Twentieth_Century(i)
5 and you have forgotten the encouraging words which are addressed to you as God's Children-- 'My child, think not lightly of the Lord's discipline, do not despond when he rebukes you;
6 for it is him whom he loves that he disciplines, and he chastises every child whom he acknowledges.'
7 It is for your discipline that you have to endure all this. God is dealing with you as his Children. For where is there a child whom his father does not discipline?
8 If you are left without that discipline, in which all children share, it shows that you are bastards, and not true Children.
9 Further, when our earthly fathers disciplined us, we respected them. Shall we not, then, much rather yield submission to the Father of souls, and live?
10 Our fathers disciplined us for only a short time and as seemed best to them; but God disciplines us for our true good, to enable us to share his holiness.
11 No discipline is pleasant at the time; on the contrary, it is painful. But afterwards its fruit is seen in the peacefulness of a righteous life which is the lot of those who have been trained under it.
12 Therefore 'lift again the down-dropped hands and straighten the weakened knees;