The Skeptics Annotated Bible (972 page)

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

(12.7)
“What son is he whom the father chasteneth not?”
What kind of father doesn’t beat his sons now and then?

8 But
if ye be without chastisement,
whereof all are partakers,
then are ye bastards
, and not sons.

(12.8)
“If ye be without chastisement … then are ye bastards.”
God always hurts the ones he loves. And if God doesn’t hurt you, you are a bastard, not a son.

9 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?

10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

14
Follow peace with all men
, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

(12.14) “Follow peace with all men.”

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

16 Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And
if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart
:

(12.20)
“If so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart.”

21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

(12.22-24) “Ye are come … to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”