Hebrews 4-6

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,

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,

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,

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.

5 For every high priest chosen from among men ^(X)is appointed to act on behalf of men ^(Y)in relation to God, ^(Z)to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ^2 (AA)He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself ^(AB)is beset with weakness. ³ Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins ^(AC)just as he does for those of the people. ⁴ And ^(AD)no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, ^(AE)just as Aaron was.

⁵ So also Christ ^(AF)did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,

⁶ as he says also in another place,

⁷ In the days of his flesh, ^(AI)Jesus^[c] offered up prayers and supplications, ^(AJ)with loud cries and tears, to him ^(AK)who was able to save him from death, and ^(AL)he was heard because of his reverence. ⁸ Although ^(AM)he was a son, ^(AN)he learned obedience through what he suffered. ⁹ And ^(AO)being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, ¹⁰ being designated by God a high priest ^(AP)after the order of Melchizedek.

Warning Against Apostasy

¹¹ About this we have much to say, and it is ^(AQ)hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. ¹² For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again ^(AR)the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need ^(AS)milk, not solid food, ¹³ for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is ^(AT)a child. ¹⁴ But solid food is for ^(AU)the mature, for those who have their powers ^(AV)of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

6 Therefore ^(AW)let us leave ^(AX)the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance ^(AY)from dead works and of faith toward God, ² and of ^(AZ)instruction about washings,^{[d] (BA)}the laying on of hands, ^(BB)the resurrection of the dead, and ^(BC)eternal judgment. ³ And this we will do ^(BD)if God permits. ⁴ For it is impossible, in the case of those ^(BE)who have once been enlightened, who have tasted ^(BF)the heavenly gift, and ^(BG)have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and ^(BH)have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and ^(BI)then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since ^(BJ)they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. ⁷ For ^(BK)land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. ⁸ But ^(BL)if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, ^(BM)and its end is to be burned.

⁹ Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. ¹⁰ For ^(BN)God is not unjust so as to overlook ^(BO)your work and the love that you have shown for his name in ^(BP)serving the saints, as you still do. ¹¹ And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance ^(BQ)of hope until the end, ¹² so that you may not be sluggish, but ^(BR)imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The Certainty of God's Promise

¹³ For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, ^(BS)he swore by himself, ¹⁴ saying, ^(BT)“Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” ¹⁵ And thus Abraham,^{[e] (BU)}having patiently waited, obtained the promise. ¹⁶ For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes ^(BV)an oath is final for confirmation. ¹⁷ So when God desired to show more convincingly to ^(BW)the heirs of the promise ^(BX)the unchangeable character of his purpose, ^(BY)he guaranteed it with an oath, ¹⁸ so that by two unchangeable things, in which ^(BZ)it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope ^(CA)set before us. ¹⁹ We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into ^(CB)the inner place behind the curtain, ²⁰ where Jesus has gone ^(CC)as a forerunner on our behalf, ^(CD)having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.