Hebrews 4

4:1 The same promise of entering the place of God's rest is still there for us. We should be afraid that some of us might miss our chance to go in. 4:2 We have heard the good news just as they did in the desert. The message that they heard did not benefit them. They heard it, but they did not accept it.

4:3 We Christians enter that place of God's rest. The Hebrews in the desert would not accept the good news. That made God angry. He said, ‘They shall never enter my place of rest’ (Psalm 95:11). Yet, he finished his work when he made the world. 4:4 Somewhere in the Bible God spoke of the seventh day in these words: ‘And on the seventh day God rested from all his work’ (Genesis 2:2). 4:5 Now, in the earlier words above, God says, ‘They shall never enter my place of rest’ (Psalm 95:11). 4:6 That means that some other people will enter it. But the people who heard the good news in the past did not enter it, because they did not obey God. 4:7 So God fixed another day, calling it ‘today’, when a long time later he spoke by David. He said, ‘Today if you hear the voice of God, do not make your hearts hard’ (Psalm 95:7-8). 4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later about another day. 4:9 So there still remains a perfect rest for the people of God. 4:10 Anyone who enters God's place of rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his.

4:11 So let us be eager to enter that place of rest. We must be careful not to miss our chance, like the people in the desert who did not obey God. 4:12 The word of God is living and full of power. It is sharper than any sword that cuts on both edges. It cuts between soul and spirit. It cuts between joints and muscles. It knows people’s thoughts and attitudes. 4:13 No one can hide from God. His eyes see all things as they really are. It is to him that we all must give an account for what we do.

4:14 We have a great chief priest who has gone through the heavens. He is Jesus, the Son of God. Let us never fail in our belief and trust in him. 4:15 We have a chief priest who can feel with us when we are weak. He knows how weak we are. He had to suffer testing in every way like us. We fail, but he did not do anything wrong. 4:16 Let us approach God’s royal seat with boldness, that is, where God’s goodness is. We shall receive from him his goodness, support and the help that we need.