looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- BSB Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- 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.
- NASB looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- NLT We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
We run by looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who endured the cross for the joy ahead and now reigns at God's right hand. Christ is both the supreme example and the goal of faith.
Overview
This is the climax of the whole passage: every witness pointed forward, and now the gaze fixes on Jesus, who originates and completes faith. He endured the shame of the cross because of the joy set before him and has been exalted to God's right hand (Psalm 110:1). His example empowers perseverance, and his finished work is the ground of the believer's hope and the perfection of all faith.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 40
- Mic 7:7But as for me, I will look to Yahweh. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
- 1 Pet 3:18Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
- 1 Pet 2:23–24Who, when he was cursed, didn’t curse back. When he suffered, didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously;
- Heb 1:3His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
- Phil 1:6being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
- Eph 5:2Walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.
- Heb 9:28so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, without sin, to those who are eagerly waiting for him for salvation.
- Titus 2:13–14looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ;
- John 6:40This is the will of the one who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes in him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
- Phil 2:8–11And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.
- 1 Pet 3:22who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
- Phil 3:20For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
- Acts 5:31God exalted him with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.
- Isa 45:22“Look to me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
- Luke 24:26Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?”
- Jude 1:21Keep yourselves in God’s love, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
- Isa 53:3He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him.
- 2 Tim 4:8From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.
- Mark 14:36He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible to you. Please remove this cup from me. However, not what I desire, but what you desire.”
- 1 Pet 4:14–16If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. On their part he is blasphemed, but on your part he is glorified.
- John 17:1–4Jesus said these things, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you;
- Heb 8:1Now in the things which we are saying, the main point is this. We have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,
- Rev 2:8“To the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: “The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life says these things:
- Isa 8:17I will wait for Yahweh, who hides his face from the house of Jacob, and I will look for him.
- Heb 5:9Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation,
- Heb 13:13Let us therefore go out to him outside of the camp, bearing his reproach.
- Acts 2:25–26For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.
- Heb 12:3For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don’t grow weary, fainting in your souls.
- John 12:27–28“Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But for this cause I came to this time.
- Isa 50:6–7I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair. I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting.
- Ps 138:8Yahweh will fulfill that which concerns me; your loving kindness, Yahweh, endures forever. Don’t forsake the works of your own hands.
- John 13:3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and was going to God,
- Mark 9:24Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, “I believe. Help my unbelief!”
- Eph 2:16and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, having killed the hostility thereby.
- Luke 17:5The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
- Matt 26:67–68Then they spit in his face and beat him with their fists, and some slapped him,
- Ps 22:6–8But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
- John 1:29The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
- Heb 2:7–10You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor.
- John 12:32And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Hebrews is sustained worship of Christ: better than angels, Moses, and the priests; the great High Priest after Melchizedek who by one sacrifice perfects forever those he saves.
How Hebrews 12:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.