4 ·Now [Therefore], since ·God has left us the promise [the promise remains/still stands] that we may enter his rest, let us ·be very careful [beware; be wary/afraid] so none of you will ·fail to enter [appear/be found to fall short]. ² [^LFor] The ·Good News [Gospel] was preached to us just as it was to them. But the ·teaching [message; word] they heard did not help them, because they heard it but did not ·accept [combine; join] it with faith.^{[a] 3} [^LFor; Now] We who have believed are able to enter ·and have God’s rest [^Lthe rest]. As God has said,

But God’s work was finished from the ·time he made [foundation/creation of] the world. ⁴ ·In the Scriptures [^LFor somewhere] he talked about the seventh day of the week: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his works [Gen. 2:2].” ⁵ And again in ·the Scripture [or this passage; ^CPsalm 95, the passage the author has been discussing] God said, “They will never enter my rest [Ps. 95:11].”

⁶ ·It is still true that some people will [or This passage shows that some can still] enter God’s rest, but those who ·first [or formerly] ·heard the way to be saved [^Lhad the Good News/Gospel proclaimed to them] did not enter, because they did not ·obey [believe; remain faithful]. ⁷ So God ·planned [set; established; ordained] another day, called “today” [3:13]. He spoke about that day through David a long time later in the ·same Scripture used before [words quoted before]:

  ⁸ [^LFor; Now] If Joshua [^CMoses’ successor, who led God’s people into the Promised Land; Josh. 3—4] had ·led the people into that [^Lgiven them] rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. ⁹ This shows that the ·rest [^LSabbath rest; ^Csharing in the rest God enjoyed after Creation] for God’s people ·is still coming [or is still available; ^Lremains]. ¹⁰ [^LFor] Anyone who enters God’s rest ·will rest [or has also rested] from his work as God did. ¹¹ Let us ·try as hard as we can [strive; make every effort] to enter ·God’s [^Lthat] rest so that no one will ·fail [be lost; ^Lfall] by following the example of those who ·refused to obey [or did not believe; were unfaithful].

¹² [^LFor] God’s word is alive and ·working [active; powerful; effective] and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It ·cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones [^Lpenetrates until it divides even soul and spirit, joints and marrow]. And it ·judges [discerns] the ·thoughts [ideas] and ·feelings [attitudes; intentions] in our hearts. ¹³ ·Nothing in all the world [Nothing in all creation; or No creature] can be hidden from God. Everything is ·clear [naked] and ·lies open before him [^Lexposed to his eyes], and to him we must ·explain the way we have lived [give an account; answer].

Jesus Is Our High Priest

¹⁴ [^LTherefore] Since we have a great high priest [2:17–18], Jesus the Son of God, who has ·gone into [ascended to; or passed through] ·heaven [or the heavens], let us hold ·on [firmly] to ·the faith we have [^Lthe confession/profession; ^Cof our faith]. ¹⁵ ·For our high priest is able [^LFor we do not have a high priest who is unable] to ·understand [sympathize with] our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he did not sin. ¹⁶ Let us, then, ·feel very sure that we can come before [^Lconfidently approach] God’s throne ·where there is grace [^Lof grace; ^Cas opposed to a throne of judgment and condemnation]. There we can receive mercy and ·grace [^Lfind grace] to help us ·when we need it [^Lat the right time].