Hebrews 3
New King James Version
The Son Was Faithful
3 Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, 2 who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as (A)Moses also was faithful in all His house. 3 For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as (B)He who built the house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but (C)He who built all things is God. 5 (D)And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as (E)a servant, (F)for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, 6 but Christ as (G)a Son over His own house, (H)whose house we are (I)if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope [a]firm to the end.
Be Faithful(J)
7 Therefore, as (K)the Holy Spirit says:
(L)“Today, if you will hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
9 Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.
10 Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’
11 So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; 13 but [b]exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, 15 while it is said:
(M)“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Failure of the Wilderness Wanderers
16 (N)For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, (O)whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And (P)to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of (Q)unbelief.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 3:6 NU omits firm to the end
- Hebrews 3:13 encourage
Hebrews 3
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
Moses a Servant, Christ a Son
3 Therefore, brothers and sisters,[a] holy partners in a heavenly calling, consider that Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses also “was faithful in all[b] God’s[c] house.” 3 Yet Jesus[d] is worthy of more glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God’s[e] house as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken later. 6 Christ, however, was faithful over God’s[f] house as a son, and we are his house if we hold firm[g] the confidence and the pride that belong to hope.
Warning against Unbelief
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
as on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors put me to the test,
though they had seen my works 10 for forty years.
Therefore I was angry with that generation,
and I said, ‘They always go astray in their hearts,
and they have not known my ways.’
11 As in my anger I swore,
‘They will not enter my rest.’”
12 Take care, brothers and sisters,[h] that none of you may have an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partners of Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
16 Now who were they who heard and yet were rebellious? Was it not all those who left Egypt under the leadership of Moses? 17 But with whom was he angry forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, if not to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 3:1 Gk brothers
- Hebrews 3:2 Other ancient authorities lack all
- Hebrews 3:2 Gk his
- Hebrews 3:3 Gk this one
- Hebrews 3:5 Gk his
- Hebrews 3:6 Gk his
- Hebrews 3:6 Other ancient authorities add to the end
- Hebrews 3:12 Gk brothers
Hebrews 3
Amplified Bible
Jesus Our High Priest
3 Therefore, [a]holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, [thoughtfully and attentively] consider the Apostle and High Priest whom we confessed [as ours when we accepted Him as Savior], namely, [b]Jesus; 2 He was faithful to Him who appointed Him [Apostle and High Priest], as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house.(A) 3 Yet Jesus has been considered worthy of much greater glory and honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house. 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5 Now Moses was faithful in [the administration of] all God’s house, [but only] as a ministering servant, [his ministry serving] as a testimony of the things which were to be spoken afterward [the revelation to come in Christ];(B) 6 but Christ is faithful as a Son over His [Father’s] house. And we are His house if we hold fast our confidence and sense of triumph in our hope [in Christ].
7 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today if you hear His voice,
8
Do not harden your hearts as [your fathers did] in the rebellion [of Israel at [c]Meribah],
On the day of testing in the wilderness,
9
Where your fathers tried Me by testing [My forbearance and tolerance],
And saw My works for forty years
[And found I stood their test].
10
“Therefore I was angered with this generation,
And I said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they did not know My ways [nor become progressively better and more intimately acquainted with them]’;
11
So I swore [an oath] in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest [the promised land].’”(C)
The Peril of Unbelief
12 Take care, brothers and sisters, that there not be in any one of you a wicked, unbelieving [d]heart [which refuses to trust and rely on the Lord, a heart] that turns away from the living God. 13 But continually encourage one another every day, as long as it is called “Today” [and there is an opportunity], so that none of you will be hardened [into settled rebellion] by the deceitfulness of sin [its cleverness, delusive glamour, and sophistication]. 14 For we [believers] have become partakers of Christ [sharing in all that the Messiah has for us], if only we hold firm our newborn confidence [which originally led us to Him] until the end, 15 while it is said,
“Today [while there is still opportunity] if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your heart, as when they provoked Me [in the rebellion in the desert at Meribah].”(D)
16 For who were they who heard and yet provoked Him [with rebellious acts]? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies were scattered in the desert? 18 And to whom did He swear [an oath] that they would not enter His rest, but to those who disobeyed [those who would not listen to His word]? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter [into His rest—the promised land] because of unbelief and an unwillingness to trust in God.(E)
Footnotes
- Hebrews 3:1 See note 2:11.
- Hebrews 3:1 In the Greek text the name of Jesus is placed last for emphasis.
- Hebrews 3:8 See Ex 17:1-7.
- Hebrews 3:12 “Heart” includes the entire human personality—mind, will, and emotions. The core of one’s being where there is no pretense.
Hebrews 3
Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus Is Greater Than Moses
3 So, my brothers and sisters, those chosen by God to be his holy people, think about Jesus. He is the one we believe God sent to save us and to be our high priest. 2 God made him our high priest, and he was faithful to God just as Moses was. He did everything God wanted him to do in God’s house. 3 When someone builds a house, people will honor the builder more than the house. It is the same with Jesus. He should have more honor than Moses. 4 Every house is built by someone, but God built everything. 5 Moses was faithful as a servant in God’s whole house. He told people what God would say in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful in ruling God’s house as the Son. And we are God’s house, if we remain confident of the great hope we are glad to say we have.
We Must Continue to Follow God
7 So it is just as the Holy Spirit says:
“If you hear God’s voice today,
8 don’t be stubborn as you were in the past,
when you turned against God.
That was the day you tested God in the desert.
9 For 40 years in the desert, your people saw what I did.
But they tested me and my patience.
10 So I was angry with them.
I said, ‘Their thoughts are always wrong.
They have never understood my ways.’
11 So I was angry and made a promise:
‘They will never enter my place of rest.’” (A)
12 So, brothers and sisters, be careful that none of you has the evil thoughts that cause so much doubt that you stop following the living God. 13 But encourage each other every day, while you still have something called “today.[a]” Help each other so that none of you will be fooled by sin and become too hard to change. 14 We have the honor of sharing in all that Christ has if we continue until the end to have the sure faith we had in the beginning. 15 That’s why the Spirit said,
“If you hear God’s voice today,
don’t be stubborn as in the past
when you turned against God.” (B)
16 Who were those who heard God’s voice and turned against him? It was all the people Moses led out of Egypt. 17 And who was God angry with for 40 years? He was angry with those who sinned. And their dead bodies were left in the desert. 18 And which people was God talking to when he promised that they would never enter his place of rest? He was talking to those who did not obey him. 19 So we see that they were not allowed to enter and have God’s rest, because they did not believe.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 3:13 today This word is taken from verse 7. It means it is important to do this now, while there is still opportunity.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International