⁵ Though you already know all this,^(A) I want to remind you^(B) that the Lord^[a] at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.^(C)

¹⁶ Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt?^{(A) 17} And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness?^{(B) 18} And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest^(C) if not to those who disobeyed?^{(D) 19} So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.^(E)

A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God

4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.^{(F) 2} For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.^[a](G)

⁶⁴ Not one of them was among those counted^(A) by Moses and Aaron^(B) the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. ⁶⁵ For the Lord had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness,^(C) and not one of them was left except Caleb^(D) son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.^(E)

Warnings From Israel’s History

10 For I do not want you to be ignorant^(A) of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud^(B) and that they all passed through the sea.^{(C) 2} They were all baptized into^(D) Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food^{(E) 4} and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock^(F) that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.^(G)

⁶ Now these things occurred as examples^(H) to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. ⁷ Do not be idolaters,^(I) as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”^{[a](J) 8} We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died.^{(K) 9} We should not test Christ,^[b](L) as some of them did—and were killed by snakes.^{(M) 10} And do not grumble, as some of them did^(N)—and were killed^(O) by the destroying angel.^(P)

¹¹ These things happened to them as examples^(Q) and were written down as warnings for us,^(R) on whom the culmination of the ages has come.^{(S) 12} So, if you think you are standing firm,^(T) be careful that you don’t fall!