Hebrews 4
English Standard Version
4 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem (A)to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because (B)they were not united by faith with those who listened.[a] 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,
(C)“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest,’”
although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: (D)“And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this passage he said,
(E)“They shall not enter my rest.”
6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news (F)failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,
(G)“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God[b] would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also (H)rested from his works as God did from his.
11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so (I)that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For (J)the word of God is living and (K)active, (L)sharper than any (M)two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and (N)discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And (O)no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are (P)naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Jesus the Great High Priest
14 Since then we have (Q)a great high priest (R)who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, (S)let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest (T)who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been (U)tempted as we are, (V)yet without sin. 16 (W)Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 4:2 Some manuscripts it did not meet with faith in the hearers
- Hebrews 4:8 Greek he
Hebrews 4
New Living Translation
Promised Rest for God’s People
4 God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. 2 For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.[a] 3 For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said,
“In my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter my place of rest,’”[b]
even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. 4 We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.”[c] 5 But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.”[d]
6 So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. 7 So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted:
“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts.”[e]
8 Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. 9 So there is a special rest[f] still waiting for the people of God. 10 For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. 11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.
12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.
Christ Is Our High Priest
14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
