Hebrews 4

1 Therefore let's take care to make sure that even though God has given us his promise of entering his rest, none of you miss out!

We must, therefore, be very careful, though there is a promise still standing that we will enter upon God’s rest, that none of you even appear to have missed it.

2 For we've heard the good news just like they did, but it didn't help them because they didn't accept and trust in what they heard.

For we have had the good news told us just as they had. But the message which they heard did them no good, since they did not share the faith of those who were attentive to it.

3 However, those of us who trust in God have entered into that rest God mentioned when he said, “In my frustration I vowed, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” (This is so even though God's plans were already complete when he created the world.)

Upon that rest we who have believed are now entering. As God has said – ‘In my wrath I swore – “They will never enter upon my rest;”’ Although God’s work was finished at the creation of the world;

4 Regarding the seventh day there's a place in Scripture that says, “God rested on the seventh day from all his work.”

for, in a passage referring to the seventh day, you will find these words – ‘God rested on the seventh day after all his work.’

5 And as the previous passage stated, “They shall not enter my rest.”

On the other hand, we read in that passage – ‘They will never enter upon my rest.’

6 God's rest is still there for some to enter, even though those who previously heard the good news failed to enter because of disobedience.

Since, then, there is still a promise that some will enter upon this rest, and since those who were first told the good news did not enter upon it, because of their disbelief,

7 So God again sets a day—today—saying a long time later through David as he did before, “If you hear what God is saying to you today, don't have a hard-hearted attitude.”

again God fixed a day. ‘Today,’ he said, speaking after a long interval through the mouth of David, in the passage already quoted – ‘If today you hear God’s voice harden not your hearts.’

8 For if Joshua had been able to give them rest, God wouldn't have spoken later about another day.

Now if Joshua had given ‘rest’ to the people, God would not have spoken of another and later day.

9 So a Sabbath rest remains for God's people.

There is, then, a Sabbath rest still awaiting God’s people.

10 For whoever enters God's rest also rests from what he's doing, just as God did.

For the person who enters upon God’s rest do themselves rest after their work, just as God did.

11 As a result we should try hard to enter that rest so nobody falls through following the same bad example of disobedience.

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter upon that rest, so that none of us fall through such disbelief as that of which we have had an example.

12 For God's word is alive and effective, sharper than any twin-edged sword, so penetrating it separates life and breath, bone joints and their marrow, judging the thoughts and intentions of the mind.

God’s message is a living and active power, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing its way until it penetrates soul and spirit – not the joints only but the marrow – and detecting the inmost thoughts and purposes of the mind.

13 No living being is hidden from his sight; everything is exposed and visible to the one we're accountable to.

There is no created thing that can hide itself from the sight of God. Everything is exposed and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we have to give account.

14 Since we have such a great high priest who has ascended to heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us make sure we hold on to what we say we believe.

We have, then, in Jesus, the Son of God, a great high priest who has passed into the highest heaven; let us, therefore, hold fast to the faith which we have professed.

15 For the high priest we have isn't one who doesn't sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who was tempted in all the ways we are, but did not sin.

Our high priest is not one unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has in every way been tempted, exactly as we have been, but without sinning.

16 So we should go confidently to God on his throne of grace so we can receive mercy, and discover grace to help us when we really need it.

Therefore, let us draw near boldly to the throne of love, to find pity and love for the hour of need.