Hebrews 4:3

Hebrews 4:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, "As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest,'" although his works were finished from the foundation of the world.
• New King James Version (NKJV)For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest,’ ” although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

Context of Hebrews 4:3

1God’s promise that we may enter his place of rest still stands. We are afraid that some of you think you won’t enter his place of rest. 2We have heard the same Good News that your ancestors heard. But the message didn’t help those who heard it in the past because they didn’t believe. We who believe are entering that place of rest. As God said, “So I angrily took a solemn oath that they would never enter my place of rest.” God said this even though he had finished his work when he created the world. 4Somewhere in Scripture God has said this about the seventh day: “On the seventh day God rested from all his work.” 5God also said in the same passage, “They will never enter my place of rest.”

Hebrews 4:3 word by word

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.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Forγάρgar · forG1063
• weεἰσέρχομαιeiserchomai · to enterG1525
• which have believedπιστεύωpisteuō · to trust (in)G4100
• intoεἰςeis · towardG1519
• restὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• restκατάπαυσιςkatapausis · restG2663
• asκαθώςkathōs · as/just asG2531
• he saidἐρῶereō · to sayG2046
• Asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• I have swornὄμνυμιomnuō · to swearG3660
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• wrathὀργήorgē · wrathG3709
• ifεἰei · if: notG1487
• althoughκαίτοιkaitoi · and yet/althoughG2543
• the worksἔργονergon · workG2041
• were finishedγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• fromἀπόapo · away fromG575
• the foundationκαταβολήkatabolē · beginningG2602
• of the worldκόσμοςkosmos · worldG2889

Cross-references for Hebrews 4:3

• Hebrews 3:14After all, we will remain Christ’s partners only if we continue to hold on to our original confidence until the end.
• Isaiah 28:12He will say to them, “This is a place for comfort. This is a place of rest for those who are tired. This is a place for them to rest.” But they weren’t willing to listen.
• Jeremiah 6:16This is what the Lord says: Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask which paths are the old, reliable paths. Ask which way leads to blessings. Live that way, and find a resting place for yourselves. But you said that you wouldn’t live that way.
• Matthew 11:28“Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.
• Romans 5:1Now that we have God’s approval by faith, we have peace with God because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.
• Hebrews 3:11So I angrily took a solemn oath that they would never enter my place of rest.”
• Psalms 95:11That is why I angrily took this solemn oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest!’ ”
• Genesis 1:31And God saw everything that he had made and that it was very good. There was evening, then morning—the sixth day.
• Exodus 20:11In six days the Lord made heaven, earth, and the sea, along with everything in them. He didn’t work on the seventh day. That’s why the Lord blessed the day he stopped his work and set this day apart as holy.
• Hebrews 9:26Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the world was created. But now, at the end of the ages, he has appeared once to remove sin by his sacrifice.
• Matthew 13:35So what the prophet had said came true: “I will open my mouth to illustrate points. I will tell what has been hidden since the world was made.”
• Ephesians 1:4Before the creation of the world, he chose us through Christ to be holy and perfect in his presence.
• 1 Peter 1:20He is the lamb who was known long ago before the world existed, but for your good he became publicly known in the last period of time.

Commentaries on Hebrews 4:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3For we which have believed do enter into rest - The great spiritual blessings, the forerunners of eternal glory, which were all typified by that earthly rest or felicity promised to the ancient Israelites, we Christians do, by believing in Christ Jesus, actually possess. We have peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost; are saved from the guilt and power of sin; and thus enjoy an inward rest. But this is a rest differing from the seventh day's rest…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3For we which have believed do enter into rest - That is, it is a certain fact that believers “will” enter into rest. That promise is made to “believers;” and as we have evidence that “we” come under the denomination of believers, it will follow that we have the offer of rest as well as they. That this is so, the apostle proceeds to prove; that is, he proceeds to show from the Old Testament that there was a promise to “believers” that they would enter into…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3People who believe the good news are the true heirs of God's rest, which is the salvation offered through Christ's sacrifice. God has said: The quote from Psalm 95:11 reminds us that the unbelieving rebels in the wilderness would never enter God's place of rest (compare Hebrews 11:8, 10, 14–16; 12:22–24). since the foundation of the world: God's rest means much more than just entering Canaan (see study note on 4:4).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. For--justifying his assertion of the need of "faith," He 4:2. we which have believed--we who at Christ's coming shall be found to have believed. do enter--that is, are to enter: so two of the oldest manuscripts and Lucifer and the old Latin. Two other oldest manuscripts read, "Let us enter." into rest--Greek, "into the rest" which is promised in the ninety-fifth Psalm. as he said--God's saying that unbelief excludes from entrance implies that belief…Read the comment

Topics related to Hebrews 4:3

• Anger
• Faith
• Holiness
• Oath
• Procrastination
• Prophecy
• Quotations and Allusions
• Regeneration
• Rest
• Salvation
• Unbelief
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Discerner
• Example
• Fall
• Naked
• Powerful
• Asunder
• Congregation
• Fair
• Faithful; Faithfulness
• Hearth

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