Hebrews, 4

1. Let us beware, then: since the promise never lapses, none of you must think that he has come too late for the promise of entering his place of rest.

1. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left [us] of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

2. We received the gospel exactly as they did; but hearing the message did them no good because they did not share the faith of those who did listen.

2. For 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].

3. We, however, who have faith, are entering a place of rest, as in the text: And then in my anger I swore that they would never enter my place of rest. Now God's work was all finished at the beginning of the world;

3. For 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.

4. as one text says, referring to the seventh day: And God rested on the seventh day after all the work he had been doing.

4. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

5. And, again, the passage above says: They will never reach my place of rest.

5. And in this [place] again, If they shall enter into my rest.

6. It remains the case, then, that there would be some people who would reach it, and since those who first heard the good news were prevented from entering by their refusal to believe,

6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7. God fixed another day, a Today, when he said through David in the text already quoted: If only you would listen to him today; do not harden your hearts.

7. Again, 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.

8. If Joshua had led them into this place of rest, God would not later have spoken of another day.

8. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

9. There must still be, therefore, a seventh-day rest reserved for God's people,

9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

10. since to enter the place of rest is to rest after your work, as God did after his.

10. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God [did] from his.

11. Let us, then, press forward to enter this place of rest, or some of you might copy this example of refusal to believe and be lost.

11. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

12. The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts more incisively than any two-edged sword: it can seek out the place where soul is divided from spirit, or joints from marrow; it can pass judgement on secret emotions and thoughts.

12. For 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.

13. No created thing is hidden from him; everything is uncovered and stretched fully open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give account of ourselves.

13. Neither 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.

14. Since in Jesus, the Son of God, we have the supreme high priest who has gone through to the highest heaven, we must hold firm to our profession of faith.

14. Seeing 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.

15. For the high priest we have is not incapable of feeling our weaknesses with us, but has been put to the test in exactly the same way as ourselves, apart from sin.

15. For 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.

16. Let us, then, have no fear in approaching the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace when we are in need of help.

16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.