Hebrews 4

¹Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, let us be on guard lest any of you should seem to have missed out on it. ²For we have had the good news announced to us just as they did; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who truly listened. ³For we who have believed are entering that rest, just as God has said: “As I swore in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest,’” even though his works were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,” ⁵and again in this passage: “They shall never enter my rest.”

⁶Since, therefore, it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had the good news announced to them failed to enter because of their refusal to be persuaded, ⁷God again designates a certain day—“Today”—speaking through David so long afterward, as has been said before: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” ⁸For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day after that. ⁹So then, a Sabbath-celebration remains for the people of God. ¹⁰For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his own works, just as God did from his. ¹¹Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of refusal to believe.

¹²For the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it is able to sift the intentions and thoughts of the heart. ¹³No creature is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and vulnerably exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give our account.

¹⁴Since, then, we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus, the Son of God—let us hold firmly to our public confession. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tested in every respect, following our own likeness, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with fearless confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help.