To the Hebrews 4:1-16

  • Danger of not entering into God’s rest (1-10)

  • Exhortation to enter into God’s rest (11-13)

    • God’s word is alive (12)

  • Jesus, the great high priest (14-16)

4  Therefore, since a promise of entering into his rest remains, let us be on guard* for fear someone among you seems to fall short of it.+ 2  For we have also had the good news declared to us,+ just as they had; but the word that they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3  For we who have exercised faith do enter into the rest, just as he has said: “So I swore in my anger, ‘They will not enter into my rest,’”+ although his works were finished from the founding of the world.+ 4  For in one place he has said of the seventh day as follows: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,”+ 5  and here again he says: “They will not enter into my rest.”+ 6  Therefore, since it remains for some to enter into it, and those to whom the good news was first declared did not enter in because of disobedience,+ 7  he again marks off a certain day by saying long afterward in David’s psalm, “Today”; just as it has been said above, “Today if you listen to his voice, do not harden your hearts.”+ 8  For if Joshua+ had led them into a place of rest, God would not afterward have spoken of another day. 9  So there remains a sabbath-rest for the people of God.+ 10  For the man who has entered into God’s rest has also rested from his own works, just as God did from his own.+ 11  Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall into the same pattern of disobedience.+ 12  For the word of God is alive and exerts power+ and is sharper than any two-edged sword+ and pierces even to the dividing of soul* and spirit,* and of joints from the marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13  And there is not a creation that is hidden from his sight,+ but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of the one to whom we must give an account.+ 14  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,+ let us hold on to our public declaration of him.+ 15  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,+ but we have one who has been tested in all respects as we have, but without sin.+ 16  Let us, then, approach the throne of undeserved kindness with freeness of speech,+ so that we may receive mercy and find undeserved kindness to help us at the right time.

Footnotes

Lit., “be in fear.”