Hebrews 4:1–16

The Promise of Rest

4Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, ^alet us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. ²For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, ¹not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. ³For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said:

^b“So I swore in My wrath,

‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ”

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: ^c“And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; ⁵and again in this place: ^d“They shall not enter My rest.”

⁶Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, ⁷again He designates a certain day, saying in David, “Today,” after such a long time, as it has been said:

^e“Today, if you will hear His voice,

Do not harden your hearts.”

⁸For if ²Joshua had ^fgiven them rest, then He would not afterward have spoken of another day. ⁹There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. ¹⁰For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

The Word Discovers Our Condition

^11gLet us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. ¹²For the word of God is ^hliving and powerful, and ⁱsharper than any ^jtwo-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is ^ka discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ^13lAnd there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are ^mnaked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Our Compassionate High Priest

¹⁴Seeing then that we have a great ⁿHigh Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, ^olet us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵For ^pwe do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but ^qwas in all points tempted as we are, ^ryet without sin. ^16sLet us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.