Add parallel Print Page Options

Therefore oun while the promise epangelia of entering eiserchomai his autos rest katapausis is still open kataleipō, · ho let us fear phobeomai lest mēpote any tis one of ek you hymeis may seem dokeō to be excluded from hystereō it. For gar we also kai had eimi good news proclaimed euangelizō to us just as kathaper they kakeinos did; but alla the ho word logos they heard akoē did not ou benefit ōpheleō · ho those ekeinos who were not united synkerannymi with those ho who listened akouō in ho faith pistis For gar we who ho have believed pisteuō do enter eiserchomai that ho rest katapausis, just as kathōs God has said legō, “ As hōs I swore omnyō in en · ho my egō anger orgē, ‘ They shall certainly not ei enter eiserchomai · ho my egō rest katapausis,’” and yet kaitoi his ho work ergon has been completed ginomai since apo the foundation katabolē of the world kosmos For gar somewhere pou he has spoken legō of peri the ho seventh hebdomos day in this manner houtōs: “ And kai God theos rested katapauō · ho on en the ho seventh hebdomos day hēmera · ho from apo all pas · ho his autos works ergon.” And kai furthermore palin in en this houtos context he said, “ They shall certainly not ei enter eiserchomai · ho my egō rest katapausis.”

Therefore oun since epei it remains apoleipō for some tis to enter eiserchomai it autos, and kai those ho who previously proteros had the good news proclaimed euangelizō to them failed ou to enter eiserchomai because dia of disobedience apeitheia, God again palin ordains horizō a certain tis day hēmera—“ today sēmeron”— saying legō through en David Dauid, after meta so long tosoutos a time chronos, just as kathōs it has been said before, “ Today sēmeron, if ean you hear akouō · ho his autos voice phōnē, do not harden sklērynō · ho your hymeis hearts kardia.” For gar if ei Joshua Iēsous had given them autos rest katapauō, God would an not ou have spoken laleō of peri another allos time hēmera after meta that houtos. Consequently ara there remains apoleipō a Sabbath sabbatismos rest for the ho people laos of ho God theos. 10 For gar the ho one who enters eiserchomai · ho God’ s autos rest katapausis has also kai rested katapauō from apo · ho his autos works ergon, as hōsper God theos did from apo · ho his idios. · ho 11 Let us , therefore oun, make every effort spoudazō to enter eiserchomai that ekeinos · ho rest katapausis; otherwise hina mē one tis of you might fall piptō by en the ho same autos sort hypodeigma of ho disobedience apeitheia.

12 For gar the ho word logos of ho God theos is living zaō and kai effective energēs, · kai sharper tomos than hyper any pas two-edged distomos sword machaira, · kai cutting through diikneomai so as to achri divide merismos soul psychē from kai spirit pneuma, joints harmos from kai marrow myelos. It is even kai able to discern kritikos the thoughts enthumēsis and kai deliberations ennoia of the heart kardia. 13 And kai nothing ou in creation ktisis is eimi hidden aphanēs from God’ s autos sight enōpion, but de everything pas is uncovered gymnos and kai exposed trachēlizō to the ho eyes ophthalmos of the one autos to pros whom hos we hēmeis must give · ho account logos.

14 Therefore oun since we have echō a great megas high priest archiereus who has gone through dierchomai the ho heavens ouranos, Jesus Iēsous the ho Son hyios of ho God theos, let us continue to hold fast to krateō our ho confession homologia. 15 For gar we do not ou have echō a high priest archiereus who is unable to feel sympatheō · ho our hēmeis weaknesses astheneia, but de one who has been tempted peirazō in kata every way pas just as we are kata—yet without chōris sin hamartia. 16 Therefore oun let us approach proserchomai with meta confidence parrēsia the ho throne thronos of ho grace charis, so that hina we may receive lambanō mercy eleos and kai find heuriskō grace charis for eis help boētheia when we need eukairos it .

The Believer’s Rest

Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still remains and is freely offered today, let us fear, in case any one of you may seem to come short of reaching it or think he has come too late. For indeed we have had the good news [of salvation] preached to us, just as the Israelites also [when the good news of the promised land came to them]; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not united with faith [in God] by those who heard. For we who believe [that is, we who personally trust and confidently rely on God] enter that rest [so we have His inner peace now because we are confident in our salvation, and assured of His power], just as He has said,

As I swore [an oath] in My wrath,
They shall not enter My rest,”

[this He said] although His works were [a]completed from the foundation of the world [waiting for all who would believe].(A)

For somewhere [in Scripture] He has said this about the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”;(B) and again in this, “They shall not enter My rest.”(C) Therefore, since the promise remains for some to enter His rest, and those who formerly had the good news preached to them failed to [grasp it and did not] enter because of [their unbelief evidenced by] disobedience, He again sets a definite day, [a new] “Today,” [providing another opportunity to enter that rest by] saying through David after so long a time, just as has been said before [in the words already quoted],

Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”(D)

[This mention of a rest was not a reference to their entering into Canaan.] For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak about another day [of opportunity] after that. So there remains a [full and complete] Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has once entered His rest has also rested from [the weariness and pain of] his [human] labors, just as God rested from [those labors uniquely] His own.(E) 11 Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience [as those who died in the wilderness]. 12 For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged [b]sword, penetrating as far as the division of the [c]soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account.

14 Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. 16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 4:3 God “rested” because everything that needed to be done was done—everything was complete, fully accomplished. In human terms this expression is used when a lawyer completes his presentation in a court of law; he “rests” his case—everything is in evidence, there is nothing left to present.
  2. Hebrews 4:12 In addition to “sword,” the word in Greek was used for the knife used by the priests to slit the throats of the sacrificial lambs and for the knife (scalpel) used by a surgeon.
  3. Hebrews 4:12 “soul and spirit” used here to emphasize the whole person, not two separate entities as in other passages.