New American Standard Bible 2020
Hebrews 4:12
12For 1the word of God is 2living and 3active, and sharper than any two-edged 4sword, even penetrating as far as the division of 5soul and 6spirit, of both joints and marrow, and 7able to 8judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
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 entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. 11Therefore let’s make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we must answer. 14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let’s hold firmly to our confession.
Read all of Hebrews 4Hebrews 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
- the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- livingζάωzaō · to liveG2198
- activeἐνεργής, ἐναργήςenergēs · effectiveG1756
- and sharperτομώτεροςtomōteros · sharperG5114
- thanὑπέρhuper · above/forG5228
- anyπᾶςpas · allG3956
- two-edgedδίστομοςdistomos · double-edgedG1366
- swordμάχαιραmachaira · swordG3162
- evenκαίkai · andG2532
- penetratingδιϊκνέομαιdiikneomai · to penetrateG1338
- as farἄχριachri achris · untilG891
- as the divisionμερισμόςmerismos · divisionG3311
- soulψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590
- spiritπνεῦμαpneuma · spirit/breath: spiritG4151
- of bothτεte · and/bothG5037
- jointsἁρμόςharmos · jointG719
- and marrowμυελόςmuelos · marrowG3452
- ableκριτικόςkritikos · discerningG2924
- the thoughtsἐνθύμησιςenthumēsis · reflectionG1761
- and intentionsἔννοιαennoia · thought/purposeG1771
- of the heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
Cross-references for Hebrews 4:12
- Hebrews 13:7Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their way of life, imitate their faith.
- Isaiah 49:2He has made My mouth like a sharp sword, In the shadow of His hand He has concealed Me; And He has also made Me a sharpened arrow, He has hidden Me in His quiver.
- Luke 8:11“Now this is the parable: the seed is the word of God.
- Acts 4:31And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.
- 2 Corinthians 2:17For we are not like the many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.
- 2 Corinthians 4:2but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in trickery nor distorting the word of God, but by the open proclamation of the truth commending ourselves to every person’s conscience in the sight of God.
- Revelation 20:4Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. 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 not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their foreheads and on their hands; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
- Psalms 110:2The Lord will stretch out Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
- Psalms 119:130The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.
- Ecclesiastes 12:11The words of the wise are like goads, and masters of these collections are like 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 empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.
- Jeremiah 23:29“Is My word not like fire?” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer which shatters a rock?
- Romans 1:16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
- 1 Corinthians 1:24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
- 2 Corinthians 10:4for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:13For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of mere men, but as what it really is, the word of God, which also is at work in you who believe.
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
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Hebrews 4:12 Jer 23:29; Eph 5:26; Heb 6:5; 1 Pet 1:23 ↩
- 2. Hebrews 4:12 Acts 7:38 ↩
- 3. Hebrews 4:12 1 Thess 2:13 ↩
- 4. Hebrews 4:12 Eph 6:17 ↩
- 5. Hebrews 4:12 1 Thess 5:23 ↩
- 6. Hebrews 4:12 1 Thess 5:23 ↩
- 7. Hebrews 4:12 John 12:48; 1 Cor 14:24f ↩
- 8. Hebrews 4:12 Or discern ↩
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
New American Standard Bible 2020 — © 1960–2020 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Commentaries