HEB 4:3 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) So those of us who believed are entering that rest, as he said:[ref]
⇔ ‘As I promised in my severe anger,
⇔ They will never enter into my rest.’
§ And yet he’s had it ready since the creation of the world.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT For we, the ones having believed enter into rest, just as he said,
⇔  “As I swore in my wrath,
⇔  ‘… if they will enter into my rest!’ ”
¶  although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.

UST 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.

BSB Now [we] who have believed enter [that] rest. [As for the others, ] it is just as [God] has said:
⇔ “So I swore on oath in My anger,
⇔ ‘They shall never enter My rest.’ ”[fn]
§ And yet [His] works have been finished since [the] foundation of [the] world.

BLB For those having believed enter into the rest, as He has said: "So I swore in my wrath, 'they shall not enter into My rest.'" And yet the works have been finished from the foundation of the world.

AICNT For we who have believed enter into [the][fn] rest, just as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter into my rest,’ ”[fn] although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4:3, the: NA28[] THGNT BYZ TR ‖ Absent from some manuscripts. SBLGNT B(03) D(05)

4:3, Psalms 95:11

OEB Upon that rest we who have believed are now entering. As God has said –
⇔ “In my wrath I swore –
⇔ ‘They will never enter upon my rest;’ ”
§ Although God’s work was finished at the creation of the world;

WEBBE For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest;” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “ As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’ ” And yet God’s works were accomplished from the foundation of the world.

LSV for we enter into the rest—we who believed, as He said, “So I swore in My anger, They will [not] enter into My rest”; and yet the works were done from the foundation of the world,

FBV However, those of us who trust in God have entered into that rest God mentioned when he said, “In my frustration I vowed, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ”[fn] (This is so even though God's plans were already complete when he created the world.)

4:3 Quoting Psalms 95:11.

TCNT For we who have believed enter that rest. As for the others, God has said,
⇔ “As I swore in my wrath,
⇔ ‘They will not enter my rest!’ ”
§ Now God's works have been finished from the foundation of the world.

T4T We who have believed in Christ are able to enter the place of resting eternally. We know there is a place where we will rest eternally because God said,
⇔ Because I was angry with them, I solemnly declared, “They will not enter the land where I would let them rest.”
¶ God said that even though he ceased his work of creating things after he created the world.

LEB For we who have believed enter into rest,[fn] just as he has said,
• “As I swore in my anger,
• ‘ They will never enter[fn] into my rest.’ ”[fn]
¶ And yet these works have been accomplished from the foundation of the world.

4:3 Some manuscripts have “that rest”

4:3 Literally “if they will enter”

4:3 A quotation from Ps 95:11|link-href="None"

BBE For those of us who have belief come into his rest; even as he has said, As I said in my oath when I was angry, They may not come into my rest: though the works were done from the time of the making of the world.

Moff For we do enter the Rest by our faith: according to his word,
⇔ As I swore in my anger,
⇔ they shall never enter my Rest-- although his works were all over by the foundation of the world.

Wymth We who have believed are soon to be admitted to the true rest; as He has said, "As I swore in My anger, they shall not be admitted to My rest," although God's works had been going on ever since the creation of the world.

ASV For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said,
⇔ As I sware in my wrath,
⇔ They shall not enter into my rest:
§ although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

DRA For we, who have believed, shall enter into rest; as he said: As I have sworn in my wrath; If they shall enter into my rest; and this indeed when the works from the foundation of the world were finished.

YLT for we do enter into the rest — we who did believe, as He said, 'So I sware in My anger, If they shall enter into My rest — ;' and yet the works were done from the foundation of the world,

Drby For we enter into the rest who have believed; as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest; although the works had been completed from [the] foundation of [the] world.

RV For we which have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
(For we which have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath/has said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. )

SLT For we having believed come into the rest, as he said, As I sware in my wrath, if they shall come into my rest: although the works having been from the foundation of the world.

Wbstr For we who have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

KJB-1769 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
(For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn/promised in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. )

KJB-1611 For we which haue beleeued do enter into rest, as hee said, As I haue sworne in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps For we which haue beleued, do enter into his rest, as he sayde: Euen as I haue sworne in my wrath, if they shal enter into my rest. Although the workes were made perfecte from the foundation of the worlde.
(For we which have believed, do enter into his rest, as he said: Even as I have sworn/promised in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest. Although the works were made perfecte from the foundation of the world.)

Gnva For we which haue beleeued, doe enter into rest, as he said to the other, As I haue sworne in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest: although the workes were finished from the foundation of the world.
(For we which have believed, do enter into rest, as he said to the other, As I have sworn/promised in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. )

Cvdl (For we which haue beleued, enter in to his rest) acordynge as he sayde: Euen as I haue sworne in my wrath, They shal not enter in to my rest. And that (spake he) verely loge after that the workes fro the begynnynge of the worlde were made:
((For we which have believed, enter in to his rest) according as he said: Even as I have sworn/promised in my wrath, They shall not enter in to my rest. And that (spake he) verily/truly long after that the works from the beginning of the world were made:)

TNT But we which have beleved do enter into his rest as contrarywyse he sayde to the other: I have sworne in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest. And that spake he verely longe after that the workes were made and the foundacion of the worlde layde.
(But we which have believed do enter into his rest as contrarywyse he said to the other: I have sworn/promised in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest. And that spake he verily/truly long after that the works were made and the foundation of the world layde. )

Wycl For we that han bileued, schulen entre in to reste, as he seide, As Y swoor in my wraththe, thei schulen not entre in to my reste. And whanne the werkis weren maad perfit at the ordynaunce of the world,
(For we that have believed, should enter in to rest, as he said, As I swore/promised in my wrath, they should not enter in to my reste. And when the works were made perfect at the ordynaunce of the world,)

Luth Denn wir, die wir glauben, gehen in die Ruhe, wie er spricht: Daß ich schwur in meinem Zorn, sie sollten zu meiner Ruhe nicht kommen. Und zwar, da die Werke von Anbeginn der Welt waren gemacht,
(Because we/us, the we/us believe, go in the rest/silence, as/like he speaks/says: That I oath in my anger, they/she/them should to/for mine rest/silence not coming. And that_is, there the work from Anbeginn the/of_the world were made,)

ClVg Ingrediemur enim in requiem, qui credidimus: quemadmodum dixit: Sicut juravi in ira mea: Si introibunt in requiem meam: et quidem operibus ab institutione mundi perfectis.[fn]
(Ingrediemur because in/into/on rest/repose, who/which credidimus: how/just_like he/she_said: Like I_swore/promised in/into/on anger/rage my: When/But_if introibunt in/into/on rest/repose of_mine: and indeed works away institutione world perfectis. )

4.3 Et quidem. De prima requie quod significet, hic agit. Operibus. Quia dixerat nuntiatum esse de requie, dicit quando: videlicet, ante legem, post perfectionem operum septem dierum per requiem sabbati; et sub lege, quando per terram promissionis designabatur; et tempore, gratiæ Spiritu sancto dicente in David: hodie, etc., quasi, nuntiatum est de requie illa et sic quidem quando nondum completio istius veræ requiei erat significata, quia requie nullus adhuc potitus fuerat. Perfectis. Quod fuit facto homine, pro quo facta sunt omnia, et ipse ad Deum glorificandum factus est.

4.3 And indeed. From/About the_first rest that significet, this/here acts. Operibus. Because had_said announced to_be from/about rest, he_says quando: that_is/namely, before the_law, after perfection works seven days through rest/repose sabbath; and under lawfully, when through the_earth/land of_promise designabatur; and at_the_time, thanks By_Spirit holy speaking in/into/on David: today/at_this_time, etc., as_if, announced it_is from/about rest that and so indeed when not_yet completedo this_one really resti was meansa, because rest none still potitus had_been. Perfectis. That it_was done man, for where facts are everything, and exactly_that/himself to God to_be_glorified became it_is.

UGNT εἰσερχόμεθα γὰρ εἰς κατάπαυσιν, οἱ πιστεύσαντες, καθὼς εἴρηκεν, ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου, εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου; καίτοι τῶν ἔργων ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου γενηθέντων.
(eiserⱪometha gar eis katapausin, hoi pisteusantes, kathōs eiraʸken, hōs ōmosa en taʸ orgaʸ mou, ei eiseleusontai eis taʸn katapausin mou; kaitoi tōn ergōn apo katabolaʸs kosmou genaʸthentōn.)

SBL-GNT εἰσερχόμεθα γὰρ ⸀εἰς κατάπαυσιν οἱ πιστεύσαντες, καθὼς εἴρηκεν· Ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου, Εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου, καίτοι τῶν ἔργων ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου γενηθέντων,
(eiserⱪometha gar ⸀eis katapausin hoi pisteusantes, kathōs eiraʸken; Hōs ōmosa en taʸ orgaʸ mou, Ei eiseleusontai eis taʸn katapausin mou, kaitoi tōn ergōn apo katabolaʸs kosmou genaʸthentōn,)

RP-GNT Εἰσερχόμεθα γὰρ εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσιν οἱ πιστεύσαντες, καθὼς εἴρηκεν, Ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου, Εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου· καίτοι τῶν ἔργων ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου γενηθέντων.
(Eiserⱪometha gar eis taʸn katapausin hoi pisteusantes, kathōs eiraʸken, Hōs ōmosa en taʸ orgaʸ mou, Ei eiseleusontai eis taʸn katapausin mou; kaitoi tōn ergōn apo katabolaʸs kosmou genaʸthentōn.)

TC-GNT Εἰσερχόμεθα γὰρ εἰς [fn]τὴν κατάπαυσιν οἱ πιστεύσαντες, καθὼς εἴρηκεν,
⇔ Ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου,
⇔ Εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου·
§ καίτοι τῶν ἔργων ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου γενηθέντων.
(Eiserⱪometha gar eis taʸn katapausin hoi pisteusantes, kathōs eiraʸken,
⇔ Hōs ōmosa en taʸ orgaʸ mou,
⇔ Ei eiseleusontai eis taʸn katapausin mou;
§ kaitoi tōn ergōn apo katabolaʸs kosmou genaʸthentōn. )

4:3 την ¦ — SBL

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 4:1–13: We must have faith in God and enter his rest

The word “rest” is used in 4:1, and it is the important topic that connects chapter 4 to chapter 3.It is the link between chapters 3 and 4, just as 2:1 was the link between chapter 1 and chapter 2, and 3:1 was a link between chapter 2 and chapter 3. The author used the word “rest” in a figurative way to refer to depending on God. God wants his people to rest from their own work, as God rested from his work on the seventh day after he created the world. In chapter 3, God promised the people of Israel a place to rest. In chapter 4, the author used a special time of rest as a symbol. This time was one day each week, which the people called the Sabbath Day (seventh day). Both the place and the time of rest are symbols of the rest that God’s people have when they depend on him for everything.

Two sentences in this section are especially important in stating this theme:

4:9	There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God. (BSB)
4:11	Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, (BSB)

The theme of this section is clear: God has planned a good life of rest for believers when they depend on him. We must be careful to believe and obey him so that we do not miss the life of rest that he promised. Some words that are connected to this theme in chapters 3 and 4 are “faith,” “believe,” “unbelief,” and “disobedience.”

Some other examples of headings for this section are:

God’s people can still experience God’s rest

We should trust God and receive his promise of rest

Paragraph 4:1–5

At the end of chapter 3, the author indicated that the people of Israel whom God led out of Egypt refused to enter his rest (3:19). Chapter 4 begins by saying that God still offers that rest to people who believe him (4:1a). Connect chapter 4 with chapter 3 in a natural way in your language. Notice the examples in the note on “Therefore” in 4:1a.

4:3a

Now we who have believed enter that rest.

We^(incl) who believe it are the ones who enter/receive that rest.
And we know that only we^(incl) who believe that message receive/obtain God’s rest.

Now we who have believed enter that rest: The word Now introduces an explanation of what the author said in 4:2.The Greek logical connective gar (often translated as “for/because”) is not always used to introduce the reason for a preceding statement. It often functions as a more general explanatory link, marking a progression to the next point in the discussion or argument. When gar has this function, the BSB sometimes translates it but sometimes leaves it untranslated, as in 5:1 and 7:1. It also introduces a contrast. We who have believed contrasts with the people who did not believe what God promised. They could not enter God’s rest. Instead, we who have believed are the ones who enter the rest that he promised.

Some ways to translate this explanation and contrast are:

For only we who believe can enter his rest. (NLT)

It is only we who believe who will enter that resting-placeKankanaey back translation on TW.

But as for us, because we believed the word that God spoke, now we are able to enter the rest.

we who have believed: The pronoun we includes the author and everyone who believes the good news (4:2a), which is the message (4:2b) about the promise of entering his rest (4:1a). The word believed is used in the same sense as “faith” in 4:2, and the Greek words are closely related.

In some languages it is necessary to indicate what is believed. In this context they believed the good news that they heard in 4:2. Some ways to refer back to it are:

we who believed it

we who believe the message

we who have trusted/accepted the good news

Remember that the “message” and the “good news” in 4:2 referred to what Joshua, Caleb, and Moses told the people. They told the people that God was able to give them rest, just as he promised them. In 4:3 we also believe the good news that God still offers rest to us, and he is able to give us that rest.

enter that rest: There is a textual variant here. Most Greek texts have “the rest.” Some texts omit “the.” Among English versions, only the KJV omits “the.” The difference seems to be more a matter of form than a meaning difference. The phrase enter that rest has the same meaning as “entering his rest” in 4:1. Translate it in a similar way here.

4:3b

As for the others, it is just as God has said:

This agrees with what God said in the Scripture:
It is just as God said about those who did not believe,

just as God has said: In this part of the verse, the author spoke again about the people who did not believe God. The phrase just as God has said introduces what God said about them. In many languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

As for those who didn’t believe, God said (NLT)

This agrees with what God said in the Scripture about those who did not believe him:

Translate the connection in a natural way in your language.

4:3c

“So I swore on oath in My anger,

“So I angrily promised,
“Because of that, I became angry, and spoke these words that cannot change/fail:

4:3d

‘They shall never enter My rest.’”

‘They will never come into my rest.’”
‘These people will never receive/obtain the rest that I promised them.’”

4:3c–d

So I swore on oath in My anger, ‘They shall never enter My rest’: These words from Psalm 95:11 were quoted in 3:11. You should translate them exactly as you did there.

4:3e

And yet His works have been finished

And yet God completed/finished his work and provided a time of rest
He said this even though he finished making everything

4:3f

since the foundation of the world.

as soon as he created the world.
at the time when he created the world.

4:3e–f

And yet His works have been finished since the foundation of the world: The word yet implies that the clause in 4:3e–f tells an unexpected fact. The clause indicates that when God finished creating the world, his work was done (and he rested). It implies that at that time, he also provided rest for his people. However, the people whom he led out of Egypt will never enjoy that rest (4:3a–d).

Some other ways to translate this unexpected fact are:

Yet from when God created the world, he has been resting.

But God’s work was finished from the time he made the world.

even though this rest has been ready since he made the world (NLT)

since the foundation of the world: The phrase since the foundation of the world refers to the time when God created the world (and everything in it). Then he rested. God’s “work” came before his “rest.” He finished his work of creating the world a long time before the people of Israel made their journey to Egypt.

In some languages it is more natural to translate foundation (“creation”) as a verb. For example:

the time he created the world (GNT)

when he created everything

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

γὰρ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εἰσερχόμεθα γάρ εἰς κατάπαυσιν οἱ πιστεύσαντες καθώς εἴρηκεν Ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μού Εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τήν κατάπαυσιν μού καίτοι τῶν ἔργων ἀπό καταβολῆς κόσμου γενηθέντων)

The word For introduces how one does “benefit” from hearing the “good news” ([4:2](../04/02.md)). It is those who “believe” who are able to enter into rest. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces further explanation. Alternate translation: [In fact,]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

εἰσερχόμεθα & εἰς κατάπαυσιν, οἱ πιστεύσαντες

˱we˲_˓are˒_coming_in & into ˓the˒_rest the_‹ones› ˓having˒_believed

The word rest could refer to: (1) the state of “resting.” Alternate translation: [we who have believed participate in the way that God rests] or [we who have believed rest] (2) the place where people rest, particularly the land that God promised to give to his people. Alternate translation: [we who have believed enter into the resting place] or [we who have believed enter into the land of rest]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

καθὼς εἴρηκεν

The phrase just as indicates that the quotation will support the claim that we who have believed enter into rest. However, the quotation is a negative statement about how the Israelite ancestors will not enter into rest. The quotation could support the claim by: (1) proving the opposite point. Since the Israelite ancestors did not enter because they did not believe (See: [3:19](../03/19.md)), that means that those who believe can enter. Alternate translation: [which you know because he said this about those who did not believe:] (2) proving that the rest is still available. In other words, because the Israelite ancestors did not enter, someone still can enter. Alternate translation: [which you can tell is still available because he said]

Note 4 topic: writing-quotations

καθὼς εἴρηκεν

The author uses the phrase just as he said to requote a part of the quotation that he introduced earlier (See: especially [3:11](../03/11.md)). If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces something that has already been quoted. Alternate translation: [just as he said in what I already quoted]

Note 5 topic: writing-pronouns

εἴρηκεν

˱he˲_˓has˒_said

The word he could refer back to: (1) the Holy Spirit, whom the author identifies as the speaker of the quotation (See: [3:7](../03/07.md)). Alternate translation: [God’s Spirit said] (2) God considered as a unity. Alternate translation: [God said]

ὡς ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου, εἰ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν κατάπαυσίν μου

Since the author repeats here the same words that he quoted in [3:11](../03/11.md), you should translate these words in exactly the same way as you did in that verse.

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

καίτοι τῶν ἔργων

and_yet his works

The word although introduces something that is unexpected. God swore that the Israelite ancestors would not enter into my rest, but (unexpectedly) that rest has been available since the foundation of the world, since God’s works were finished then. The author’s point is that God’s oath about how the Israelite ancestors would never enter does not mean that the rest is not available or not yet available. Instead, the rest has been available since God created everything. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make this idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [but despite that, his works] or [although the rest is available even now, for his works]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

τῶν ἔργων & γενηθέντων

his works & ˓having_been˒_become

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. The author uses the passive form here to focus on the works that were finished rather than on the person doing the finishing. If you must state who did the action, the author implies that God did it. Alternate translation: [God finished his works]

Note 8 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου

The author speaks of how God created the world as if he set the world on a foundation or solid base. In the author’s culture, this was a common way to refer to how God created everything. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a phrase that refers to how God created everything. Alternate translation: [from the beginning of the world] or [from the time when the world was created]

Parallel HEB 4:3