Hebrews 12:16
14 Pursue peace with everyone, as well as holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.
15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness springs up to cause trouble and defile many.
See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.
17 For you know that afterward, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected. He could find no ground for repentance, though he sought the blessing with tears.
18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;
This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- See to it that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his birthright.
- KJV
- Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
- WEB
- lest there be any sexually immoral person or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal.
- ASV
- lest [there be] any fornication, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright.
- DARBY
- lest [there be] any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one meal sold his birthright;
- BLB
- lest [there be] any sexually immoral person or profane person, as Esau, who for one meal sold his birthright.
- ÅB
- at ikke noen er en horkarl eller en vanhellig som Esau, som for en eneste rett mat solgte sin førstefødselsrett.
- OTB
- Se til at ingen er seksuelt umoralsk eller gudløs som Esau, som for et enkelt måltid solgte sine førstefødselsrettigheter.
- B1930
- at ikke nogen er en horkarl eller en vanhellig som Esau, som for en eneste rett mat solgte sin førstefødselsrett.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Genesis 25:31–34
“First sell me your birthright,” Jacob replied.
Read in context1 Corinthians 6:15–20
Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!
Read in contextHebrews 13:4
Marriage should be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
Read in contextMark 7:21
For from within the hearts of men come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
Read in contextRevelation 22:15
But outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
Read in contextActs 15:29
You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
Read in context1 Thessalonians 4:3–7
For it is God’s will that you should be holy: You must abstain from sexual immorality;
Read in contextActs 15:20
Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals, and from blood.
Read in context