Hebrews 3:7-4:11

New International Reader's Version

A Warning Against Unbelief

⁷The Holy Spirit says,

“Listen to his voice today.
⁸    If you hear it, don’t be stubborn.
You were stubborn when you opposed me.
    You did that when you were tested in the desert.
⁹There your people of long ago tested me.
    Yet for 40 years they saw what I did.
¹⁰That is why I was angry with them.
    I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray.
    They have not known my ways.’
¹¹So when I was angry, I made a promise.
    I said, ‘They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them.’ ” (Psalm 95:7–11)

¹²Brothers and sisters, make sure that none of you has a sinful heart. Do not let an unbelieving heart turn you away from the living God. ¹³But build one another up every day. Do it as long as there is still time. Then none of you will become stubborn. You won’t be fooled by sin’s tricks. ¹⁴We belong to Christ if we hold tightly to the faith we had at first. But we must hold it tightly until the end. ¹⁵It has just been said,

“Listen to his voice today.
If you hear it, don’t be stubborn.
You were stubborn when you opposed me.” (Psalm 95:7,8)

¹⁶Who were those who heard and refused to obey? Weren’t they all the people Moses led out of Egypt? ¹⁷Who was God angry with for 40 years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned? They died in the desert. ¹⁸God promised that those people would never enjoy the rest he planned for them. God gave his word when he made that promise. Didn’t he make that promise to those who didn’t obey? ¹⁹So we see that they weren’t able to enter. That’s because they didn’t believe.

God’s People Enter His Sabbath Rest

4 God’s promise of enjoying his rest still stands. So be careful that none of you fails to receive it. ²The good news was announced to our people of long ago. It has also been preached to us. The message they heard didn’t have any value for them. That’s because they didn’t share the faith of those who obeyed. ³Now we who have believed enjoy that rest. God said,

“When I was angry, I made a promise.
I said, ‘They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them.’ ” (Psalm 95:11)

Ever since God created the world, his works have been finished. ⁴Somewhere he spoke about the seventh day. He said, “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” (Genesis 2:2) ⁵In the part of Scripture I talked about earlier God spoke. He said, “They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them.” (Psalm 95:11)

⁶It is still true that some people will enjoy this rest. But those who had the good news announced to them earlier didn’t go in. That’s because they didn’t obey. ⁷So God again chose a certain day. He named it Today. He did this when he spoke through David a long time later. Here is what was written in the Scripture already given.

“Listen to his voice today.
If you hear it, don’t be stubborn.” (Psalm 95:7,8)

⁸Suppose Joshua had given them rest. If he had, God would not have spoken later about another day. ⁹So there is still a Sabbath rest for God’s people. ¹⁰God rested from his work. Those who enjoy God’s rest also rest from their works. ¹¹So let us make every effort to enjoy that rest. Then no one will die by disobeying as they did.