Hebrews 12:28

New Living Translation

Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.

Parallel Translations

Easy-to-Read Version
So we should be thankful because we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And because we are thankful, we should worship God in a way that will please him. We should do this with respect and fear,

Revised Standard Version
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Wherfore if we receave a kyngdom which is not moved we have grace wherby we maye serve god and please him with reverence and godly feare.

Hebrew Names Version
Therefore, receiving a kingdom that can't be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well pleasing to God, with reverence and awe,

New American Standard Bible
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let's show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

New Century Version
So let us be thankful, because we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken. We should worship God in a way that pleases him with respect and fear,

Update Bible Version
Therefore, receiving a kingdom that can't be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe:

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.

English Standard Version
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,

World English Bible
Therefore, receiving a kingdom that can't be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well pleasing to God, with reverence and awe,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Therefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us hold fast the grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear.

Weymouth's New Testament
Therefore, receiving, as we now do, a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us cherish thankfulness so that we may ever offer to God an acceptable service, with godly reverence and awe.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor we resseyuynge the kingdom vnmouable, haue we grace, bi which serue we plesynge to God with drede and reuerence.

English Revised Version
Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe:

Berean Standard Bible
Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

Contemporary English Version
We should be grateful that we were given a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And in this kingdom we please God by worshiping him and by showing him great honor and respect.

Amplified Bible
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, and offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship with reverence and awe;

American Standard Version
Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace, whereby we may offer service well-pleasing to God with reverence and awe:

Bible in Basic English
If then, we have a kingdom which will never be moved, let us have grace, so that we may give God such worship as is pleasing to him with fear and respect:

Complete Jewish Bible
Therefore, since we have received an un shake able Kingdom, let us have grace, through which we may offer service that will please God, with reverence and fear.

Darby Translation
Wherefore let us, receiving a kingdom not to be shaken, have grace, by which let us serve God acceptably with reverence and fear.

International Standard Version
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and worship God in reverence and fear in a way that pleases him.

Etheridge Translation
Therefore because we have received the kingdom which is immoveable [fn] , let us hold the grace by which we may serve and please Aloha with reverence and with fear:

Murdock Translation
Since, therefore, we have received a kingdom that is unshaken, let us grasp the grace whereby we may serve and please God, with reverence and fear.

King James Version (1611)
Wherefore wee receiuing a kingdome which cannot bee moued, let vs haue grace, whereby wee may serue God acceptably, with reuerence and godly feare.

New Life Bible
Since we have received a holy nation that cannot be moved, let us be thankful. Let us please God and worship Him with honor and fear.

New Revised Standard
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe;

Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore seeing we receiue a kingdome, which cannot be shaken, let vs haue grace whereby we may so serue God, that we may please him with reuerence and feare.

George Lamsa Translation
Therefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us hold fast that grace whereby we may serve and please God with reverence and godly fear:

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Wherefore, seeing that, of a kingdom not to be shaken, we are receiving possession, let us have gratitude - whereby we may be rendering divine service well-pleasingly unto God, with reverence and awe;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore, receiving an immoveable kingdom, we have grace: whereby let us serve, pleasing God, with fear and reverence.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherfore, we receauyng a kingdome which can not be moued, let vs haue grace, wherby we may so serue God acceptablie, with reuerence & godly feare.

Good News Translation
Let us be thankful, then, because we receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Let us be grateful and worship God in a way that will please him, with reverence and awe;

Christian Standard Bible®
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

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

Lexham English Bible
Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be thankful, through which let us serve God acceptably, with awe and reverence.

Literal Translation
For this reason, receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us have grace, by which we may serve God pleasingly, with reverence and awe;

Young's Literal Translation
wherefore, a kingdom that cannot be shaken receiving, may we have grace, through which we may serve God well-pleasingly, with reverence and religious fear;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore, seynge we receaue the vnmoueable kyngdome, we haue grace, wherby we maye serue God, & please him, with reuerence and godly feare.

Mace New Testament (1729)
since then we are entring into a kingdom which cannot be changed, let us maintain the divine favour, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and fear.

THE MESSAGE
Do you see what we've got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is Fire!

New English Translation
So since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us give thanks, and through this let us offer worship pleasing to God in devotion and awe.

New King James Version
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may [fn] serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Simplified Cowboy Version
We have been given a spot in the kingdom that is unshakeable. Let us ride for him and his kingdom by being thankful and worshiping him with fear and respect.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;

Contextual Overview

¹⁸ You have not come to a physical mountain, to a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom, and whirlwind, as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai. ¹⁹ For they heard an awesome trumpet blast and a voice so terrible that they begged God to stop speaking. ²⁰ They staggered back under God's command: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death." ²¹ Moses himself was so frightened at the sight that he said, "I am terrified and trembling." ²² No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. ²³ You have come to the assembly of God's firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect. ²⁴ You have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks of forgiveness instead of crying out for vengeance like the blood of Abel. ²⁵ Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven! ²⁶ When God spoke from Mount Sinai his voice shook the earth, but now he makes another promise: "Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also." ²⁷ This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a kingdom: Isaiah 9:7, Daniel 2:44, Daniel 7:14, Daniel 7:27, Matthew 25:34, Luke 1:33, Luke 17:20, Luke 17:21, 1 Peter 1:4, 1 Peter 1:5, Revelation 1:6, Revelation 5:10

have: or, hold fast, Hebrews 3:6, Hebrews 10:23

we may: Psalms 19:14, Isaiah 56:7, Romans 12:1, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 1:6, Ephesians 5:10, Philippians 4:18, 1 Peter 2:5, 1 Peter 2:20

with reverence: Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 5:7, Hebrews 10:19, Hebrews 10:22, Leviticus 10:3, Psalms 2:11, Psalms 89:7, Proverbs 28:24, Romans 11:20, 1 Peter 1:17, Revelation 15:4

Reciprocal: Genesis 17:1 - walk Genesis 18:30 - General Genesis 22:12 - now Exodus 15:11 - fearful Exodus 19:21 - break Exodus 20:26 - thy nakedness Exodus 30:20 - die not Numbers 10:17 - the tabernacle Numbers 16:21 - that I may Deuteronomy 10:12 - to serve Deuteronomy 28:58 - fear this glorious Joshua 3:4 - a space Joshua 24:23 - incline 1 Kings 8:40 - fear thee 1 Kings 13:26 - the man 1 Chronicles 21:30 - he was afraid 1 Chronicles 28:9 - serve him Nehemiah 4:14 - great Job 34:19 - accepteth Psalms 5:7 - in thy Psalms 24:3 - stand Psalms 119:120 - My flesh Ecclesiastes 5:1 - thy foot Isaiah 66:22 - the new Haggai 1:12 - fear Matthew 10:28 - him Matthew 12:28 - then Matthew 16:18 - shall not Mark 4:41 - feared Luke 8:47 - she came Luke 12:32 - the kingdom Acts 5:11 - General Romans 12:11 - serving 1 Corinthians 9:25 - but 2 Corinthians 5:9 - accepted 2 Corinthians 7:1 - in 2 Corinthians 8:7 - this Philippians 2:12 - with Hebrews 10:9 - He taketh Hebrews 11:10 - he looked 1 John 4:18 - is no

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved,.... Not the kingdom of glory; eternal glory is a kingdom, and it is an immovable one; and is a free gift of God, and may be said to be now received; God's people are called unto it, and are made meet for it, and have a right unto it, and have it in faith and hope, and in Christ their head and representative: but the kingdom of grace, under the Gospel dispensation, is meant: there are several things in this dispensation which are called a kingdom; as a Gospel church, the Gospel itself, and the privileges and blessings of grace bestowed, especially spiritual and internal ones, Matthew 25:1 and the whole dispensation is called the kingdom of heaven, Matthew 3:2. Christ he is King, believers are his subjects, the Gospel is his sceptre, and the ordinances are his laws and appointments, and all are immovable; and a man may be said to receive this kingdom, when he is delivered from the power of darkness, is regenerated, and has the blessings of grace actually bestowed on him, and is brought to Zion:

let us have grace; by which is meant, not thankfulness for so great a blessing, though this is highly requisite and necessary; nor the favour of God, though, as the reception of the kingdom springs from hence, a sense of it ought to abide; nor the habit or principle of grace in the heart, unless particularly the grace of faith, and the exercise of it, should be designed; but rather the doctrine of grace, the Gospel, is intended; and the sense is, εχωμεν, "let us hold it", as the Ethiopic version renders it; let us hold the Gospel fast, and a profession of it: the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions read, "we have grace"; this goes along with the immovable kingdom; all that have truly received the one, have the other:

whereby we may serve God; God is to be served, and not a creature, nor the elements of this world, the ceremonial law, and its rites: nor is he to be served in any form, only in a spiritual way; and without holding to the Gospel, there is no serving him in an evangelic manner; the true and right way of serving him is as follows:

acceptably; in Christ, in the Gospel of his Son, and by faith in him, without which it is impossible to please God:

with reverence; of the majesty of God, with shame for sin, and with a sense of unworthiness:

and godly fear; which has God for its author and object, and which springs from his grace, and is increased by discoveries of his goodness; and which is consistent with faith, and spiritual joy; see Psalms 2:11.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved - We who are Christians. We pertain to a kingdom that is permanent and unchanging. The meaning is, that the kingdom of the Redeemer is never to pass away. It is not like the Jewish dispensation, to give place to another, nor is there any power that can destroy it; see the notes on Matthew 16:18. It has now endured for eighteen hundred years, amidst all the revolutions on earth, and in spite of all the attempts which have been made to destroy it; and it is now as vigorous and stable as it ever was. The past has shown that there is no power of earth or hell that can destroy it, and that in the midst of all revolutions this kingdom still survives. Its great principles and laws will endure on earth to the end of time, and will be made permanent in heaven. This is the only kingdom in which we can be certain that there will be no revolution; the only empire which is destined never to fall.

Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God - Margin, “let us hold fast.” The Greek is, literally, let us have grace; the meaning is, “let us hold fast the grace or favor which we have received in being admitted to the privileges of that kingdom.” The object of the apostle is, to keep them in the reverent fear and service of God. The “argument” which he presents is, that this kingdom is permanent. There is no danger of its being overthrown. It is to continue on earth to the end of time; it is to be established in heaven forever. If it were temporary, changeable, liable to be overthrown at any moment, there would be much less encouragement to perseverance. But in a kingdom like this there is every encouragement, for there is the assurance:

(1)That all our interests there are safe;

(2)That all our exertions will be crowned with ultimate success,

(3)That the efforts which we make to do good will have a permanent influence on mankind, and will bless future ages; and

(4)That the reward is certain.

A man subject to a government about whose continuance there would be the utmost uncertainty, would have little encouragement to labor with a view to any permanent interest. In a government where nothing is settled; where all policy is changing, and where there are constantly vacillating plans, there is no inducement to enter on any enterprise demanding time and risk. But where the policy is settled; where the principles and the laws are firm; where there is evidence of permanency, there is the highest encouragement. The highest possible encouragement of this kind is in the permanent and established kingdom of God. All other governments may be revolutionized; this never will be - all others may have a changeful policy; this has none - all others will be overthrown; this never will.

With reverence and godly fear - With true veneration for God, and with pious devotedness.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 28. We receiving a kingdom — The Gospel dispensation, frequently termed the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven, because in it God reigns among men, and he reigns in the hearts of them that believe, and his kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Which cannot be moved — Which never can fail, because it is the last dispensation.

Let us have grace — εξωμεν χαριν. Let us have, keep, or hold fast, the benefit or gift, that is, the heavenly kingdom which God has given us. This is the meaning of the word, 2 Corinthians 8:4, and is so rendered by our translators; and it is only by this heavenly gift of the Gospel that we can serve God acceptably, for he can be pleased with no service that is not performed according to the Gospel of his Son.

If we prefer the common meaning of the word grace it comes to the same thing; without the grace - the especial succour and influence of Christ, we cannot serve, λατρευωμεν, pay religious worship to God; for he receives no burnt-offering that is not kindled by fire from his own altar.

Acceptably — ευαρεστως. In such a way as to please him well. And the offering, with which he is well pleased, he will graciously accept; and if he accept our service, his Spirit will testify in our conscience that our ways please him. When Abel sacrifices, God is well pleased; where Cain offers, there is no approbation.

Reverence — αιδους. With shamefacedness or modesty.

Godly fear — ευλαβειας. Religious fear. We have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, but let that boldness be ever tempered with modesty and religious fear; for we should never forget that we have sinned, and that God is a consuming fire. Instead of αιδους και ευλαβειας, modesty and religious fear, ACD*, several others, with the Slavonic and Chrysostom, have ευλαβειας και δεους, and others have ψοβου και τρομου, fear and trembling; but the sense is nearly the same.