Hebrews 4 - Common English Bible (CEB)

Enter the rest

4 Therefore, since the promise that we can enter into rest is still open, let’s be careful so that none of you will appear to miss it. 2 We also had the good news preached to us, just as the Israelites did. However, the message they heard didn’t help them because they weren’t united in faith with the ones who listened to it. 3 We who have faith are entering the rest. As God said,

And because of my anger I swore:
They will never enter into my rest![a]

And yet God’s works were completed at the foundation of the world. 4 Then somewhere he said this about the seventh day of creation: God rested on the seventh day from all his works.[b] 5 But again, in the passage above, God said, They will never enter my rest![c] 6 Therefore, it’s left open for some to enter it, and the ones who had the good news preached to them before didn’t enter because of disobedience. 7 Just as it says in the passage above, God designates a certain day as “today,” when he says through David much later,

Today, if you hear his voice,
don’t have stubborn hearts.[d]

8 If Joshua gave the Israelites rest, God wouldn’t have spoken about another day later on. 9 So you see that a sabbath rest is left open for God’s people. 10 The one who entered God’s rest also rested from his works, just as God rested from his own.

First summary of the message

11 Therefore, let’s make every effort to enter that rest so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience, 12 because God’s word is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates to the point that it separates the soul from the spirit and the joints from the marrow. It’s able to judge the heart’s thoughts and intentions. 13 No creature is hidden from it, but rather everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of the one to whom we have to give an answer.

14 Also, let’s hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God’s Son; 15 because we don’t have a high priest who can’t sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin.

16 Finally, let’s draw near to the throne of favor with confidence so that we can receive mercy and find grace when we need help.

Footnotes

  1. Hebrews 4:3 Ps 95:11
  2. Hebrews 4:4 Gen 2:2
  3. Hebrews 4:5 Ps 95:11
  4. Hebrews 4:7 Ps 95:7-8

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Hebrews 4 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

4 We may fear, then, lest a promise being left of entering into His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short, 2 for we also are having good news proclaimed, even as they, but the word heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard, 3 for we do enter into the rest --...
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Hebrews 4 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

4 Therefore dread we, least peradventure while the promise of entering into his rest is left, that any of us be guessed to be away [be guessed, or deemed, for to fail]. 2 For it is told also to us, as to them [Forsooth it is told to us, as and to them]. And the word that was heard profited not to t...
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Hebrews 4 - Worldwide English (New Testament) (WE)

4 We still have God's promise that people will go into his resting place. So let us take care that not one of you will be kept out. 2 The good news has been told to us just as it was told to the people in the desert. But the message which they heard did not do them any good. Even though they heard i...
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Hebrews 4 - World English Bible (WEB)

4 Let’s fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn’t profit them, because it wasn’t mixed with faith by those who heard. 3 F...
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Hebrews 4 - The Voice (VOICE)

4 That’s why, as long as that promise of entering God’s rest remains open to us, we should be careful that none of us seem to fall short ourselves. 2 Those people in the wilderness heard God’s good news, just as we have heard it, but the message they heard didn’t do them any good since it wasn’t co...
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Hebrews 4 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Make Every Effort to Enter God’s Rest4 Let us fear then! Though a promise of entering His rest is left open, some of you would seem to have fallen short. 2 For we also have had Good News proclaimed to us, just as they did. But the word they heard did not help them, because they were not unified wit...
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Hebrews 4 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Rest That God Promised4 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest remains, let us fear lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them; but the message which they heard did not benefit them, because it did not meet with faith in the heare...
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Hebrews 4 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Rest That God Promised4 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest remains, let us fear lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them; but the message which they heard did not benefit them, because it did not meet with faith in the heare...
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Hebrews 4 - Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)

4 Therefore, let us fear, lest at any time any of you should seem to have come short of the promise of entering into His rest. 2 For the Gospel was preached to us as well as them. But the word that they heard did not profit them, because it was not mixed with faith in those who heard it. 3 For we wh...
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Hebrews 4 - New Testament for Everyone (NTE)

Getting through to the Sabbath Rest4 So we are bound to worry that some of you might seem to have missed out on God’s promise of entering his rest, the promise which is still open before us. 2 For we certainly had the good news announced to us, just as they did; but the word which they heard didn’t...
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Hebrews 4 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Rest That God Promised4 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united...
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Hebrews 4 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Rest That God Promised4 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest is still open, let us take care that none of you should seem to have failed to reach it.(A)2 For indeed the good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them because they were not united...
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Hebrews 4 - New Matthew Bible (NMB)

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Hebrews 4 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Promised Rest for God’s People4 God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. 2 For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they d...
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Hebrews 4 - New Life Version (NLV)

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Hebrews 4 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Promise of Rest4 Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, (A)let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, [a]not being mixed with faith in those who he...
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