Hebrews 4
Expanded Bible
4 ·Now [Therefore], since ·God has left us the promise [the promise remains/still stands] that we may enter his rest, let us ·be very careful [beware; be wary/afraid] so none of you will ·fail to enter [appear/be found to fall short]. 2 [L For] The ·Good News [Gospel] was preached to us just as it was to them. But the ·teaching [message; word] they heard did not help them, because they heard it but did not ·accept [combine; join] it with faith.[a] 3 [L For; Now] We who have believed are able to enter ·and have God’s rest [L the rest]. As God has said,
“I was angry and ·made a promise [declared/swore an oath],
‘They will never enter my rest [Ps. 95:11].’”
But God’s work was finished from the ·time he made [foundation/creation of] the world. 4 ·In the Scriptures [L For somewhere] he talked about the seventh day of the week: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his works [Gen. 2:2].” 5 And again in ·the Scripture [or this passage; C Psalm 95, the passage the author has been discussing] God said, “They will never enter my rest [Ps. 95:11].”
6 ·It is still true that some people will [or This passage shows that some can still] enter God’s rest, but those who ·first [or formerly] ·heard the way to be saved [L had the Good News/Gospel proclaimed to them] did not enter, because they did not ·obey [believe; remain faithful]. 7 So God ·planned [set; established; ordained] another day, called “today” [3:13]. He spoke about that day through David a long time later in the ·same Scripture used before [words quoted before]:
“Today ·listen to what he says [L if you hear his voice…].
Do not ·be stubborn [L harden your hearts; Ps. 95:7–8].”
8 [L For; Now] If Joshua [C Moses’ successor, who led God’s people into the Promised Land; Josh. 3—4] had ·led the people into that [L given them] rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 This shows that the ·rest [L Sabbath rest; C sharing in the rest God enjoyed after Creation] for God’s people ·is still coming [or is still available; L remains]. 10 [L For] Anyone who enters God’s rest ·will rest [or has also rested] from his work as God did. 11 Let us ·try as hard as we can [strive; make every effort] to enter ·God’s [L that] rest so that no one will ·fail [be lost; L fall] by following the example of those who ·refused to obey [or did not believe; were unfaithful].
12 [L For] God’s word is alive and ·working [active; powerful; effective] and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It ·cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones [L penetrates until it divides even soul and spirit, joints and marrow]. And it ·judges [discerns] the ·thoughts [ideas] and ·feelings [attitudes; intentions] in our hearts. 13 ·Nothing in all the world [Nothing in all creation; or No creature] can be hidden from God. Everything is ·clear [naked] and ·lies open before him [L exposed to his eyes], and to him we must ·explain the way we have lived [give an account; answer].
Jesus Is Our High Priest
14 [L Therefore] Since we have a great high priest [2:17–18], Jesus the Son of God, who has ·gone into [ascended to; or passed through] ·heaven [or the heavens], let us hold ·on [firmly] to ·the faith we have [L the confession/profession; C of our faith]. 15 ·For our high priest is able [L For we do not have a high priest who is unable] to ·understand [sympathize with] our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. 16 Let us, then, ·feel very sure that we can come before [L confidently approach] God’s throne ·where there is grace [L of grace; C as opposed to a throne of judgment and condemnation]. There we can receive mercy and ·grace [L find grace] to help us ·when we need it [L at the right time].
Footnotes
- Hebrews 4:2 because … faith Some Greek copies read “because they did not share the faith of those who heard it.”
Hebrews 4
The Message
When the Promises Are Mixed with Faith
4 1-3 For as long, then, as that promise of resting in him pulls us on to God’s goal for us, we need to be careful that we’re not disqualified. We received the same promises as those people in the wilderness, but the promises didn’t do them a bit of good because they didn’t receive the promises with faith. If we believe, though, we’ll experience that state of resting. But not if we don’t have faith. Remember that God said,
Exasperated, I vowed,
“They’ll never get where they’re going,
never be able to sit down and rest.”
3-7 God made that vow, even though he’d finished his part before the foundation of the world. Somewhere it’s written, “God rested the seventh day, having completed his work,” but in this other text he says, “They’ll never be able to sit down and rest.” So this promise has not yet been fulfilled. Those earlier ones never did get to the place of rest because they were disobedient. God keeps renewing the promise and setting the date as today, just as he did in David’s psalm, centuries later than the original invitation:
Today, please listen,
don’t turn a deaf ear . . .
8-11 And so this is still a live promise. It wasn’t canceled at the time of Joshua; otherwise, God wouldn’t keep renewing the appointment for “today.” The promise of “arrival” and “rest” is still there for God’s people. God himself is at rest. And at the end of the journey we’ll surely rest with God. So let’s keep at it and eventually arrive at the place of rest, not drop out through some sort of disobedience.
12-13 God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon’s scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one can resist God’s Word. We can’t get away from it—no matter what.
The High Priest Who Cried Out in Pain
14-16 Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson