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The Letter to the Hebrews 4

4 So, we can tell that God still promises that his people will participate in how he rests. Because of that, we need to make sure that every one of you really receives what God has promised. 2 We need to make sure of this, because we heard the good news just like they did. However, because they were not among those people who believed in what they heard, what they heard did not help them. 3 That is because only we who believe in the good news participate in how God rests, but those who do not believe do not participate in it. As the Holy Spirit says, “So then, because he was angry with them, he solemnly declared, ‘They will never participate in how I rest!’ ”

God said this even though he stopped working and rested after he created the world. 4 You know that God rested because of what the Holy Spirit says elsewhere about the seventh day of the week. He says,

“Then, when it was the seventh day of the week, God finished working to create everything, and he rested.”

5 But note again what God says about the Israelite ancestors in the words that I already quoted:

“They will never participate in how I rest!”

6 So then, the Israelite ancestors who heard the good news in the past did not obey God, and so they did not participate in how God rests. However, God still wants some people to participate in how he rests. 7 Because of that, the Holy Spirit once more picked a time when we can participate in how God rests. That time is what we call “this day.” He did this when he spoke through David a long time after the Israelite ancestors disobeyed. He said, as I have already quoted,

“This day, when you hear God speak to you, do not stubbornly disobey him.”

8 So, the Holy Spirit refers to a different day when God’s people can participate in how God rests that comes after the day when Joshua led the Israelite ancestors into the land that God had promised them. This means that when Joshua did that, he did not help them participate in how God rests. 9 So, as you can see, God’s people can still participate in how God rests, just as people rest on the Jewish day of rest. 10 In fact, the people who participate in how God rests also finish what they are doing and rest. They do this just like God finished creating everything and rested. 11 Because of all that, we should focus on participating in how God rests. That way, none of us disobeys God like the Israelite ancestors did.

12 You need to pay attention to these things, because what God speaks is like a person who lives and does things, including discerning what people think and plan. It does that as if it were a sword with two very sharp edges that could cut apart people’s bones from their tendons and that could divide up people’s inner lives. 13 God knows everything about every person and thing. Nothing that he created can stay secret when he wishes to examine it. He is the one about whom we are talking.

14 So, a powerful ruling priest works for us, one who ascended through the heavens. He is Jesus, God’s Son. Because of that, we need to persist in believing what we say we believe. 15 Now the ruling priest who works for us can very well understand how weak we are. In fact, he experienced many times how doing what is wrong seems to be good, just like we do. However, he never sinned. 16 So then, we should boldly go closer to God, who rules graciously. That way, he will act mercifully and kindly toward us when we need him to help us.

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