Amplified Bible
Hebrews 12:18
18For you have not come [as did the Israelites in the wilderness] to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to gloom and darkness and a raging windstorm,
Hebrews 12:18 in other versions
- King James Version (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,
- New International Version (NIV)You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;
- English Standard Version (ESV)For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest
- New King James Version (NKJV)For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest,
Context of Hebrews 12:18
16and [see to it] that no one is immoral or godless like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. 17For you know that later on, when he wanted [to regain title to] his inheritance of the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no opportunity for repentance [there was no way to repair what he had done, no chance to recall the choice he had made], even though he sought for it with [bitter] tears. For you have not come [as did the Israelites in the wilderness] to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to gloom and darkness and a raging windstorm, 19and to the blast of a trumpet and a sound of words [such that] those who heard it begged that nothing more be said to them. 20For they could not bear the command, “If even a wild animal touches the mountain, it will be stoned [to death].”
Read all of Hebrews 12Hebrews 12:18 word by word
Οὐ γὰρ προσεληλύθατε ψηλαφωμένῳ καὶ κεκαυμένῳ πυρὶ καὶ γνόφῳ καὶ ζόφῳ καὶ θυέλλῃRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- ye areπροσέρχομαιproserchomai · to come near/agreeG4334
- notοὐou · noG3756
- the mountὄροςoros · mountainG3735
- that might be touchedψηλαφάωpsēlaphaō · to touchG5584
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- that burnedκαίωkaiō · to kindle/burnG2545
- with fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
- unto blacknessγνόφοςgnophos · darknessG1105
- darknessσκότοςskotos · darknessG4655
- tempestθύελλαthuella · stormG2366
Cross-references for Hebrews 12:18
- Exodus 19:12You shall set barriers for the people all around [the mountain], saying, ‘Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch its border; whoever touches the mountain must be put to death.
- Exodus 20:18Now all the people witnessed the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the smoking mountain; and as they looked, the people were afraid, and they trembled [and moved backward] and stood at a [safe] distance.
- Exodus 24:17In the sight of the Israelites the appearance of the glory and brilliance of the Lord was like consuming fire on the top of the mountain.
- Deuteronomy 4:11You approached and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the [very] heart of the heavens: darkness, cloud and thick gloom.
- Deuteronomy 5:22“The Lord spoke these words with a great voice to all your assembly at the mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, and He added no more. He wrote these commandments on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.
- Romans 6:14For sin will no longer be a master over you, since you are not under Law [as slaves], but under [unmerited] grace [as recipients of God’s favor and mercy].
- Romans 8:15For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading again to fear [of God’s judgment], but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons [the Spirit producing sonship] by which we [joyfully] cry, “Abba! Father!”
- 2 Timothy 1:7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].
Commentaries on Hebrews 12:18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched - I believe the words ͅ should be translated to a palpable or material mountain; for that it was not a mountain that on this occasion might be touched, the history, Exodus 19:12, Exodus 19:13, shows; and the apostle himself, in Hebrews 12:20, confirms. It is called here a palpable or material mount, to distinguish it from that spiritual mount Sion, of which the apostle is speaking. Some contend that…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18For ye are not come - To enforce the considerations already urged, the apostle introduces this sublime comparison between the old and new dispensations; Hebrews 12:18-24. The object, in accordance with the principal scope of the Epistle, is, to guard them against apostasy. To do this, he shows that under the new dispensation there was much more to hind them to fidelity, and to make apostasy dangerous, than there was under the old. The main point of the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-29Verses 18-29 Mount Sinai, on which the Jewish church state was formed, was a mount such as might be touched, though forbidden to be so, a place that could be felt; so the Mosaic dispensation was much in outward and earthly things. The gospel state is kind and condescending, suited to our weak frame. Under the gospel all may come with boldness to God's presence. But the most holy must despair, if judged by the holy law given from Sinai, without a Saviour…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18The descriptions of Mount Sinai are based on God's meeting with Israel there (see Exodus 19:16–22; 20:18–21; Deuteronomy 4:11–12; 5:23–27). These images show separation from a holy God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. For--The fact that we are not under the law, but under a higher, and that the last dispensation, the Gospel, with its glorious privileges, is the reason why especially the Hebrew Christians should "look diligently," &c. (He 12:15, 16). are not come--Greek, "have not come near to." Alluding to De 4:11, "Ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire ... with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness." "In your coming near unto…Read the comment
Topics related to Hebrews 12:18
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Hebrews 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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