Hebrews 12 27

Hebrews 12:27 kjv

And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Hebrews 12:27 nkjv

Now this, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Hebrews 12:27 niv

The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken?that is, created things?so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

Hebrews 12:27 esv

This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of things that are shaken ? that is, things that have been made ? in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.

Hebrews 12:27 nlt

This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.

Hebrews 12 verses

Hebrews 12 27 Meaning

Hebrews 12:27 declares that the divine pronouncement "Yet once more" signals a final, definitive, and radical removal of all things that can be shaken – specifically, all created things. This cataclysmic act of God is purposed so that only those things which cannot be shaken – namely, God's eternal kingdom and its divine realities – may endure permanently. It highlights the transience of the created order and the immutability of God's new covenant and reign.

Hebrews 12 27 Context

Hebrews 12:27 is nestled within a profound exhortation to persevere in faith, drawing a stark contrast between the Old Covenant experience at Mount Sinai and the New Covenant experience at Mount Zion (Heb 12:18-24). The terrifying spectacle of Sinai, with its earthquakes and divine voice that made even Moses tremble, is presented as a type or foreshadowing of a far greater shaking to come. The previous verses warn against refusing God who speaks (Heb 12:25). The passage directly references Haggai 2:6, a prophetic utterance that described a future, even more profound shaking than the giving of the Law. The author's original audience consisted of Jewish Christians who were tempted to revert to Judaism, facing persecution and needing assurance of the superiority and permanence of their new faith in Christ. This verse served as a critical polemic against the notion that the Mosaic covenant or any earthly institution was immutable or ultimate. It clarified that everything created and temporal, including the old covenant systems, was susceptible to ultimate divine removal, contrasting it with the permanence of the New Covenant established by Christ.

Hebrews 12 27 Word analysis

• Now this, 'Yet once more,':
  • Now this: Implies the author is explaining the significance of the preceding quote from Hag 2:6. It highlights the divine emphasis.
  • 'Yet once more': Greek ἔτι ἅπαξ (eti hapax). Eti means "still, yet." Hapax means "once, once for all, a single time." It denotes a definitive, singular, and final action; there will be no need for another shaking after this. This signifies the consummation of God's purposes in a future event. It underscores the unique finality of God's decisive act of cosmic transformation.
• indicates the removal:
  • indicates: The prophecy's primary purpose is to reveal this future event.
  • removal: Greek μετάθεσιν (metathesin). From methistemi, implying a change of place, transference, but here used in the sense of abolition or doing away with. It's more than just a rearrangement; it signifies the termination or supersession of what is removed. This isn't mere shifting, but an absolute dislodgement or taking away.
• of those things that are shaken:
  • things that are shaken: Greek σαλευομένων (saleuomenon), from saleuō (to shake, to cause to totter, to overthrow). It refers to things capable of being moved, unstable, and prone to dissolution. It denotes the inherent instability and temporariness of creation.
• as of things that are made:
  • things that are made: Greek πεποιημένων (pepoiēmenōn), a perfect passive participle of ποιέω (poieō), meaning "to make, to do." This highlights the created nature of everything mentioned. Because something is "made," it implies a maker and therefore, it is contingent, finite, and subject to the will and purpose of its creator. This applies to all of physical creation, earthly institutions, and even temporary heavenly bodies. The emphasis is on creatureliness, not ultimate, self-existent reality.
• that the things which cannot be shaken:
  • that: Purpose clause, showing God's intent.
  • things which cannot be shaken: Greek μὴ σαλευομένων (mē saleuomenōn), using the negative particle mē (not) with saleuomenōn. This stands in direct contrast to "things that are shaken." It refers to that which is inherently stable, immutable, and eternal. This signifies God Himself, His kingdom, His word, His purposes, and the eternal spiritual realities He establishes.
• may remain:
  • may remain: Greek μείνῃ (meinē), from μένω (menō), meaning "to abide, endure, stand firm, remain in place." It signifies the ultimate persistence and unchanging nature of that which is not shaken. This is the intended and glorious outcome: only the eternal and divine will truly last.

Hebrews 12 27 Bonus section

The author of Hebrews uses this verse to emphasize the superiority of the New Covenant not just over the Old Covenant system (which itself was "made" and thus temporary), but over all of creation. This is a crucial aspect often overlooked. The temporary nature isn't just about rituals or laws, but about the very fabric of the cosmos. The "shaking" implies a purification, a judgment that separates the truly eternal from that which is passing away. It implies that God is moving history toward a complete re-ordering of reality, culminating in a new heavens and new earth where only that which is of Him, through Him, and for Him, will eternally endure. This understanding urges a proper estimation of present earthly realities and fosters a hope fixed on the coming Kingdom of Christ, which alone is truly immutable.

Hebrews 12 27 Commentary

Hebrews 12:27 profoundly declares a pivotal eschatological event: a final, comprehensive, divine shaking and subsequent removal of all that is temporal and created. The quotation from Haggai 2:6 points to this not as a repetition of Sinai's tremor, but as the climactic and decisive act of God, distinct in its scope and finality. "Things that are made" encompasses all of creation, indicating that the entire created order, even the cosmos itself, is temporary and exists subject to the will of its Creator. This great shaking is not arbitrary; it has a clear divine purpose: to make way for the establishment and permanence of "things which cannot be shaken." This refers primarily to God's eternal, indestructible kingdom, introduced and established by Christ, into which believers have entered (Heb 12:28).

The verse thus serves as both a sobering warning and a magnificent reassurance. It warns against clinging to anything temporary or fleeting, whether old covenant rituals, earthly institutions, or worldly comforts, for all these are destined for removal. Conversely, it assures believers that their hope and salvation rest upon an unshakeable foundation, an enduring kingdom that will stand forever. This necessitates a faith that is oriented toward the eternal, prompting believers to live in light of an impending cosmic re-creation. The shaking serves to differentiate between the provisional and the permanent, allowing only what is truly substantial and divine to abide.