Hebrews 12:18

16 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.

For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;

19 to a trumpet blast or to a voice that made its hearers beg that no further word be spoken.

20 For they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;
KJV
For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
WEB
For you have not come to a mountain that might be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness, darkness, storm,
ASV
For ye are not come unto [a mount] that might be touched, and that burned with fire, and unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
DARBY
For ye have not come to [the mount] that might be touched and was all on fire, and to obscurity, and darkness, and tempest,
BLB
For you⁺ have not come to [that] being touched and having been kindled with fire, and to darkness and to gloom and to storm,
ÅB
For dere er ikke kommet til et fjell som en kan ta på med hender, og til brennende ild og til skodde og mørke og uvær,
OTB
For dere er ikke kommet til et fjell som kan berøres, og til en brennende ild, og til mørke, dysterhet og storm;
B1930
For I er ikke kommet til et fjell som en kan ta på med hender, og til brennende ild og til skodde og mørke og uvær,

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Deuteronomy 4:11

    You came near and stood at the base of the mountain, a mountain blazing with fire to the heavens, with black clouds and deep darkness.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 24:17

    And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountaintop in the eyes of the Israelites.

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 5:22–26

    The LORD spoke these commandments in a loud voice to your whole assembly out of the fire, the cloud, and the deep darkness on the mountain; He added nothing more. And He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 20:18

    When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sounding of the ram’s horn, and the mountain enveloped in smoke, they trembled and stood at a distance.

    Read in context
  • Romans 6:14

    For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 19:12–22

    And you are to set up a boundary for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful not to go up on the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.

    Read in context
  • 2 Corinthians 3:9

    For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!

    Read in context
  • 2 Timothy 1:7

    For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.

    Read in context