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)

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Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 12:20 Exodus 19:12,13
  2. Hebrews 12:21 See Deut. 9:19.

Awaiting the New Body

For we know that if the earthly(A) tent(B) we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan,(C) longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,(D) because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan(E) and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling,(F) so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.(G)

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight.(H) We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.(I) So we make it our goal to please him,(J) whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us(K) for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

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