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)

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

²⁵ See to it that you do not refuse^(A) him who speaks.^(B) If they did not escape when they refused him who warned^(C) them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?^(D)

²⁸ Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken,^(A) let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,^{(B) 29} for our “God is a consuming fire.”^[a](C)