Hebrews 12:9
New International Version
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!

New Living Translation
Since we respected our earthly fathers who disciplined us, shouldn’t we submit even more to the discipline of the Father of our spirits, and live forever?

English Standard Version
Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?

Berean Standard Bible
Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?

Berean Literal Bible
Furthermore indeed, we have had fathers of our flesh, correctors, and we respected them; and shall we not much more be in subjection to the Father of spirits and shall live?

King James Bible
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

New King James Version
Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?

New American Standard Bible
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

NASB 1995
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

NASB 1977
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

Legacy Standard Bible
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them. Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

Amplified Bible
Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we submitted and respected them [for training us]; shall we not much more willingly submit to the Father of spirits, and live [by learning from His discipline]?

Christian Standard Bible
Furthermore, we had human fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Furthermore, we had natural fathers discipline us, and we respected them. Shouldn’t we submit even more to the Father of spirits and live?

American Standard Version
Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And if our fathers who are in the flesh have disciplined us and we did revere them, how much more ought we submit to The Father of Spirits and live?

Contemporary English Version
Our earthly fathers correct us, and we still respect them. Isn't it even better to be given true life by letting our spiritual Father correct us?

Douay-Rheims Bible
Moreover we have had fathers of our flesh, for instructors, and we reverenced them: shall we not much more obey the Father of spirits, and live?

English Revised Version
Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
On earth we have fathers who disciplined us, and we respect them. Shouldn't we place ourselves under the authority of God, the father of spirits, so that we will live?

Good News Translation
In the case of our human fathers, they punished us and we respected them. How much more, then, should we submit to our spiritual Father and live!

International Standard Version
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them for it. We should submit even more to the Father of our spirits and live, shouldn't we?

Literal Standard Version
Then, indeed, we have had fathers of our flesh, correctors, and we respected [them]; will we not much rather be subject to the Father of the spirits, and live?

Majority Standard Bible
Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?

New American Bible
Besides this, we have had our earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not [then] submit all the more to the Father of spirits and live?

NET Bible
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?

New Revised Standard Version
Moreover, we had human parents to discipline us, and we respected them. Should we not be even more willing to be subject to the Father of spirits and live?

New Heart English Bible
Furthermore, we had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we paid them respect. Should we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?

Webster's Bible Translation
Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?

Weymouth New Testament
Besides this, our earthly fathers used to discipline us and we treated them with respect, and shall we not be still more submissive to the Father of our spirits, and live?

World English Bible
Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?

Young's Literal Translation
Then, indeed, fathers of our flesh we have had, chastising us, and we were reverencing them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of the spirits, and live?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
God Disciplines His Sons
8If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live? 10Our fathers disciplined us for a short time as they thought best, but God disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness.…

Cross References
Numbers 16:22
But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, when one man sins, will You be angry with the whole congregation?"

Numbers 27:16
"May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation

Isaiah 38:16
O Lord, by such things men live, and in all of them my spirit finds life. You have restored me to health and have let me live.

Zechariah 12:1
This is the burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. Thus declares the LORD, who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundation of the earth, who forms the spirit of man within him:

Luke 18:2
"In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected men.

Luke 18:4
For a while he refused, but later he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect men,

Revelation 22:6
Then the angel said to me, "These words are faithful and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent His angel to show His servants what must soon take place."


Treasury of Scripture

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?

fathers.

John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Acts 2:30
Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

Romans 1:3
Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

corrected.

Hebrews 12:7
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

we gave.

Exodus 20:12
Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Leviticus 19:3
Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy 21:18-21
If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: …

shall we not.

Malachi 1:6
A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?

James 4:7,10
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you…

1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

the Father.

Numbers 16:22
And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?

Numbers 27:16
Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,

Job 12:10
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

Jump to Previous
Authority Besides Chasten Corrected Discipline Disciplined Earthly Fathers Flesh Furthermore Human Live Moreover Paid Punishment Rather Respect Respected Reverence Reverenced Spirits Subject Subjection Submissive Submit Treated Used
Jump to Next
Authority Besides Chasten Corrected Discipline Disciplined Earthly Fathers Flesh Furthermore Human Live Moreover Paid Punishment Rather Respect Respected Reverence Reverenced Spirits Subject Subjection Submissive Submit Treated Used
Hebrews 12
1. An exhortation to constant faith, patience, and godliness by Christ's example
22. A commendation of the new covenant.














(9) Furthermore we have had fathers.--Rather, Furthermore we had the fathers of our flesh as chasteners (i.e., to chasten us). The thought of the former verses has been, "He chastens as a lather." From likeness we here pass to contrast. The contrast drawn is between our natural parents and "the Father of spirits" (comp. Numbers 16:22; Numbers 27:16; Zechariah 12:1)--the Creator of all spirits, who is the Giver of life to all, who knows the spirit which He has made (see Psalm 94:9-10) and can discipline it by His chastening.

And live.--Since the life of the spirit subsists only in union with Him.

Verse 9. - Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us (more correctly, we once had, or, we used to have, the fathers of our flesh as chasteners), and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? This introduces an à fortiori argument. We are reminded of the days of our youth, while we were under parental discipline, and bore with it submissively: much more should we submit to the discipline of our heavenly Father, to whom we are as children under training all our life long! Commentators differ as to what is exactly meant by the contrast between "the fathers of our flesh" and "the Father of spirits (τῶν πνευμάτων)." Some (among moderns Delitzsch) find here a support to the theory of creationism as against traducianism; i.e. that the soul of each individual, as distinct from the body, is a new creation, not transmitted from the parents. This view would have more to go on than it has, were we justified in implying ἡμῶν after πνευμάτων ("our spirits," in opposition to "our flesh," preceding). But τῶν πνευμάτων seems evidently meant to be understood generally; and the expression (suggested probably by Numbers 16:22 and Numbers 27:16, "The God of the spirits of all flesh") need imply only that, though God is the original Author of flesh as well as spirit, yet the latter, whether in man or otherwise existing, has in a peculiar sense its parentage from him (cf. Genesis 2:7, "The LORD GOD formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul;" also Job 33:4, "The Spirit of the LORD hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life"). Our earthly parents transmit to us our carnal existence; our spiritual part, in whatever mysterious way derived or inspired, is duo to our Divine parentage; and it is in respect of this that we are God's children and accountable to him. But, as has been intimated above, it is not human spirits only that are here in the writer's view. God is the Father of all "the spirits," whether in the flesh or not; all are of Divine parentage, for God himself is Spirit - Πνεῦμα ὁ Θεός (John 4:24). Chrysostom explains thus: Τῷ πατρὶ τῶν πνευμὰτων ἤτοι τῶν χαρισμάτων λέγει, ἤτοι τῶν εὐχῶν ψυχῶν ἤτοι τῶν ἀσωμάτων δυνάμεων

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Furthermore,
εἶτα (eita)
Adverb
Strong's 1534: A particle of succession, then, moreover.

we have all had
εἴχομεν (eichomen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

earthly
σαρκὸς (sarkos)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 4561: Flesh, body, human nature, materiality; kindred.

fathers
πατέρας (pateras)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

who disciplined [us],
παιδευτὰς (paideutas)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3810: An instructor, trainer; almost: a chastiser. From paideuo; a trainer, i.e. Teacher or discipliner.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

we respected [them].
ἐνετρεπόμεθα (enetrepometha)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Passive - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1788: From en and the base of trope; to invert, i.e. in a good sense, to respect; or in a bad one, to confound.

{Should we} not
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.

much
πολὺ (poly)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

more
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

submit
ὑποταγησόμεθα (hypotagēsometha)
Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 5293: From hupo and tasso; to subordinate; reflexively, to obey.

to the
τῷ (tō)
Article - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

Father
Πατρὶ (Patri)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3962: Father, (Heavenly) Father, ancestor, elder, senior. Apparently a primary word; a 'father'.

of [our]
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

spirits
πνευμάτων (pneumatōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 4151: Wind, breath, spirit.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

live?
ζήσομεν (zēsomen)
Verb - Future Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 2198: To live, be alive. A primary verb; to live.


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NT Letters: Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore we had the fathers of our (Heb. He. Hb)
Hebrews 12:8
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