1 W e may fear, then, lest a promise being left of entering into His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short,

Therefore, while the promise of entering His rest still holds and is offered, let us be afraid '> to distrust it], lest any of you should think he has come too late and has come short of it.

2 f or we also are having good news proclaimed, even as they, but the word heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard,

For indeed we have had the glad tidings proclaimed to us just as truly as they; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith (with the leaning of the entire personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness) by those who heard it; neither were they united in faith with the ones who heard (did believe).

3 f or 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,

For we who have believed (adhered to and trusted in and relied on God) do enter that rest, in accordance with His declaration that those should not enter when He said, As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest; and this He said although works had been completed and prepared from the foundation of the world.

4 f or He spake in a certain place concerning the seventh thus: `And God did rest in the seventh day from all His works;'

For in a certain place He has said this about the seventh day: And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.

5 a nd in this again, `If they shall enter into My rest --;'

And in this He said, They shall not enter My rest.

6 s ince then, it remaineth for certain to enter into it, and those who did first hear good news entered not in because of unbelief --

Seeing then that the promise remains over for some to enter that rest, and that those who formerly were given the good news about it and the opportunity, failed to appropriate it and did not enter because of disobedience,

7 a gain He doth limit a certain day, `To-day,' (in David saying, after so long a time,) as it hath been said, `To-day, if His voice ye may hear, ye may not harden your hearts,'

Again He sets a definite day, Today, saying through David after so long a time in the words already quoted, Today, if you would hear His voice and when you hear it, do not harden your hearts.

8 f or if Joshua had given them rest, He would not concerning another day have spoken after these things;

For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not speak afterward about another day.

9 t here doth remain, then, a sabbatic rest to the people of God,

So then, there is still awaiting a full and complete Sabbath-rest reserved for the people of God;

10 f or he who did enter into his rest, he also rested from his works, as God from His own.

For he who has once entered rest also has ceased from of human labors, just as God rested from those labors peculiarly His own.

11 M ay we be diligent, then, to enter into that rest, that no one in the same example of the unbelief may fall,

Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest, that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience.

12 f or the reckoning of God is living, and working, and sharp above every two-edged sword, and piercing unto the dividing asunder both of soul and spirit, of joints also and marrow, and a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart;

For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and spirit, and of joints and marrow, exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

13 a nd there is not a created thing not manifest before Him, but all things naked and open to His eyes -- with whom is our reckoning.

And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.

14 H aving, then, a great chief priest passed through the heavens -- Jesus the Son of God -- may we hold fast the profession,

Inasmuch then as we have a great High Priest Who has ascended and passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

15 f or we have not a chief priest unable to sympathise with our infirmities, but tempted in all things in like manner -- apart from sin;

For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are, yet without sinning.

16 w e may come near, then, with freedom, to the throne of the grace, that we may receive kindness, and find grace -- for seasonable help.

Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in good time for every need.