Hebrews 4
1 THEREFORE, WHILE the promise of entering His rest still holds and is offered [today], let us be afraid [to distrust it], lest any of you should think he has come too late and has come short of [reaching] it.2 For indeed we have had the glad tidings [Gospel of God] proclaimed to us just as truly as they [the Israelites of old did when the good news of deliverance from bondage came to them]; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) by those who heard it; neither were they united in faith with the ones [Joshua and Caleb] who heard (did believe). 3 For we who have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on God) do enter that rest, in accordance with His declaration that those [who did not believe] should not enter when He said, As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest; and this He said although [His] works had been completed and prepared [and waiting for all who would believe] from the foundation of the world. 4 For in a certain place He has said this about the seventh day: And God rested on the seventh day from all His works. 5 And [they forfeited their part in it, for] in this [passage] He said, They shall not enter My rest. 6 Seeing then that the promise remains over [from past times] for some to enter that rest, and that those who formerly were given the good news about it and the opportunity, failed to appropriate it and did not enter because of disobedience,7 Again He sets a definite day, [a new] Today, [and gives another opportunity of securing that rest] saying through David after so long a time in the words already quoted, Today, if you would hear His voice and when you hear it, do not harden your hearts. 8 [This mention of a rest was not a reference to their entering into Canaan.] For if Joshua had given them rest, He [God] would not speak afterward about another day.9 So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath-rest reserved for the [true] people of God;10 For he who has once entered [God’s] rest also has ceased from [the weariness and pain] of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly His own. 11 Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].12 For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.13 And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.14 Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest Who has [already] ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith in Him].15 For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.16 Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].
Hebreeën 4
1 Laat ons dan vrezen, dat niet te eniger tijd, de belofte van in Zijn rust in te gaan nagelaten zijnde, iemand van u schijne achtergebleven te zijn. 2 Want ook ons is het Evangelie verkondigd, gelijk als hun; maar het woord der prediking deed hun geen nut, dewijl het met het geloof niet gemengd was in degenen, die het gehoord hebben. 3 Want wij, die geloofd hebben, gaan in de rust, gelijk Hij gezegd heeft: Zo heb Ik dan gezworen in Mijn toorn: Indien zij zullen ingaan in Mijn rust! hoewel Zijn werken van de grondlegging der wereld af al volbracht waren. 4 Want Hij heeft ergens van den zevenden dag aldus gesproken: En God heeft op den zevenden dag van al Zijn werken gerust. 5 En in deze plaats wederom: Indien zij in Mijn rust zullen ingaan! 6 Dewijl dan blijft, dat sommigen in dezelve rust ingaan, en degenen, dien het Evangelie eerst verkondigd was, niet ingegaan zijn vanwege de ongehoorzaamheid, 7 Zo bepaalt Hij wederom een zekeren dag, namelijk heden, door David zeggende, zo langen tijd daarna (gelijkerwijs gezegd is): Heden, indien gij Zijn stem hoort, zo verhardt uw harten niet. 8 Want indien Jozua hen in de rust gebracht heeft, zo had Hij daarna niet gesproken van een anderen dag. 9 Er blijft dan een rust over voor het volk Gods. 10 Want die ingegaan is in zijn rust, heeft zelf ook van zijn werken gerust, gelijk God van de Zijne. 11 Laat ons dan ons benaarstigen, om in die rust in te gaan; opdat niet iemand in hetzelfde voorbeeld der ongelovigheid valle. 12 Want het Woord Gods is levend en krachtig, en scherpsnijdender dan enig tweesnijdend zwaard, en gaat door tot de verdeling der ziel, en des geestes, en der samenvoegselen, en des mergs, en is een oordeler der gedachten en der overleggingen des harten. 13 En er is geen schepsel onzichtbaar voor Hem; maar alle dingen zijn naakt en geopend voor de ogen Desgenen, met Welken wij te doen hebben. 14 Dewijl wij dan een groten Hogepriester hebben, Die door de hemelen doorgegaan is, namelijk Jezus, den Zoon van God, zo laat ons deze belijdenis vasthouden. 15 Want wij hebben geen hogepriester, die niet kan medelijden hebben met onze zwakheden, maar Die in alle dingen, gelijk als wij, is verzocht geweest, doch zonder zonde. 16 Laat ons dan met vrijmoedigheid toegaan tot den troon der genade, opdat wij barmhartigheid mogen verkrijgen, en genade vinden, om geholpen te worden ter bekwamer tijd.
