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].

Hebreerne 4

Guds folk har en hvile i vente

1 Siden løftet om å få komme inn til Guds hvile ennå ikke er oppfylt, må vi være på vakt, så det ikke skjer at noen av dere blir liggende etter. 2 Det glade budskap er jo forkynt både for oss og for dem. Men de hadde ikke noe gagn av ordet de hørte, fordi det ikke ved troen ble ett med dem som hørte det.

3 Det er vi som går inn til hvilen, vi som tror. Han sa jo:t
Så sverget jeg i min vrede:
De skal aldri komme inn ¬til min hvile!
Guds verk var riktignok fullført allerede da verden ble skapt. 4 For et sted står det om den sjuende dagen: Så hvilte Gud på den sjuende dagen etter at han hadde fullført hele sitt verk. t

5 Men her sier han: De skal aldri komme inn til min hvile. t
6 Altså er det ennå slik at noen skal komme inn til hvilen. De som først fikk det glade budskap, kom ikke inn, for de var ulydige.

7 Derfor fastsetter han på ny en dag; det er det han gjør når han lang tid etter gjennom David taler det ordet vi før har nevnt:t
I dag, om dere hører ¬hans røst,
så forherd ikke deres hjerter.
8 Hadde Josva ført folket inn til hvilen, ville ikke Gud senere ha talt om en annen dag. t 9 Altså er det fremdeles en hviledag i vente for Guds folk. 10 Den som kommer inn til hans hvile, får jo hvile fra sine gjerninger, likesom Gud hvilte etter sine gjerninger. t

11 La oss da streve etter å komme inn til denne hvilen, så ingen er ulydig og faller. Vi må ikke følge deres eksempel som var ulydige i ørkenen.
12 For Guds ord er levende og virkekraftig og skarpere enn noe tveegget sverd. Det trenger igjennom til det kløver sjel og ånd, marg og ben, og dømmer hjertets tanker og planer. t

13 Ingen skapning er skjult for ham. Alt ligger nakent og bart for ham som vi skal stå til regnskap for.t

Jesus, den store øversteprest

(4,14–10,18)

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