Hebrews 4 : Easy-to-Read Version
4 And we still have that promise God gave those people. That promise is that we can enter and have God's rest.* So we should be very careful, so that none of you fail to get that promise. 2The way to be saved* was told to us the same as to those people. But the teaching those people heard did not help them. They heard that teaching but did not accept it with faith. 3We people who believe are able to enter and have God's rest. Like God said, "I was angry and made a promise: 'Those people will never enter and have my rest.*'" Psalm 95:11
God said this. But God's work was finished from the time he made the world. 4Some place [in the Scriptures*] God talked about the seventh day of the week: "So on the seventh day God rested from all his work."* 5And in that other Scripture God also said, "Those people will never enter and have my rest.*" 6It is still true that some people will enter and have God's rest.* But those people who first heard the way to be saved* did not enter. They did not enter because they did not obey. 7So God planned another special day. It is called "today." God spoke about that day through David a long time later. It is the same Scripture* we used before: "If you hear God's voice today, don't be stubborn like in the past." Psalm 95:7-8
8We know that Joshua* did not lead the people into the rest* [God promised]. We know this because God spoke later about another day [for rest] ("today"). 9This shows that the seventh-day rest* for God's people is still coming. 10God rested after he finished his work. So the person who enters and has God's rest is the person who has finished his work like God did. 11So let us try as hard as we can to enter God's rest.* We must try hard so that none of us will be lost by following the example of those people who refused to obey God. 12God's word* (message) is alive and working. His word is sharper than the sharpest sword. God's word cuts all the way into us [like a sword]. It cuts deep to the place where the soul and the spirit are joined. God's word cuts to the center of our joints and our bones. It judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts. 13Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God. He can clearly see all things. Everything is open before him. And to him we must explain the way we have lived.
Jesus Helps Us Come Before God
14We have a great high priest* who has gone to live with God in heaven. He is Jesus the Son of God. So let us continue strongly in the faith we have. 15Jesus, the high priest that we have, is able to understand our weaknesses. When Jesus lived on earth, he was tempted in every way. He was tempted in the same ways that we are tempted, but he never sinned. 16With Jesus as our high priest we can feel free to come before God's throne where there is grace (forgiveness). There we receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.
rest A place of rest God promised to give his people. way to be saved Literally, "Good News." See Rom. 1:16. Scriptures Holy Writings--the Old Testament. "So ... his work" Quote from Gen. 2:2. Scriptures Holy Writings--the Old Testament. Joshua After Moses died, Joshua became leader of the Jewish people. Joshua led them into the land that God promised to give them. seventh-day rest Literally, "sabbath rest," meaning a sharing in the rest God began after he created the world. God's word God's teachings and commands. high priest Most important priest for God's people.