Hebrews 4
1 [The Israelites did not enter the place where they would rest]. But [God] has still promised us that we can enter the place of resting [in heaven eternally]. So we must beware [of the possibility] that [God] may consider that some of you have failed to enter the [place of] resting [eternally as the Israelites did not enter the place where they would rest].
Ngakho, kasesabe, hlezi, lapho sisekhona isithembiso sokungena ekuphumuleni kwakhe, kube khona omunye wenu obonakala esehluleka ukufinyelela kukho;
2 We have heard the message [about Christ], just like [the Israelites] heard [what God promised]. But [just like] the message did not benefit [most of] those who heard it because they did not believe it as [Joshua and Caleb did, it] will not [benefit us eternally if we do not keep believing it].
ngoba lathi satshunyayezwa ivangeli, lanjengabo; kodwa ilizwi abalizwayo kalibasizanga bona, lokhu lingahlangananga lokholo kulabo abalizwayo;
3 We who have believed [in Christ] are able to enter the place of resting [eternally. We know there is a place where we will rest eternally] because God said, Because I was angry with them, I solemnly declared, “They will not enter [the land where] I would let them rest.” [God said that] even though he ceased his work [of creating things] after he created the world.
ngoba thina esikholwayo siyangena ekuphumuleni, njengoba watsho ukuthi: Njengoba ngifungile ekuthukutheleni kwami ngathi: Kabayikungena ekuphumuleni kwami; lanxa imisebenzi yayiqediwe kusukela ekusekelweni komhlaba.
4 What someone wrote somewhere [in the Scriptures] about the seventh day [after he had spent six days creating the world], supports that: Then, on the seventh day, God rested from his work [of creating everything].
Ngoba utshilo kwenye indawo ngosuku lwesikhombisa kanje: UNkulunkulu wasephumula ngosuku lwesikhombisa emisebenzini yakhe yonke;
5 But note again what God said about the Israelites [in the] passage that I quoted previously: They will not enter [the land where] I would let them rest.
lakulindawo uthi futhi: Kabayikungena ekuphumuleni kwami.
6 Some people experience entering that [place of resting eternally. But] those [Israelites] who first had the good message preached to them {first heard the good message} [about what God promised them] did not enter [that place of resting], because they refused to believe [God].
Ngakho lokhu kusalele ukuthi abanye bangene kukho, lalabo abatshunyayezwa ivangeli kuqala kabangenanga ngokungalaleli,
7 [But God] appointed another time [when we may enter that place of resting]. That time is now! [We know that is true because] much later than when [the Israelites rebelled against God in the desert], he caused [King] David to write what I have already quoted, Now, when you understand what God is saying [to you], do not stubbornly disobey him.
ubuya aqume usuku oluthile athi: Lamuhla, utsho ngoDavida, emva kwesikhathi esingaka, njengokwatshiwo ukuthi: Lamuhla uba lizalizwa ilizwi lakhe, lingazenzi zibe lukhuni inhliziyo zenu.
8 If Joshua had led the Israelites to enter the place of resting, God would not have spoken later about another [time when we could rest] [MET]. [So we know God was speaking about another time when some people would enter that place of resting eternally].
Ngoba uba uJoshuwa wayebaphumuzile, wayengayikukhuluma emva kwalokhu ngolunye usuku.
9 So, just like [God rested on] the seventh day [after he finished making everything], there remains a time when God’s people will rest eternally.
Ngakho kubasalele abantu bakaNkulunkulu ukuphumula kwesabatha.
10 Specifically, whoever enters God’s place of resting has ceased doing things [to gain God’s favor], just like God ceased doing his work [of creating everything].
Ngoba ongenileyo ekuphumuleni kwakhe laye usephumule emisebenzini yakhe, njengoNkulunkulu kweyakhe.
11 God severely punished the [Israelites because they disbelieved his message]. So we must strive to experience entering that [place of] resting [eternally], in order that he will not severely punish any of us for not believing [his message].
Ngakho asikhuthalele ukungena kulokhokuphumula, ukuze kungabi lowela kulesisibonelo sokungalaleli.
12 [Beware of being insincere about doing this], because the message God [has given us] very powerfully penetrates our thinking more than a two-edged sword [penetrates flesh] [MET]. It penetrates [deeply] into our souls and spirits, as [a sharp sword can penetrate] into our joints and marrow. That [is, by his message God] [PRS] discerns all that we think about, and he discerns all that we desire [to do] [MTY] (OR, [His message] exposes [to us] all our thoughts and all our desires).
Ngoba ilizwi likaNkulunkulu liphilile, lilamandla, libukhali kulaloba yiyiphi inkemba esika nhlangothi zombili, lihlaba kuze kube sekwehlukanisweni komphefumulo lomoya, lamalunga lomnkantsho, njalo lingumhloli okhaliphileyo wemicabango lezizindlo zenhliziyo.
13 God knows everything about everyone. Everything is completely exposed [DOU] to him, [and he is] the one [SYN] who will say whether he approves of what we have done.
Futhi kakulalutho oludaliweyo olungabonakaliyo phambi kwakhe; kodwa zonke izinto zembuliwe zisobala emehlweni akhe esilokuzilanda kuye.
14 We have a great Supreme Priest who ascended through the heavens [when he returned to God’s presence]. He is Jesus, (God’s Son/the man who is also God). So let us firmly profess [what we believe about him].
Ngakho lokhu silompristi omkhulu kakhulu, odlulele emazulwini, uJesu iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, asibambelele kusivumo sethu.
15 Our Supreme Priest can indeed [LIT] compassionately deal with us who tend to sin easily, because he also was tempted [to sin] in every way that we are [tempted to sin], and yet he did not sin.
Ngoba kasilaye umpristi omkhulu ongelakuzwelana lobuthakathaka bethu, kodwa owalingwa kukho konke njengathi, engelasono.
16 So, let us come boldly to [Christ] [MTY], who rules [MET] [from heaven] and does for us what we do not deserve, in order that we might experience [his acting] mercifully [toward us], and in order that we might experience his helping us in a kind way whenever we need [help].
Ngakho kasisondele ngesibindi esihlalweni sobukhosi somusa, ukuze semukele isihawu, sithole umusa wosizo ngesikhathi esifaneleyo.
