Hebrews 12:14-24

Do Not Grow Weary

14 s Strive for peace with everyone, and for the t holiness u without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one v fails to obtain the grace of God; that no w "root of bitterness" springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is x sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that y afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.

A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken

18 For you have not come to z what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and a the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words b made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, c "If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned." 21 Indeed, d so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I tremble with fear." 22 But you have come to e Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, f the heavenly Jerusalem, and to g innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to h the assembly 1 of the firstborn who are i enrolled in heaven, and to j God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, k the mediator of a new covenant, and to l the sprinkled blood m that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

  1. Cross References
    Romans 14:19
    So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
  2. Cross References
    1 Thessalonians 4:7
    For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.
  3. Cross References
    Matthew 5:8
    Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
    2 Corinthians 7:1
    Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
    Ephesians 5:5
    For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ( that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
    Revelation 21:27
    But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.
    Revelation 22:4
    They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
  4. Cross References
    Hebrews 4:1
    Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.
    2 Corinthians 6:1
    Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.
    Galatians 5:4
    You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.
  5. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 29:18
    Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the Lord our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit.
  6. Cross References
    Hebrews 13:4
    Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.
    Genesis 25:33
    Jacob said, "Swear to me now." So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 27:34
    As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, "Bless me, even me also, O my father!
    Genesis 27:36
    Esau said, "Is he not rightly named Jacob? For he has cheated me these two times. He took away my birthright, and behold, now he has taken away my blessing." Then he said, "Have you not reserved a blessing for me?
    Genesis 27:38
    Esau said to his father, "Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father." And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.
  8. Cross References
    Exodus 19:18
    Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly.
    Exodus 20:18
    Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off
    Deuteronomy 4:11
    And you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while the mountain burned with fire to the heart of heaven, wrapped in darkness, cloud, and gloom.
    Deuteronomy 5:22
    These words the Lord spoke to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and he added no more. And he wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.
    2 Corinthians 3:9
    For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.
  9. Cross References
    Exodus 19:16
    On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
    Exodus 19:19
    And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder.
  10. Cross References
    Exodus 20:19
    And said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.
    Deuteronomy 5:5
    While I stood between the Lord and you at that time, to declare to you the word of the Lord. For you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. He said:
    Deuteronomy 18:16
    Just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, 'Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.
  11. Cross References
    Exodus 19:12 - 13
    And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, 'Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.
  12. Cross References
    Exodus 19:12 - 13
    And you shall set limits for the people all around, saying, 'Take care not to go up into the mountain or touch the edge of it. Whoever touches the mountain shall be put to death.
  13. Cross References
    Exodus 19:16
    On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled.
    Deuteronomy 9:19
    For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure that the Lord bore against you, so that he was ready to destroy you. But the Lord listened to me that time also.
  14. Cross References
    Revelation 14:1
    Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.
  15. Cross References
    Galatians 4:26
    But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.
  16. Cross References
    Jude 1:14
    It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones.
  17. Cross References
    Exodus 4:22
    Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son.
  18. Cross References
    Luke 10:20
    Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.
  19. Cross References
    Genesis 18:25
    Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?
  20. Cross References
    Hebrews 8:6
    But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.
    Hebrews 9:15
    Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
  21. Cross References
    Hebrews 10:22
    Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
  22. Cross References
    Hebrews 11:4
    By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
    Genesis 4:10
    And the Lord said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.