Book of Common Prayer

¹⁸ You have not come to the mountain that can be touched and is burning with a big fire. You have not come to the place of darkness and night and storm.

¹⁹ You have not come to a place where a loud trumpet or horn is blown, and a loud voice is talking. When the people heard the voice, they begged that God would not say anything more to them.

²⁰ They were afraid of what he said. He said, `If even an animal touches this mountain, it must be killed with stones.'

²¹ Moses was afraid when he saw all this. He said, `I fear very much and I tremble.'

²² But you have come to a hill called Zion. You have come to the city of the living God. It is the Jerusalem in heaven. You have come to many thousands of angels in a happy gathering.

²³ You have come to the church people. They are God's first sons, and their names are written in heaven. You have come to God who is the judge of all people. You have come to the spirits of good people who have been made right.

²⁴ You have come to Jesus who is the middle man of a new agreement. You have come to the place where the spilling of his blood has more power than Abel's.

²⁵ Take care that you listen to God who is talking now. The people were punished when they would not listen to the One who talked on earth. And we will be punished much worse if we will not listen to the One who talks from heaven.

²⁶ That time his voice shook the earth. But now he has said, `Only once more I will shake the earth and the sky also.'

²⁷ The words, `Only once more' mean that the things that are shaken will be taken away. They are things that were made. The things which are not shaken will stay.

²⁸ We have a place in heaven that cannot be shaken. So let us be glad and worship God and please him. Let us respect and fear him.

²⁹ Our God is a fire that can burn up.

¹⁷ The seventy men Jesus had sent out came back very happy. They said, `Lord, even the bad spirits obey us when we talk to them in your name!'

¹⁸ Jesus said to them, `I saw Satan fall from the sky like lightning.

¹⁹ I have given you power over all the power of the enemy. Nothing will hurt you.

²⁰ Do not be glad that the bad spirits obey you. But be glad that your names are written in the book in heaven.'

²¹ At that same time the Holy Spirit made Jesus very happy. Jesus said, `Father, you are Lord of heaven and earth. I thank you because you have hidden these things from people who are wise and know many things. But you have shown them to people who are like children. Yes, Father. That was the way you wanted it.

²² My Father has given everything to me. No one knows who the Son is but the Father. No one knows who the Father is but the Son and those to whom the Son wants to show him.'

²³ Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said to them alone, `God is blessing the eyes of people who see what you see!

²⁴ I tell you this. Many prophets and kings wanted to see the things you see. But they did not see them. They wanted to hear the things you hear. But they did not hear them.'