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!

²² not one of those who saw my glory and the signs^(A) I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times^(B)— ²³ not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath^(C) to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt^(D) will ever see it.^{(E) 24} But because my servant Caleb^(F) has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,^(G) I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.^{(H) 25} Since the Amalekites^(I) and the Canaanites^(J) are living in the valleys, turn^(K) back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea.^[a](L)”

²⁶ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ²⁷ “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites.^{(M) 28} So tell them, ‘As surely as I live,^(N) declares the Lord, I will do to you^(O) the very thing I heard you say: ²⁹ In this wilderness your bodies will fall^(P)—every one of you twenty years old or more^(Q) who was counted in the census^(R) and who has grumbled against me. ³⁰ Not one of you will enter the land^(S) I swore with uplifted hand^(T) to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh^(U) and Joshua son of Nun.^{(V) 31} As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.^{(W) 32} But as for you, your bodies will fall^(X) in this wilderness. ³³ Your children will be shepherds here for forty years,^(Y) suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the wilderness. ³⁴ For forty years^(Z)—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land^(AA)—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.’ ³⁵ I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will surely do these things^(AB) to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this wilderness; here they will die.^(AC)”

³⁶ So the men Moses had sent^(AD) to explore the land, who returned and made the whole community grumble^(AE) against him by spreading a bad report^(AF) about it— ³⁷ these men who were responsible for spreading the bad report^(AG) about the land were struck down and died of a plague^(AH) before the Lord.

¹⁵ The Lord’s hand was against them until he had completely eliminated^(A) them from the camp.

¹⁶ Now when the last of these fighting men among the people had died,

The Day of the Lord

3 Dear friends,^(A) this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders^(B) to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.

Prophecy of Scripture

¹² So I will always remind you of these things,^(A) even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth^(B) you now have. ¹³ I think it is right to refresh your memory^(C) as long as I live in the tent of this body,^(D)