Hebrews 12:16

Hebrews 12:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.
• New International Version (NIV)See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.
• English Standard Version (ESV)that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.
• New King James Version (NKJV)lest there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau, who for one morsel of food sold his birthright.

Context of Hebrews 12:16

14Try to live peacefully with everyone, and try to live holy lives, because if you don’t, you will not see the Lord. 15Make sure that everyone has kindness from God so that bitterness doesn’t take root and grow up to cause trouble that corrupts many of you. Make sure that no one commits sexual sin or is as concerned about earthly things as Esau was. He sold his rights as the firstborn son for a single meal. 17You know that afterwards, when he wanted to receive the blessing that the firstborn son was to receive, he was rejected. Even though he begged and cried for the blessing, he couldn’t do anything to change what had happened. 18You have not come to something that you can feel, to a blazing fire, to darkness, to gloom, to a storm,

Hebrews 12:16 word by word

μή τις πόρνος ἢ βέβηλος ὡς Ἠσαῦ, ὃς ἀντὶ βρώσεως μιᾶς ἀπέδετο τὰ πρωτοτόκια ἑαυτοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Lest thereμήmē · notG3361
• anyτιςtis · oneG5100
• fornicatorπόρνοςpornos · sexual sinnerG4205
• orἤē · orG2228
• profane personβέβηλοςbebēlos · profaneG952
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• EsauἨσαῦĒsau · EsauG2269
• whoὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• forἀντίanti · forG473
• oneεἷςheis · oneG1520
• morsel of meatβρῶσιςbrōsis · eatingG1035
• soldἀποδίδωμιapodidōmi · to payG591
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• birthrightὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• birthrightπρωτοτόκιαprōtotokia · birthrightG4415

Cross-references for Hebrews 12:16

• Hebrews 13:4Marriage is honorable in every way, so husbands and wives should be faithful to each other. God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery.
• Mark 7:21Evil thoughts, sexual sins, stealing, murder,
• Acts 15:20Instead, we should write a letter telling them to keep away from things polluted by false gods, from sexual sins, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from eating bloody meat.
• 1 Corinthians 5:1Your own members are aware that there is sexual sin going on among them. This kind of sin is not even heard of among unbelievers—a man is actually married to his father’s wife.
• 1 Corinthians 6:15Don’t you realize that your bodies are parts of Christ’s body? Should I take the parts of Christ’s body and make them parts of a prostitute’s body? That’s unthinkable!
• 1 Corinthians 10:8We shouldn’t sin sexually as some of them did. Twenty-three thousand of them died on one day.
• 2 Corinthians 12:21I’m afraid that when I come to you again, my God may humble me. I may have to grieve over many who formerly led sinful lives and have not changed the way they think and act about the perversion, sexual sins, and promiscuity in which they have been involved.
• Galatians 5:19Now, the effects of the corrupt nature are obvious: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity,
• Ephesians 5:3Don’t let sexual sin, perversion of any kind, or greed even be mentioned among you. This is not appropriate behavior for God’s holy people.
• Colossians 3:5Therefore, put to death whatever is worldly in you: your sexual sin, perversion, passion, lust, and greed (which is the same thing as worshiping wealth).
• 1 Thessalonians 4:3It is God’s will that you keep away from sexual sin as a mark of your devotion to him.
• Revelation 2:20But I have something against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. She teaches and misleads my servants to sin sexually and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
• Revelation 21:8But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
• Revelation 22:15Outside are dogs, sorcerers, sexual sinners, murderers, idolaters, and all who lie in what they say and what they do.
• Genesis 25:31Jacob responded, “First, sell me your rights as firstborn.”
• Genesis 27:36Esau said, “Isn’t that why he’s named Jacob? He’s cheated me twice already: He took my rights as firstborn, and now he’s taken my blessing.” So he asked, “Haven’t you saved a blessing for me?”

Commentaries on Hebrews 12:16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Lest there be any fornicator - Any licentious person who would turn the Gospel of the grace of God into lasciviousness. Or profane person, as Esau - It is not intimated that Esau was a fornicator; and the disjunctive , or, separates the profane person from the fornicator. And Esau is here termed profane, because he so far disregarded the spiritual advantages connected with his rights of primogeniture, that he alienated the whole for a single mess of…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Lest there be any fornicator - The sin here referred to is one of those which would spread corruption in the church, and against which they ought to be especially on their guard. Allusion is made to Esau as an example, who, himself a corrupt and profane man, for a trifle threw away the highest honor which as a son he could have. Many have regarded the word used here as referring to idolatry, or defection from the true religion to a false one - as the word…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 A burden of affliction is apt to make the Christian's hands hang down, and his knees grow feeble, to dispirit him and discourage him; but against this he must strive, that he may better run his spiritual race and course. Faith and patience enable believers to follow peace and holiness, as a man follows his calling constantly, diligently, and with pleasure. Peace with men, of all sects and parties, will be favourable to our pursuit of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16Ancient Jewish writings describe Esau as sexually immoral because he married Hittite women, Judith and Basemath (Genesis 26:34; see Jubilees 25:1; Philo, On the Virtues 208). Esau showed disrespect for his birthright (Genesis 25:29–34), which is why he was considered godless. His choice to trade God's blessings for immediate fulfillment shows a lack of faith.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1616. fornicator--(He 13:4; 1Co 10:8). or profane--Fornication is nearly akin to gluttony, Esau's sin. He profanely cast away his spiritual privilege for the gratification of his palate. Ge 25:34 graphically portrays him. An example well fitted to strike needful horror into the Hebrews, whosoever of them, like Esau, were only sons of Isaac according to the flesh [Bengel]. for one morsel--The smallness of the inducement only aggravates the guilt of casting…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 12:16

• Birthright
• Esau
• Firstborn
• Gluttony
• Jacob
• Repentance
• Reprobacy
• Worldliness

In the dictionaries

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

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