Hebrews 4
1 Therefore let us be on our guard lest perhaps, while He still leaves us a promise of being admitted to His rest, some one of you should be found to have fallen short of it.
[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].
2 For Good News has been brought to us as truly as to them; but the message they heard failed to benefit them, because they were not one in faith with those who gave heed to it.
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].
3 We who have believed are soon to be admitted to the true rest; as He has said, "As I swore in My anger, they shall not be admitted to My rest," although God's works had been going on ever since the creation of the world.
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.
4 For, as we know, when speaking of the seventh day He has used the words, "And God rested on the seventh day from all His works;"
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].
5 and He has also declared, "They shall not be admitted to My rest."
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.
6 Since, then, it is still true that some will be admitted to that rest, and that because of disobedience those who formerly had Good News proclaimed to them were not admitted,
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].
7 He again definitely mentions a certain day, "To-day," saying long afterwards, by David's lips, in the words already quoted, "To-day, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."
[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.
8 For if Joshua had given them the true rest, we should not afterwards hear God speaking of another still future day.
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].
9 It follows that there still remains a sabbath rest for the people of God.
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.
10 For He who has been admitted to His rest, has rested from His works as God did from His.
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].
11 Let it then be our earnest endeavour to be admitted to that rest, so that no one may perish through following the same example of unbelief.
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].
12 For God's Message is full of life and power, and is keener than the sharpest two-edged sword. It pierces even to the severance of soul from spirit, and penetrates between the joints and the marrow, and it can discern the secret thoughts and purposes of the heart.
[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).
13 And no created thing is able to escape its scrutiny; but everything lies bare and completely exposed before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.
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.
14 Inasmuch, then, as we have in Jesus, the Son of God, a great High Priest who has passed into Heaven itself, let us hold firmly to our profession of faith.
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].
15 For we have not a High Priest who is unable to feel for us in our weaknesses, but one who was tempted in every respect just as we are tempted, and yet did not sin.
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.
16 Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our times of need.
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].
