Hebrews 12:18

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;
• 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,
• New Living Translation (NLT)You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai.

Context of Hebrews 12:18

16that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20For they could not endure the order that was given, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned."

Hebrews 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 19:12And 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.
• Exodus 20:18Now 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
• Exodus 24:17Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.
• Deuteronomy 4:11And 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.
• Romans 6:14For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
• Romans 8:15For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"
• 2 Timothy 1:7for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love 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

• Covenant
• Darkness
• Fear of God
• God
• Law
• Symbols and Similitudes
• Thunder
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Acceptably
• Aside
• Birthright
• Bitterness
• Carefully
• Chastening
• Cloud
• Contradiction
• Endure
• Finisher

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