Hebrews 4
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:
(B)“So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ”
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:
(E)“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”
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.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 4:2 NU, M since they were not united by faith with those who heeded it
- Hebrews 4:8 Gr. Jesus, same as Heb. Joshua
Hebrews 4
GOD’S WORD Translation
We Will Enter God’s Place of Rest
4 God’s promise that we may enter his place of rest still stands. We are afraid that some of you think you won’t enter his place of rest. 2 We have heard the same Good News that your ancestors heard. But the message didn’t help those who heard it in the past because they didn’t believe.
3 We who believe are entering that place of rest. As God said, “So I angrily took a solemn oath that they would never enter my place of rest.” God said this even though he had finished his work when he created the world. 4 Somewhere in Scripture God has said this about the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.”
5 God also said in the same passage, “They will never enter my place of rest.” 6 However, some people enter that place of rest. Those who heard the Good News in the past did not enter God’s place of rest because they did not obey God. 7 So God set another day. That day is today. Many years after ⌞your ancestors failed to enter that place of rest⌟ God spoke about it through David in the passage already quoted: “If you hear God speak today, don’t be stubborn.” 8 If Joshua had given the people rest, God would not have spoken about another day. 9 Therefore, a time of eternal rest exists for God’s people. 10 Those who entered his place of rest also rest from their work as God did from his.
11 So we must make every effort to enter that place of rest. Then no one will be lost by following the example of those who refused to obey.
12 God’s word is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and cuts as deep as the place where soul and spirit meet, the place where joints and marrow meet. God’s word judges a person’s thoughts and intentions. 13 No creature can hide from God. Everything is uncovered and exposed for him to see. We must answer to him.
Christ Is Superior to Other Chief Priests
14 We need to hold on to our declaration of faith: We have a superior chief priest who has gone through the heavens. That person is Jesus, the Son of God. 15 We have a chief priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he didn’t sin. 16 So we can go confidently to the throne of God’s kindness [a] to receive mercy and find kindness, which will help us at the right time.
Footnotes
- 4:16 Or “grace.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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