New Living Translation NLT
Common English Bible CEB
1 God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.
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Therefore, since the promise that we can enter into rest is still open, let's be careful so that none of you will appear to miss it.
2 For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God.
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We also had the good news preached to us, just as the Israelites did. However, the message they heard didn't help them because they weren't united in faith with the ones who listened to it.
3 For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.
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We who have faith are entering the rest. As God said, And because of my anger I swore: "They will never enter into my rest!" And yet God's works were completed at the foundation of the world.
4 We know it is ready because of the place in the Scriptures where it mentions the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.”
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Then somewhere he said this about the seventh day of creation: God rested on the seventh day from all his works.
5 But in the other passage God said, “They will never enter my place of rest.”
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But again, in the passage above, God said, They will never enter my rest!
6 So God’s rest is there for people to enter, but those who first heard this good news failed to enter because they disobeyed God.
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Therefore, it's left open for some to enter it, and the ones who had the good news preached to them before didn't enter because of disobedience.
7 So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.”
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Just as it says in the passage above, God designates a certain day as "today," when he says through David much later, Today, if you hear his voice, don't have stubborn hearts.
8 Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them this rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come.
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If Joshua gave the Israelites rest, God wouldn't have spoken about another day later on.
9 So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God.
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So you see that a sabbath rest is left open for God's people.
10 For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world.
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The one who entered God's rest also rested from his works, just as God rested from his own.
11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.
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Therefore, let's make every effort to enter that rest so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience,
12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
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because God's word is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates to the point that it separates the soul from the spirit and the joints from the marrow. It's able to judge the heart's thoughts and intentions.
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.
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No creature is hidden from it, but rather everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of the one to whom we have to give an answer.
14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.
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Also, let's hold on to the confession since we have a great high priest who passed through the heavens, who is Jesus, God's Son;
15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.
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because we don't have a high priest who can't sympathize with our weaknesses but instead one who was tempted in every way that we are, except without sin.
16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
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Finally, let's draw near to the throne of favor with confidence so that we can receive mercy and find grace when we need help.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible