16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:

17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.

19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.

22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

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16 “Go, assemble the elders(A) of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(B)—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen(C) what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt(D) into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’(E)

18 “The elders of Israel will listen(F) to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews,(G) has met(H) with us. Let us take a three-day journey(I) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices(J) to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand(K) compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand(L) and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders(M) that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.(N)

21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed(O) toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed.(P) 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver(Q) and gold(R) and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder(S) the Egyptians.”(T)

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18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,

19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:

20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:

21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 For our God is a consuming fire.

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The Mountain of Fear and the Mountain of Joy

18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;(A) 19 to a trumpet blast(B) or to such a voice speaking words(C) that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,(D) 20 because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”[a](E) 21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.”[b](F)

22 But you have come to Mount Zion,(G) to the city(H) of the living God,(I) the heavenly Jerusalem.(J) You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23 to the church of the firstborn,(K) whose names are written in heaven.(L) You have come to God, the Judge of all,(M) to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,(N) 24 to Jesus the mediator(O) of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood(P) that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.(Q)

25 See to it that you do not refuse(R) him who speaks.(S) If they did not escape when they refused him who warned(T) them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?(U) 26 At that time his voice shook the earth,(V) but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.”[c](W) 27 The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken(X)—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,(Y) let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,(Z) 29 for our “God is a consuming fire.”[d](AA)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:20 Exodus 19:12,13
  2. Hebrews 12:21 See Deut. 9:19.
  3. Hebrews 12:26 Haggai 2:6
  4. Hebrews 12:29 Deut. 4:24