Hebrews — Chapter 4
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1Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be deemed to have fallen short of it.
2For we also received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it.
3Now we who have believed enter that rest. As for the others, it is just as God has said: “So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest.’” And yet His works have been finished since the foundation of the world.
4For somewhere He has spoken about the seventh day in this manner: “And on the seventh day God rested from all His works.”
5And again, as He says in the passage above: “They shall never enter My rest.”
6Since, then, it remains for some to enter His rest, and since those who formerly heard the good news did not enter because of their disobedience,
7God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”
8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day.
9There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
10For whoever enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.
11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.
12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.
15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
1Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
7Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
14Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
1Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it.
2For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard.
3For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4For he hath said somewhere of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;
5and in this [place] again, They shall not enter into my rest.
6Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience,
7he again defineth a certain day, To-day, saying in David so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before), To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts.
8For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day.
9There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God.
10For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his.
11Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience.
12For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
14Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
15For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.
16Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help [us] in time of need.
1Therefore we must be wary that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it.
2For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in with those who heard it in faith.
3For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’” And yet God’s works were accomplished from the foundation of the world.
4For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,”
5but to repeat the text cited earlier: “They will never enter my rest!”
6Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience.
7So God again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David after so long a time, as in the words quoted before, “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks! Do not harden your hearts.”
8For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken afterward about another day.
9Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God.
10For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works.
11Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience.
12For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart.
13And no creature is hidden from God, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.
14Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.
15For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin.
16Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.
1Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest.
2For 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.
3For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest”; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4For he has said this somewhere about the seventh day, “God rested on the seventh day from all his works”;
5and in this place again, “They will not enter into my rest.”
6Seeing therefore it remains that some should enter into it, and they to whom the good news was preached before failed to enter in because of disobedience,
7he again defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.”
8For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day.
9There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
10For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his.
11Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience.
12For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
13There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.
14Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.
15For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.
16Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.
Summary
The author warns that although the promise of entering God's rest still stands, believers should fear falling short as the wilderness generation did, since the good news reached them too but failed to benefit them because they did not receive it in faith (vv. 1-2). Those who believe do enter that rest, which God established when he rested on the seventh day after finishing creation, yet the rest remained open after that generation's disobedience, since God later designates a new "today" through David long after Joshua had settled Israel in the land (vv. 3-8). A Sabbath rest therefore still remains for God's people, and believers are urged to strive to enter it, resting from their own works as God did from his, so that no one falls through the same disobedience (vv. 9-11). God's word is described as living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, able to judge the heart's thoughts and intentions, since every person is fully exposed before the one to whom they must give account (vv. 12-13). Because believers have in Jesus a great high priest who sympathizes with human weakness, having been tempted in every way yet without sin, they are urged to approach God's throne of grace with confidence to receive mercy and find help in time of need (vv. 14-16).
Authorship & Background
Commentary
- Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik covers the Sabbath-rest, the Word's power, and Christ as sympathetic High Priest with detailed analysis of each section.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
- Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.
Videos
Articles
- GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Hebrews -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.
Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.
Reflection
- A Rest That Still Remains (v.9) — A Sabbath-rest remains for God's people, one that means ceasing from self-effort just as God ceased from His work. Are you resting in what God has already accomplished, or still striving as though it's up to you?
- The Living, Piercing Word (v.12) — Scripture is described as living and active, sharper than any sword, cutting deep enough to expose the true thoughts and intentions of the heart. When you read God's word, do you let it examine you, or do you keep it at a safe distance?
- A High Priest Who Understands Temptation (v.15) — Christ was tempted in every way we are, yet without sin, so He can sympathize with our weaknesses rather than judge them from a distance. Does knowing Christ truly understands your struggles change how freely you bring them to Him?
- Boldly Approaching Grace in Your Time of Need (v.16) — Believers are invited to approach God's throne with confidence, not because they've earned it, but because it's a throne of grace offering mercy and help exactly when it's needed. What need are you currently carrying that you haven't yet brought boldly to Him?