Hebrews 12:16-29

12:16 And see to it that no one becomes ¹  an immoral or godless person like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. ²  12:17 For you know that ³  later when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance, although he sought the blessing ⁴  with tears. 12:18 For you have not come to something that can be touched, ⁵  to a burning fire and darkness and gloom and a whirlwind 12:19 and the blast of a trumpet and a voice uttering words ⁶  such that those who heard begged to hear no more. ⁷  12:20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” ⁸  12:21 In fact, the scene ⁹  was so terrifying that Moses said, “I shudder with fear.” ¹⁰  12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion, the city ¹¹  of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the assembly 12:23 and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect, 12:24 and to Jesus, the mediator ¹²  of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks of something better than Abel’s does. ¹³ 

12:25 Take care not to refuse the one who is speaking! For if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less shall we, if we reject the one who warns from heaven? 12:26 Then his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “I will once more shake not only the earth but heaven too.” ¹⁴  12:27 Now this phrase “once more” indicates the removal of what is shaken, that is, of created things, so that what is unshaken may remain. 12:28 So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe. 12:29 For our God is indeed a devouring fire. ¹⁵ 

¹ tn Grk “that there not be any,” continuing from v. 15.

² sn An allusion to Gen 27:34-41.

³ tn Or a command: “for understand that.”

⁴ tn Grk “it,” referring either to the repentance or the blessing. But the account in Gen 27:34-41 (which the author appeals to here) makes it clear that the blessing is what Esau sought. Thus in the translation the referent (the blessing) is specified for clarity.

⁵ tn This describes the nation of Israel approaching God on Mt. Sinai (Exod 19). There is a clear contrast with the reference to Mount Zion in v. 22, so this could be translated “a mountain that can be touched.” But the word “mountain” does not occur here and the more vague description seems to be deliberate.

⁶ tn Grk “a voice of words.”

⁷ tn Grk “a voice…from which those who heard begged that a word not be added to them.”

⁸ sn A quotation from Exod 19:12-13.

⁹ tn Grk “that which appeared.”

¹⁰ tn Grk “I am terrified and trembling.”

¹¹ tn Grk “and the city”; the conjunction is omitted in translation since it seems to be functioning epexegetically – that is, explaining further what is meant by “Mount Zion.”

¹² tn The Greek word μεσίτης (mesith", “mediator”) in this context does not imply that Jesus was a mediator in the contemporary sense of the word, i.e., he worked for compromise between opposing parties. Here the term describes his function as the one who was used by God to enact a new covenant which established a new relationship between God and his people, but entirely on God’s terms.

¹³ sn Abel’s shed blood cried out to the Lord for justice and judgment, but Jesus’ blood speaks of redemption and forgiveness, something better than Abel’s does (Gen 4:10; Heb 9:11-14; 11:4).

¹⁴ sn A quotation from Hag 2:6.

¹⁵ sn A quotation from Deut 4:24; 9:3.