Hebrews 12:2

Hebrews 12:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
• New International Version (NIV)fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
• English Standard Version (ESV)looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Context of Hebrews 12:2

1So we have learned about many people who trusted God long ago. They are like a very big crowd all round us and we should copy their example. We must be like people who run in a race. We must throw away everything that stops us from running well. The sins that we do make us fall down very easily. We must not let those sins rule us. God has prepared the way that is in front of us. We must continue to be strong while we run along that way. We must choose to run that race well. As we run, we must always look towards Jesus. He is the one who trusted God completely. Our faith starts with him, and he will help us to trust God all the way to the end. Jesus accepted punishment on the cross. He chose to receive much pain. He did not think about being ashamed to die like that. He knew that God had prepared something very good for him that would make him happy. Now he has sat down at the right side of God to rule with him in heaven. 3So think carefully about how Jesus lived on earth. Bad people did very bad things against him, but he continued to be strong. Think about him, and then you will not become weak as Christians. You will not stop trusting God. 4You have been fighting against sin in your lives. But you have not yet had to fight like that until someone killed you.

Hebrews 12:2 word by word

ἀφορῶντες εἰς τὸν τῆς πίστεως ἀρχηγὸν καὶ τελειωτὴν Ἰησοῦν, ὃς ἀντὶ τῆς προκειμένης αὐτῷ χαρᾶς ὑπέμεινεν σταυρὸν αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας, ἐν δεξιᾷ τε τοῦ θρόνου τοῦ θεοῦ κεκάθικεν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Lookingἀφοράωaphoraō · to considerG872
• untoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• the authorὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the authorἀρχηγόςarchēgos · founderG747
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• finisherτελειωτήςteleiōtēs · finisherG5051
• ofπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• faithπίστιςpistis · faithG4102
• whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• forἀντίanti · forG473
• the joyχαράchara · joyG5479
• that was set beforeπρόκειμαιprokeimai · to set beforeG4295
• himαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• enduredὑπομένωhupomenō · to remain/endureG5278
• the crossσταυρόςstauros · crossG4716
• despisingκαταφρονέωkataphroneō · to despiseG2706
• the shameαἰσχύνηaischunē · shameG152
• andτεte · and/bothG5037
• is set downκαθίζωkathizō · to seatG2523
• atἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• the right handδεξιόςdexios · rightG1188
• of the throneθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316

Cross-references for Hebrews 12:2

• Hebrews 12:3So think carefully about how Jesus lived on earth. Bad people did very bad things against him, but he continued to be strong. Think about him, and then you will not become weak as Christians. You will not stop trusting God.
• Hebrews 9:28Christ also died only once as a sacrifice. In this way, he took God's punishment for the sins of many people. Christ will return to earth a second time, but that will not be as a sacrifice for sins. That time, he will come to save those people who are waiting patiently for him.
• Isaiah 8:17I will wait for the Lord to do what he says. He has turned away from the descendants of Jacob. But I will trust him to do what is right.
• Isaiah 31:1It will be very bad for those people who expect that Egypt will help them. They think that Egypt's many horses and chariots will keep them safe. They trust the power of Egypt's strong soldiers who ride on horses. But those people do not trust the Holy God of Israel. They do not ask the Lord to help them.
• Isaiah 45:22So turn to me and I will make you safe. I say that to everybody all over the world. Turn to me, because I am God. There is nobody else like me.
• Micah 7:7But as for me, I will watch for what the Lord will do. I will wait for God, who saves me. I know that he hears me.
• Zechariah 12:10I will cause the family of David and the people in Jerusalem to think seriously about me. Then they will know that I am kind to them. And they will want to pray to me. They will look at me whom they pierced (made holes in). They will weep about him as those that weep after the death of their only son. They will cry aloud as if their only son was dead.
• John 1:29The next day, John saw Jesus, who was coming towards him. John said, ‘Look! Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of people in the world.
• John 6:40These are the people who will have life for ever with God: everyone who sees the Son and believes in him. I will raise them all up on the last day. That is what my Father wants.’
• John 8:56Your ancestor Abraham knew that I would come at some time. He was happy to know that he would see that time. He did see that time, and he was very happy.’
• Philippians 3:20But as for us, the home where we belong is in heaven. We are waiting for the Lord Jesus Christ to come from there. He is the one who will come from heaven and save us.
• 2 Timothy 4:8So now a gift is waiting for me. The Lord will make me completely right with him. That will be like a crown which the Lord will give me on that great day when he judges people. He is the judge who is fair and right. He will not only give that gift to me. He will give it to all those people who love him. They will be happy to see him when he comes again.
• 1 John 1:1We have an important message to tell you. We want to tell you about the person who was already there before the beginning of the world. We have heard him speak. We have seen him with our own eyes. We watched him and we touched him. He is the Word that gives us life with God.
• Jude 1:21Continue to live in a way that shows God's love. As you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to come, remember that he is very kind. Because of that, you will have life with God for ever.
• Hebrews 2:10It was right that God should bring Jesus back to heaven as king. All things belong to God, and he causes all things to continue. God wanted many people to become his children. He wanted them to live with him in heaven. Jesus made this possible because he died with much pain as a sacrifice.
• Mark 9:24Immediately, the boy's father shouted, ‘Oh! I believe! Help me to believe more!’

Commentaries on Hebrews 12:2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Looking unto Jesus - · Looking off and on, or from and to; looking off or from the world and all secular concerns to Jesus and all the spiritual and heavenly things connected with him. This is still an allusion to the Grecian games: those who ran were to keep their eyes fixed on the mark of the prize; they must keep the goal in view. The exhortation implies, That they should place all their hope and confidence in Christ, as their sole helper in this race…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Looking unto Jesus - As a further inducement to do this, the apostle exhorts us to look to the Saviour. We are to look to his holy life; to his patience and perseverance in trials; to what he endured in order to obtain the crown, and to his final success and triumph. The author and finisher of our faith - The word “our” is not in the original here, and obscures the sense. The meaning is, he is the first and the last as an example of faith or of confidence…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Jesus is the ultimate example of staying faithful (Hebrews 3:1). To endure in the Christian life, we must focus on Jesus and his work for us. Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith: Jesus has done everything needed for faith to be real under the new covenant. scorning its shame: Crucifixion (dying on a cross) was the most shameful way to execute someone. It was used to humiliate and torture the person crucified. It was used only for slaves and…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Looking unto--literally, "Looking from afar" (see on He 11:26); fixing the eyes upon Jesus seated on the throne of God. author--"Prince-leader." The same Greek is translated, "Captain (of salvation)," He 2:10; "Prince (of life)," Ac 3:15. Going before us as the Originator of our faith, and the Leader whose matchless example we are to follow always. In this He is distinguished from all those examples of faith in He 11:2-40. (Compare 1Co 11:1). On His…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 12:2

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Cross
• Example
• Faith
• Jesus Continued
• Jesus, the Christ
• Persecution
• Perseverance
• Race
• Reward
• Shame
• Throne

In the dictionaries

• God
• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Acceptably
• Aside
• Birthright
• Bitterness
• Carefully
• Chastening

Commentaries on Hebrews 12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings