Hebrews 4

1 Let us fear, therefore, lest while there is a firm promise of entering into his rest, any among you should be found coming short of entering.

We must, therefore, be very careful, though there is a promise still standing that we will enter upon God’s rest, that none of you even appear to have missed it.

2 For to us also is the announcement, as well as to them: but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not mingled with the faith of those who heard it.

For we have had the good news told us just as they had. But the message which they heard did them no good, since they did not share the faith of those who were attentive to it.

3 But we, who have believed, do enter into rest. But as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, that they shall not enter into my rest: for lo, the works of God existed from the foundation of the world.

Upon that rest we who have believed are now entering. As God has said – ‘In my wrath I swore – “They will never enter upon my rest;”’ Although God’s work was finished at the creation of the world;

4 As he said of the sabbath, God rested on the seventh day from all his works.

for, in a passage referring to the seventh day, you will find these words – ‘God rested on the seventh day after all his work.’

5 And here again, he said, They shall not enter into my rest.

On the other hand, we read in that passage – ‘They will never enter upon my rest.’

6 Therefore, because there was a place, whither one and another might enter; and those earlier persons, to whom the announcement was made, entered not, because they believed not:

Since, then, there is still a promise that some will enter upon this rest, and since those who were first told the good news did not enter upon it, because of their disbelief,

7 again he established another day, a long time afterwards; as above written, that David said, Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

again God fixed a day. ‘Today,’ he said, speaking after a long interval through the mouth of David, in the passage already quoted – ‘If today you hear God’s voice harden not your hearts.’

8 For if Joshua, the son of Nun, had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterwards of another day.

Now if Joshua had given ‘rest’ to the people, God would not have spoken of another and later day.

9 Therefore it is established, that the people of God are to have a sabbath.

There is, then, a Sabbath rest still awaiting God’s people.

10 For he who had entered into his rest, hath also rested from his works, as God did from his.

For the person who enters upon God’s rest do themselves rest after their work, just as God did.

11 Let us, therefore, strive to enter into that rest; lest we fall short, after the manner of them who believed not.

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter upon that rest, so that none of us fall through such disbelief as that of which we have had an example.

12 For the word of God is living, and all-efficient, and sharper than a two-edged sword, and entereth even to the severance of the soul and the spirit, and of the joints and the marrow and the bones, and judgeth the thoughts and reasonings of the heart:

God’s message is a living and active power, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing its way until it penetrates soul and spirit – not the joints only but the marrow – and detecting the inmost thoughts and purposes of the mind.

13 neither is there any creature, which is concealed from before him; but every thing is naked and manifest before his eyes, to whom we are to give account.

There is no created thing that can hide itself from the sight of God. Everything is exposed and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we have to give account.

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, Jesus the Messiah, the son of God, who hath ascended to heaven; let us persevere in professing him.

We have, then, in Jesus, the Son of God, a great high priest who has passed into the highest heaven; let us, therefore, hold fast to the faith which we have professed.

15 For we have not a high priest, who cannot sympathize with our infirmity; but one who was tempted in all respects like us, aside from sin.

Our high priest is not one unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has in every way been tempted, exactly as we have been, but without sinning.

16 Let us, therefore, approach with assurance to the throne of his grace, that we may obtain mercy, and may find grace for assistance in the time of affliction.

Therefore, let us draw near boldly to the throne of love, to find pity and love for the hour of need.