Hebrews 4 - New Living Translation (NLT)

Promised Rest for God’s People

4 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 didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.[a] 3 For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said,

“In my anger I took an oath:
‘They will never enter my place of rest,’”[b]

even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. 4 We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.”[c] 5 But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.”[d]

6 So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God. 7 So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted:

“Today when you hear his voice,
don’t harden your hearts.”[e]

8 Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. 9 So there is a special rest[f] still waiting for the people of God. 10 For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. 11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

Christ Is Our High Priest

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

Footnotes

  1. 4:2 Some manuscripts read they didn’t combine what they heard with faith.
  2. 4:3 Ps 95:11.
  3. 4:4 Gen 2:2.
  4. 4:5 Ps 95:11.
  5. 4:7 Ps 95:7-8.
  6. 4:9 Or a Sabbath rest.

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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)

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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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