Passage

Hebrews 4

Book: Hebrews · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. Let us fear therefore, lest haply, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. 2. For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard. 3. For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4. For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works; 5. and in this place again, They shall not enter into my rest. 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, 7. he again defineth a certain day, To-day, saying in David so long a time afterward (even as hath been said before), To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts. 8. For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. 9. There remaineth therefore a sabbath rest for the people of God. 10. For he that is entered into his rest hath himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11. Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, that no man fall after the same example of disobedience. 12. For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13. And there is no creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do. 14. Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15. For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16. Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need." (Hebrews 4:1-16, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest. 2. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn’t profit them, because it wasn’t mixed with faith by those who heard. 3. For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest”; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4. For he has said this somewhere about the seventh day, “God rested on the seventh day from all his works”; 5. and in this place again, “They will not enter into my rest.” 6. Seeing therefore it remains that some should enter therein, and they to whom the good news was before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience, 7. he again defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” 8. For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. 9. There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10. For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11. Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience. 12. For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13. There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. 14. Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession. 15. For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. 16. Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:1-16, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"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. 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. ^{the word: Gr. the word of hearing} ^{not being: or, because they were not united by faith to} 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. 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 in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: ^{it was: or, the gospel was} 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. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. ^{Jesus: that is, Joshua} 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. ^{rest: or, keeping of a sabbath} 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 labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. ^{unbelief: or, disobedience} 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. 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. 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 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 therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:1-16, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. We may fear, then, lest a promise being left of entering into His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short, 2. for we also are having good news proclaimed, even as they, but the word heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard, 3. for we do enter into the rest, we who did believe, as He said, 'So I sware in My anger, If they shall enter into My rest --;' and yet the works were done from the foundation of the world, 4. for He spake in a certain place concerning the seventh [day] thus: 'And God did rest in the seventh day from all His works;' 5. and in this [place] again, 'If they shall enter into My rest --;' 6. since then, it remaineth for certain to enter into it, and those who did first hear good news entered not in because of unbelief, 7. again He doth limit a certain day, 'To-day,' (in David saying, after so long a time,) as it hath been said, 'To-day, if His voice ye may hear, ye may not harden your hearts,' 8. for if Joshua had given them rest, He would not concerning another day have spoken after these things; 9. there doth remain, then, a sabbatic rest to the people of God, 10. for he who did enter into his rest, he also rested from his works, as God from His own. 11. May we be diligent, then, to enter into that rest, that no one in the same example of the unbelief may fall, 12. for the reckoning of God is living, and working, and sharp above every two-edged sword, and piercing unto the dividing asunder both of soul and spirit, of joints also and marrow, and a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart; 13. and there is not a created thing not manifest before Him, but all things [are] naked and open to His eyes, with whom is our reckoning. 14. Having, then, a great chief priest passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, may we hold fast the profession, 15. for we have not a chief priest unable to sympathise with our infirmities, but [one] tempted in all things in like manner, apart from sin; 16. we may come near, then, with freedom, to the throne of the grace, that we may receive kindness, and find grace, for seasonable help." (Hebrews 4:1-16, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

TBD
TBD
TBD
TBD

Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.