Hebrews 12:9

Parents and children Obedience Eternal life

⁷ Endure suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?

⁸ If you do not experience discipline like everyone else, then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.

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?

¹⁰ Our 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.

¹¹ No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who have been trained by it.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: 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?
KJV: 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?
WEB: 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?
ASV: 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?
DARBY: Moreover we have had the fathers of our flesh as chasteners, and we reverenced [them]; shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?
BLB: Furthermore indeed, we have had fathers of our flesh, discipliners, and we respected [them]; and will we not much more be in subjection to the Father of spirits and will live?

ÅB: Dessuten: våre kjødelige fedre hadde vi til opptuktere, og vi hadde ærefrykt for dem; skal vi da ikke meget mere være lydige mot åndenes Far, så vi får leve?
OTB: Dessuten har vi alle hatt jordiske fedre som tukter oss, og vi respekterte dem. Hvor mye mer skal vi ikke underordne oss åndenes Far og leve!
B1930: Dessuten: våre kjødelige fedre hadde vi til optuktere, og vi hadde ærefrykt for dem; skal vi da ikke meget mere være lydige mot åndenes Fader, så vi får leve?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

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?”
Read in context
Numbers 27:16
“May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation
Read in context
Isaiah 42:5
This is what God the LORD says— He who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it and life to those who walk in it:
Read in context
John 3:6
Flesh is born of flesh, but spirit is born of the Spirit.
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Job 12:10
The life of every living thing is in His hand, as well as the breath of all mankind.
Read in context
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:
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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.
Read in context
Exodus 20:12
Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
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