Hebrews 12:18–29

¹⁸You haven’t come to a mountain that can be touched. You haven’t come to a mountain that is burning with fire. You haven’t come to darkness, gloom and storm. ¹⁹You haven’t come to a blast from God’s trumpet. You haven’t come to a voice speaking to you. When people heard that voice long ago, they begged it not to say anything more to them. ²⁰What God commanded was too much for them. He said, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be killed with stones.” ²¹The sight was terrifying. Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”

²²But you have come to Mount Zion. You have come to the Jerusalem in heaven. It is the city of the living God. You have come to a joyful gathering of angels. There are thousands and thousands of them. ²³You have come to the church of God’s people. God’s first and only Son is over all things. God’s people share in what belongs to his Son. Their names are written in heaven. You have come to God. He is the judge of all people.

You have come to the spirits of godly people who have been made perfect. ²⁴You have come to Jesus. He is the go-between of a new covenant. You have come to the sprinkled blood. It promises better things than the blood of Abel.

²⁵Be sure that you don’t say no to the One who speaks. People did not escape when they said no to the One who warned them on earth. And what if we turn away from the One who warns us from heaven? How much less will we escape!

²⁶At that time his voice shook the earth. But now he has promised, “Once more I will shake the earth. I will also shake the heavens.” ²⁷The words “once more” point out that what can be shaken can be taken away. I’m talking about created things. Then what can’t be shaken will remain.

²⁸We are receiving a kingdom that can’t be shaken. So let us be thankful. Then we can worship God in a way that pleases him. We will worship him with deep respect and wonder. ²⁹Our “God is like a fire that burns everything up.”