you must be overseeing (scoping, surveying, watching over, looking intensely at as a target on the following so as to determine your own actions carefully)…

…for the purpose that…

there would not be someone lacking from the grace of God (there would not be a person who is in want, deficient, falling-short or coming-behind from where he should be because of being away in his behavior from what God freely bestows, away from God’s unmerited or undeserved favor),
there would not be some root of bitterness (the word ‘root’ is used like a tree’s root relative to the tree itself and the nourishment the root provides to produce fruit; here it is a root of pointedness, sharpness, keenness that is piercing and pungent, cruelly-painful to the recipient of it – there would not be some root of bitterness)
- sprouting upwardly in gall (presently and actively generating, producing its fruit in an upward direction within a bitter-tasting substance like bile that is yellow or greenish in color; [some Greek texts read: …upwardly may trouble (crowd, harass, disturb, vex a person on the inside)])
- and by means of it many-people may be stained (through this root of bitterness and what it produces a lot of people would be tainted, tinged, colored with something else that is not suitable for holy-people),
there would not be some fornicator (physically - this refers to a person who carries out wrongful sexual activity/relations, but spiritually - this refers to a person who is being intimate with the devil and the things of the devil, such as idolatry, putting something ahead of the only true God) or profane-person (a person who desecrates, tramples, pollutes, violates, crosses the threshold from what is holy and enters-into what is unholy, not sacred or initiated)
- as in comparison to Esau, who in-the-place-of one eating (in-exchange-for, in-opposition-to, instead-of one act of eating, one meal) gave-away the firstborn-rights (paid-back what was due or obligated as payment for that one eating which was the rights of a firstborn son; Esau gave his firstborn rights of authority, inheritance, etc, to Jacob as payment to Jacob for giving him that one meal instead),
- for you must have known and continue to know (you must see to the end of perceiving and knowing with your minds) that also
  - afterwards when Esau was intending to inherit the blessing (he was willing to become an inheritor, an heir of the allotted-portion of the blessing that was to be given to the firstborn son; the word “blessing” is a noun meaning: the good word spoken, good wording, the speech that is well; the blessing was to be spoken by Isaac receiving the words from God first and then speaking them to the son who should receive the firstborn-rights, and of course what God says comes to pass and the recipient receives the outcome, the effect, the result of the blessing – however, when Esau was intending to inherit the blessing…)
  - he was disapproved (Esau was rejected from receiving the blessing to be given from God via Isaac to the firstborn son; God had tested or examined Esau and God’s resulting decision was to disapprove of him, He proved him away from Himself, God did not approve of Esau’s decision to give away his birthright),
  - in truth, he did not find a place of repentance (Esau did not come-upon an occasion of his father Isaac changing his mind from the blessing that God told him to speak to Jacob to something else as being good in God’s viewpoint; “repentance” emphasizes the mind’s change after re-thinking the matter having heard God’s words; Isaac did not change his mind)
  - even though Esau sought it out with tears (emphatically he looked out for it, in the sense of looking to Isaac for the response he wanted, while weeping with strong emotion).

Esau did not receive the blessing of a firstborn son, which is what he wanted from his father Isaac, even though he had previously willingly given it away to his brother Jacob in exchange for a meal. However, God did tell Isaac to bless him in certain respects, and Isaac spoke those good words to Esau instead, as recorded in Genesis 27:39 and 40. Esau was not able to force God or Isaac to change their minds regarding what Esau had done. Esau was a fornicator and he was profane towards God and the rights of the firstborn son of Isaac.

[Reference: Genesis 25:29-34, 26:34 and 35, and chapter 27; Deuteronomy 29:17 and 18; Acts 8:23; Romans 3:14, 6:19 and 22, 12:18, 14:17-19; I Corinthians 5:1-19, 6:13-20, 10:8; II Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:31; I Thessalonians 4:3-7; I Timothy 1:9 and 10; Titus 1:15; Hebrews 6:4-6, 11:20.]

Verses 18-24:

^.18For you did not come-towards² (a mountain) being touched-after, and having been burned² with fire, and a dense-cloud and darkness and raging-wind, ^.19and a sound of a trumpet, and a sound of spoken-matters which the (people) having heard refused (with the intent for the) word not to be added to them, ^.20for they used-to not carry the-thing being censured: “And if-ever a wild-animal may lightly-touch the mountain, it will be stoned.” ^.21And thus the-thing being caused-to-appear used-to-be fearful, Moses said, “I am extremely-fearful and in-a-tremble.”

^.22But you came-towards² Sion mountain, and city of (the) living God, (the) heavenly Jerusalem, and ten-thousands of angels, ^.23a full-gathering, and church of firstborns having been written-away² in (the) heavens, and God Judge of all, and (the) spirits of righteous-people having been made-complete², ^.24and Jesus Christ mediator of (the) new covenant, and (the) blood of sprinkling uttering-forth stronger-things beside Abel.

In truth, you (holy-people, Christians) did not come and you are still not come towards (gone towards, you have not approached)…

1. a mountain being touched-after (being felt after, as though with the hands stretched-out searching for God in the mountain to make sure He is really and truly there),

2. and having been burned and continuing burned with (by, in) fire,

3. and a dense-cloud (a thick hazy mass)

4. and darkness (not giving light to the human eye of flesh to be able to view inside or through it)

5. and raging-wind (storming furiously) – the dense-cloud and darkness and raging-wind combine together to give a description of the presence of God which Moses and the other Israelites saw at that time,

6. and a sound of a trumpet (the trumpet of God making its sound),

7. and a sound of spoken-matters (an uttered-tone of what God spoke, a voice of the sayings or portions of God’s Word containing the specific discourse)

which (referring to the sound from God) the people refused after they heard it (they excused themselves from hearing the sound, they entreated that they would not have to listen to it, they asked aside from it), their purpose being that not a word would be added to them (they did not want another word spoken by God to be put in addition to what God had already spoken to them),
in truth, they were not carrying the-thing being censured (during that time they were not willing to bear what was being inflicted as a penalty or infringement, a reprimand, what God judged by estimating the correct honor or value due in that situation which was):
- “And if-ever a wild-animal may lightly-touch the mountain, it will be stoned (even if it should happen at any time that a beast would quickly touch the mountain, stones must be thrown at it thereby killing it, that wild-animal must die – not only would an unauthorized man have to be killed if he lightly touched the mountain, but even if a wild animal lightly touched the mountain it would have to be killed!).”

And it was in this manner that the-thing being caused to appear (what was being made visible, brought to light so as to be seen by the people) was continuing during that past time to be fearful (fearsome, frightful, terrifying, dreadful, awesome, those seeing it became afraid at the consequences of their performance of any wrong behavior)…

Moses said, “I am extremely-fearful (I am outwardly evidencing much fear, outright fright or terror, very afraid at the consequences of the performance of any wrong behavior; he exhibited the awe and respect that ought to be shown towards God)
and in-a-tremble (physically quaking, shivering within; he had tremendous intensity in his obedience to God).”

But on the contrary – you (holy-people, Christians) came and continue come towards (gone towards, you have approached)…

1. Sion mountain (Mount Zion, the hill named Zion, the place where God dwells and proclaims His salvation and pronounces His judgment)

2. and city of the living God (a town that is walled, fortified, it provides protection to those dwelling within it, and this city belongs to God Who is living, He is presently and actively alive),

3. the heavenly Jerusalem (the Jerusalem that pertains to the heavenly-realm – ‘heaven’ literally is anywhere above the earth but here it is used metaphorically referring to God's spirit realm, all that is upon and pertaining-to heaven – God; this Jerusalem is heavenly),

4. and ten-thousands of angels (myriads of spirit-beings which are messengers in official service via words and/or actions),

5. a full-gathering (all are present at the festival, everyone is assembled at this festive occasion)

6. and church of firstborns (the assembly of people called out from others because all of these people dedicated themselves to God during their lives and they receive the rights of the firstborn son) who have been written-away and are still written-away in the heavens (these people are enrolled, registered, written by God in His book in the heavens – the people are not there yet but their names are written in the book of life),

7. and God Judge of all (God is the One Who makes the decisions regarding all other beings, He is the presiding-judge),

8. and the spirits of righteous-people having been made-complete and continuing made-complete (the people who are just, in a right/just state, justified will at that future time have received their new spiritual bodies having holy spirit-life, and this will occur when they have been caused to reach and arrive at their ending-issue, when they are made perfect, arriving at their ultimate state of completeness, and from that time onwards they continue being complete; these will include all the holy-people, today’s true Christians; also refer to verse 9 above),

9. and Jesus Christ mediator of the new covenant (a “mediator” is the go-between, the one who goes in the middle between two parties, who mediates for peace and unity between differing parties, i.e. God and mankind. Jesus Christ is the mediator pertaining to the binding-agreement that has only lately originated, it was recently established, it is young, fresh, it was not there before, it is not being compared to anything which was formerly there),

10. and the blood of sprinkling uttering-forth stronger-things beside Abel (Jesus Christ’s blood speaks or communicates to God things that are comparatively more forceful with exerted-power aside-from Abel, when compared against or side-by-side to/with the blood of the sacrifice that Abel offered to God, as referenced in Hebrews 11:4).

[Reference: Genesis 4:2-4; Exodus 10:22, chapter 19, 20:18-22, 22:29, 24:8; Numbers 8:16-18; Deuteronomy 4:11 and 12, 5:22-33, 9:8-21, 18:16; II Samuel 5:7; Psalm 48, 74:2, and 78:67-72; Isaiah 33:20, 59:20, 60:14; Zechariah chapter 8; Matthew 16:16, 21:5, 24:31, 26:26-29; Luke 10:20, Acts 2:2, 7:32, 14:15, 17:27; Romans 2:3 and 16, 8:16, 17, 29, and 30, 9:26 and 33, 11:26 and 27; I Corinthians 2:3, 5:7, 11:23-25, 15:52-58; II Corinthians 3:3-18, 7:15; Galatians 4:24-28; Ephesians 1:3 and 20-23, 2:4-10 and 19, 6:5; Philippians 2:5-12, 3:20 and 21, 4:3; Colossians 3:1-4; I Thessalonians 1:9, 4:16 and 17; I Timothy 2:5, 3:15, 4:10; Hebrews 1:6, 2:5 and 12, 3:1, 4:16, 6:4, 19, and 20, 7:19, 22, 25, and 28, 8:6-10, 9:11-15, 20, and 23-28, 10:14, 16, 22, 27, 29, and 31, 11:4, 6, 10, 16, 28, 39, and 40, 13:14 and 20; I Peter 1:2, 2:6; Revelation 3:5 and 12, 5:11, 13:8, 14:1, 17:8, 20:9-15, and chapters 21 and 22.]

Verses 25-29:

^.25You must observe (that) you may not refuse the (One) uttering-forth; for if those-people did not flee, having refused the (One) instructing-with-business on earth – much rather we (will not flee), the (people) turning-away-from the (One instructing us) from (the) heavens; ^.26Whose sound shook the earth then, but now He promised² saying, “Yet once I will cause-to-quake not only the earth but also the heaven”, ^.27but the-thing “Yet once” makes-clear a change of the-things being shaken as having been done² in order that the-things not being shaken may remain. ^.28On-which-account receiving an unshakable kingdom we have grace, by means of which let us well-pleasingly render-service to God with devoutness and awe, ^.29for our God (is) also a consuming fire.

You must observe (mentally envision, be mentally aware and able to contemplate, look at what you are doing, even though you may not physically see anything with your physical eyes – in other words, be spiritually observant relying on the holy spirit within you)…

that you may not refuse the One uttering-forth (that you would not excuse yourselves from, entreat that you would not have to listen to, ask aside from God Who is speaking to you).

In truth, if (since) those Israelites did not flee (did not put themselves in flight from God’s Word to them, they could not escape from what God said so as not to receive the consequences of their wrong behavior, their bad conduct),

specifically the Israelites who refused the One instructing-with-business on earth (God was the One telling them what to do, He gave them the instructions to follow as to how to carry out their affairs, their business, how to live their lives; and God did this on Mount Sinai on earth; refer to verses 18-21 above) –

…much rather we will not flee (a lot more-so we will not escape from what God says),

specifically any of us who are turning away from the One instructing us from the heavens (God is the One telling us what to do from Sion; refer to verses 22-24 above);

…Whose sound shook the earth then (at that time while Moses was receiving God’s commandments on Mount Sinai, the sound or voice of God caused the earth to rock in a waving motion, agitated it to move to-and-fro),

but now He promised and continues to promise (at the present time God has already proclaimed or declared the message of His intention, and He still holds to this promise) saying,
- “Yet once I will cause-to-quake (in addition at one time, one more time I will shake, shock, cause a quick movement as a seismic event)
  - not only the earth (not alone the earth)
  - but also the heaven (but on the contrary also emphatically everywhere above the earth which is heaven).” This is a reference to Haggai 2:6.

But the-thing “Yet once” spoken by God via Haggai the prophet and written down in the old covenant writings, makes clear (evident, plain to see) a change of the things (an alteration, a change of position or arrangement of those things)…

being shaken (being caused to rock in a waving motion, agitated to move to-and-fro; not all things will be shaken but there will be a change of the things being shaken at that time which is still future to us today)

…as…

having been done and continuing done (at that future time these things will be in the state of having been performed, and once they are done they stay done – nothing that is shaken will be able to become unshaken, and there will be no need for anymore changes to be made)
- for the purpose and result that the-things not being shaken would remain (the unshaken things will stay, abide, continue in their unshaken state).

On account of this…

while we are presently and actively in the process of receiving (taking beside or alongside ourselves the object that is being presented to us, which is)
- an unshakable kingdom (a kingly or royal dominion and government and rule and territory and power, etc, that cannot be rocked in a waving motion, it cannot be agitated to move to-and-fro; this kingdom is immovable)
we presently and actively have grace (God has already bestowed unmerited favor to us and now we are living within it; also refer to verse 15 above),
by means of which (through grace)
- let us well-pleasingly render-service to God (the usage of “let us” is a polite command or a very strong suggestion advising us to do what Paul writes; let us perform or carry-out service in a manner that is goodly agreeable, acceptable and gratifying to God) in company and association with
  - devoutness (piety, taking hold of the assignment God gives to us in a manner that is well, and being circumspect to perform it, being careful to carry-out our Godly-duties, our obligations to God our Father)
  - and awe (in the sense of being cautious to behave ourselves correctly from God’s viewpoint so that we do not receive the consequences of any wrong behavior on our part, being alert in watching to maintain the right course and apprehensive of going off-track, so as not to have reason to be afraid of impending repercussions).

In truth, our God is also a consuming fire (in addition to what is explained above, the God of us is figuratively described as also being fire that is presently and actively burning coming down from heaven and burning up what is in its path that is burnable, thereby using-up or spending what is burned and nothing being left of it, none remaining). God has not changed.

[Reference: Exodus 19:18-20; Deuteronomy 4:24; Judges 5:5; Isaiah 42:5; Haggai 2:1-9; Matthew 24:29-31; Acts 20:24 and 32; Romans 1:9, 5:1, 2, and 15-21, 12:1-6, 14:10-12 and 18; I Corinthians 1:4; II Corinthians 5:9-11, 6:1, 9:8; Galatians 1:6; Ephesians 1:5-10, 2:5-8, 4:7, 5:8-10; Philippians 3:3; II Timothy 1:3 and 9; Titus 2:9, 3:7; Hebrews 1:2 and 10-12, 2:2, 3 and 9, 4:16, 5:7, 8:5, 9:14, 10:26-31, 11:5-7; Revelation 6:12-17, 20:11-15, and chapters 21 and 22. Note: verbs with a superscript 2 (²) immediately following them indicate the "perfect" tense - details are provided in the "Relevant Notes" link of this study.]

Hebrews Chapter 13