Hebrews 4:12

Hebrews 4:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
• New International Version (NIV)For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Context of Hebrews 4:12

10For the one who has once entered His rest has also rested from [the weariness and pain of] his [human] labors, just as God rested from [those labors uniquely] His own. 11Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience [as those who died in the wilderness]. For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, and revealed to the eyes of Him with whom we have to give account. 14Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior].

Hebrews 4:12 word by word

ζῶν γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐνεργὴς καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον καὶ διϊκνούμενος ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν, καὶ κριτικὸς ἐνθυμήσεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν καρδίας·Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• the wordὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• quickζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• powerfulἐνεργής, ἐναργήςenergēs · effectiveG1756
• sharperτομώτεροςtomōteros · sharperG5114
• thanὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
• anyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• twoedgedδίστομοςdistomos · double-edgedG1366
• swordμάχαιραmachaira · swordG3162
• piercingδιϊκνέομαιdiikneomai · to penetrateG1338
• toἄχριachri achris · untilG891
• the dividing asunderμερισμόςmerismos · divisionG3311
• ·τεte · and/bothG5037
• of soulψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590
• spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
• of the jointsἁρμόςharmos · jointG719
• marrowμυελόςmuelos · marrowG3452
• a discernerκριτικόςkritikos · discerningG2924
• of the thoughtsἐνθύμησιςenthumēsis · reflectionG1761
• intentsἔννοιαennoia · thought/purposeG1771
• of the heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588

Cross-references for Hebrews 4:12

• Hebrews 13:7Remember your leaders [for it was they] who brought you the word of God; and consider the result of their conduct [the outcome of their godly lives], and imitate their faith [their conviction that God exists and is the Creator and Ruler of all things, the Provider of eternal salvation through Christ, and imitate their reliance on God with absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].
• Isaiah 49:2He has made My mouth like a sharp sword, In the shadow of His hand He has kept Me hidden; And He has made Me a sharpened arrow, In His quiver He has hidden Me.
• Luke 8:11“Now [the meaning of] the parable is this: The seed is the word of God [concerning eternal salvation].
• Acts 4:31And when they had prayed, the place where they were meeting together was shaken [a sign of God’s presence]; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage.
• 2 Corinthians 2:17For we are not like many, [acting like merchants] peddling God’s word [shortchanging and adulterating God’s message]; but from pure [uncompromised] motives, as [commissioned and sent] from God, we speak [His message] in Christ in the sight of God.
• 2 Corinthians 4:2But we have renounced the disgraceful things hidden because of shame; not walking in trickery or adulterating the word of God, but by stating the truth [openly and plainly], we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
• Revelation 20:4And then I saw thrones, and sitting on them were those to whom judgment [that is, the authority to act as judges] was given. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had refused to worship the beast or his image, and had not accepted his mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
• Psalms 110:2The Lord will send the scepter of Your strength from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
• Psalms 119:130The unfolding of Your [glorious] words give light; Their unfolding gives understanding to the simple (childlike).
• Ecclesiastes 12:11The words of the wise are like [prodding] goads, and these collected sayings are [firmly fixed in the mind] like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd.
• Isaiah 55:11So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me void (useless, without result), Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
• Jeremiah 23:29“Is not My word like fire [that consumes all that cannot endure the test]?” says the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the [most stubborn] rock [in pieces]?
• Romans 1:16I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
• 1 Corinthians 1:24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks (Gentiles), Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
• 2 Corinthians 10:4The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
• 1 Thessalonians 2:13And we also thank God continually for this, that when you received the word of God [concerning salvation] which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of [mere] men, but as it truly is, the word of God, which is effectually at work in you who believe [exercising its inherent, supernatural power in those of faith].

Commentaries on Hebrews 4:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12For the word of God is quick, and powerful - Commentators are greatly divided concerning the meaning of the phrase ̔ , the word of God; some supposing the whole of Divine revelation to be intended; others, the doctrine of the Gospel faithfully preached; others, the mind of God or the Divine intellect; and others, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is thus denominated in John 1:1, etc., and Revelation 19:13; the only places in which he is thus incontestably…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12For the word of God - The design of this and the following verse is obvious. It is to show that we cannot escape the notice of God; that all insincerity, unbelief, hypocrisy, will be detected by him; and that since our hearts are perfectly open before him, we should be sincere and should not attempt to deceive him. The sense is, that the truth of God is all-penetrating and searching, and that the real thoughts and intents of the heart will be brought to…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-16Verses 11-16 Observe the end proposed: rest spiritual and eternal; the rest of grace here, and glory hereafter; in Christ on earth, with Christ in heaven. After due and diligent labour, sweet and satisfying rest shall follow; and labour now, will make that rest more pleasant when it comes. Let us labour, and quicken each other to be diligent in duty. The Holy Scriptures are the word of God. When God sets it home by his Spirit, it convinces powerfully…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-13The author urges us to listen to God's voice, as mentioned in Hebrews 3:7, 15, and 4:7, quoting Psalm 95:7. They describe God's word as alive and powerful, meaning it is an active and effective force. The word that created and controls the universe (Hebrews 1:2–3) can also strongly influence people. It is like the sharpest two-edged sword, able to reach the deepest parts of people's lives and reveal their thoughts and desires (see Ephesians 6:17…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. For--Such diligent striving (He 4:11) is incumbent on us FOR we have to do with a God whose "word" whereby we shall be judged, is heart-searching, and whose eyes are all-seeing (He 4:13). The qualities here attributed to the word of God, and the whole context, show that it is regarded in its JUDICIAL power, whereby it doomed the disobedient Israelites to exclusion from Canaan, and shall exclude unbelieving so-called Christians from the heavenly rest…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 4:12

• Heart
• Man
• Regeneration
• Secret
• Sword
• Word of God

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Word of God
• Discerner
• Example
• Fall
• Man
• Naked
• Oracle
• Powerful

Commentaries on Hebrews 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings