Hebrews 4-6

New King James Version

The Promise of Rest

4 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, ^(A)let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. ² For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, ^[a]not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. ³ For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴ For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: ^(C)“And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; ⁵ and again in this place: ^(D)“They shall not enter My rest.”

⁶ Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, ⁷ again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:

⁸ For if ^[b]Joshua had ^(F)given them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. ⁹ There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

The Word Discovers Our Condition

^11 (G)Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. ¹² For the word of God is ^(H)living and powerful, and ^(I)sharper than any ^(J)two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is ^(K)a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ^13 (L)And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are ^(M)naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Our Compassionate High Priest

¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great ^(N)High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, ^(O)let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵ For ^(P)we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but ^(Q)was in all points tempted as we are, ^(R)yet without sin. ^16 (S)Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Qualifications for High Priesthood

5 For every high priest taken from among men ^(T)is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He can ^[c]have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to ^(U)weakness. ³ Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for ^(V)himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. ⁴ And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as ^(W)Aaron was.

A Priest Forever

^5 (X)So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him:

⁶ As He also says in another place:

⁷ who, in the days of His flesh, when He had ^(AA)offered up prayers and supplications, ^(AB)with vehement cries and tears to Him ^(AC)who was able to save Him from death, and was heard ^(AD)because of His godly fear, ⁸ though He was a Son, yet He learned ^(AE)obedience by the things which He suffered. ⁹ And ^(AF)having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, ¹⁰ called by God as High Priest ^(AG)“according to the order of Melchizedek,” ¹¹ of whom ^(AH)we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become ^(AI)dull of hearing.

Spiritual Immaturity

¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the ^[d]oracles of God; and you have come to need ^(AJ)milk and not solid food. ¹³ For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is ^(AK)a babe. ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to those who are ^[e]of full age, that is, those who by reason of ^[f]use have their senses exercised ^(AL)to discern both good and evil.

The Peril of Not Progressing

6 Therefore, ^(AM)leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to ^[g]perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from ^(AN)dead works and of faith toward God, ^2 (AO)of the doctrine of baptisms, ^(AP)of laying on of hands, ^(AQ)of resurrection of the dead, ^(AR)and of eternal judgment. ³ And this ^[h]we will do if God permits.

⁴ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted ^(AS)the heavenly gift, and ^(AT)have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, ^6 [i]if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, ^(AU)since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

⁷ For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, ^(AV)receives blessing from God; ^8 (AW)but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

A Better Estimate

⁹ But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. ¹⁰ For ^(AX)God is not unjust to forget ^(AY)your work and ^[j]labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ^(AZ)ministered to the saints, and do minister. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence ^(BA)to the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² that you do not become ^[k]sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience ^(BB)inherit the promises.

God’s Infallible Purpose in Christ

¹³ For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, ^(BC)He swore by Himself, ¹⁴ saying, ^(BD)“Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” ¹⁵ And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the ^(BE)promise. ¹⁶ For men indeed swear by the greater, and ^(BF)an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. ¹⁷ Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to ^(BG)the heirs of promise ^(BH)the ^[l]immutability of His counsel, ^[m]confirmed it by an oath, ¹⁸ that by two ^[n]immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to ^(BI)lie, we ^[o]might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope ^(BJ)set before us.

¹⁹ This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, ^(BK)and which enters the Presence behind the veil, ^20 (BL)where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, ^(BM)having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.