²² On the contrary, you have come to Mount Tziyon, that is, the city of the living God, heavenly Yerushalayim; to myriads of angels in festive assembly; ²³ to a community of the firstborn whose names have been recorded in heaven; to a Judge who is God of everyone; to spirits of righteous people who have been brought to the goal; ²⁴ to the mediator of a new covenant, Yeshua; and to the sprinkled blood that speaks better things than that of Hevel.

²⁵ See that you don’t reject the One speaking! For if those did not escape who rejected him when he gave divine warning on earth, think how much less we will escape if we turn away from him when he warns from heaven. ²⁶ Even then, his voice shook the earth; but now, he has made this promise:

²⁷ And this phrase, “one more time,” makes clear that the things shaken are removed, since they are created things, so that the things not shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore, since we have received an unshakeable Kingdom, let us have grace, through which we may offer service that will please God, with reverence and fear. ²⁹ For indeed,

⁹ I, Yochanan, am a brother of yours and a fellow-sharer in the suffering, kingship and perseverance that come from being united with Yeshua. I had been exiled to the island called Patmos for having proclaimed the message of God and borne witness to Yeshua. ¹⁰ I came to be, in the Spirit, on the Day of the Lord; and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet, ¹¹ saying, “Write down what you see on a scroll, and send it to the seven Messianic communities — Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea!” ¹² I turned around to see who was speaking to me; and when I had turned, I saw seven gold menorahs; ¹³ and among the menorahs was someone like a Son of Man, wearing a robe down to his feet and a gold band around his chest.^{[a] 14} His head and hair were as white as snow-white wool, his eyes like a fiery flame, ¹⁵ his feet like burnished brass refined in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of rushing waters.^{[b] 16} In his right hand he held seven stars, out of his mouth went a sharp double-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand upon me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last, ¹⁸ the Living One. I was dead, but look! — I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys to Death and Sh’ol.