Does God Scourge Christians? Hebrews 12:6 Explained
A simple easy to understand explanation of Hebrews 12:6 describing God scourging Christians (in Video). Regardless of what religion has taught, and the mistranslations of scripture in the bible, God is not scourging Christians. In part of this lesson, we learn that the scourge weapon was invented long after the old testament quote that Hebrews 12 references, and how the translator got it wrong. Enjoy!
📖 “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” — Hebrews 12:6 (KJV)
Well… if that’s the case, you can count me out. 😅
Other translations put it this way:
📘 “FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE PUNISHES EVERY SON WHOM HE ACCEPTS.” — Hebrews 12:6 (NASB)
Honestly, it’s a bit frightening that some people are preaching this verse as a threat — like if you mess up, God just might “scourge” you. 😳
Let’s think about that. If God were truly “scourging” us… you probably wouldn’t make it out alive. 😬 Remember The Passion of the Christ? Jesus was scourged. It was brutal — shredded flesh, blood everywhere, life support levels of pain.
And let’s be real — what unbeliever would hear that and think, “Yeah, sounds like a God I wanna follow!” 😖
But here’s the deal… not all translations use the word scourge. And in my opinion, the ones that do have seriously missed the mark. 🤔
Let’s break it down:
📚 According to Strong’s Concordance, the Greek word “mastigoo” points back to the Hebrew word “biqqoret”, which has TWO possible meanings:
To scourge (literally — weapon, pain, destruction), or
To deeply inquire into.
See the connection? The physical “scourge” inquires into flesh. The alternative meaning? God inquires into our hearts and lives — emotionally, lovingly — like a Christian counselor might. 💬❤️
Here’s what likely happened: 1️⃣ The letter was written to the Hebrews — aka Jewish people. 2️⃣ So, it was probably written in Hebrew. 3️⃣ The word “biqqoret” was used and later translated to Greek. 4️⃣ And the Greek translator had to make a call — is God a violent punisher, or a loving inquirer?
My take? The translator’s view of God affected the choice. ⚖️
Still unsure? Consider this: ➡️ Hebrews 12:6 is quoting Proverbs 3:12 — and that version reads:
📖 “For whom the LORD loves He disciplines, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights.”
🛑 No mention of “scourge.” Not even once in the entire Old Testament. Know why? The weapon hadn’t even been invented yet! ⚔️ That’s an important fact to keep in mind.
So how could the writer of Hebrews possibly be referring to a weapon that didn’t exist? 🤷♂️
Think about the word television. It was created using older words: “tele” (distance) + “vision” (sight). Together, it formed a new idea. That’s likely what happened here — a word that could mean pain or care, depending on interpretation.
💡 And that’s why I believe the more accurate translation is: “to inquire deeply into.”
Yes, the verse is sometimes translated as God “disciplining” us — but discipline ≠ punishment.
Remember: ✅ Our sins are forgiven. ✅ Our sins are remembered no more. ✅ We’ve been reconciled. ✅ We have peace with God. ✅ There is now no condemnation for those in Christ. 🙌
So what is God’s discipline?
It’s not punishment for past sins — it’s loving guidance and training for how we live moving forward. 🛤️🕊️
Just something for everyone to consider. Because I don’t know about you, BUT I’m not interested in a God who is going to consider beating me senseless, but I am interested in a God who was beatEN senseless, so I didn’t have to be.
Author: Mike Cynar
Mike Cynar was raised in a church setting where he frequently noticed that many attendees would eventually drift away. The church labeled these individuals as ‘back sliders’ or ‘fake Christians’ just looking for ‘fire insurance’. However, Mike realized the issue was rarely with these individuals but instead with the church’s message itself. The teachings heavily emphasized behavior improvement and one’s flaws, with only a fleeting mention of one’s identity in Christ. It felt as though every sermon was tailored to the church of Corinth, who as we know or committing sins that even unbelievers don’t partake in. This trend was noticeable not just in one denomination, but across Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal, and many other churches. Upon understanding the true essence of the gospel – that our righteousness comes from Jesus’ actions, not our own – Mike was inspired to liberate believers from lifeless sermons and reconnect them with the genuine teachings of Jesus. He believes that one can nurture a vibrant and growing bond with Jesus, unhindered by rigid religious practices. And thus, “Jesus Without Religion” was born.
It turns out that it is grace that leads to repentance. And if our heart is to get others to walk in the Spirit and live a godly life, then the best approach is not a beat down sermon, but rather to remind other that it is only when we understand our true identity in Christ that we will live it out. Yes, it’s true, if you’re convinced that God thinks you’re a dirty sinner, you will ultimately continue a lifestyle that mirrors that view, but if you truly believe that even on your worst day, you are called holy, sanctified, justified, and will be presented blameless in the end, well, it turns out this is the secret to living out on the outside what has been worked in to the inside.
