New King James Version
Hebrews 4:3
3For 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)For only we who believe can enter his rest. As for the others, God said, “In my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest,’” even though this rest has been ready since he made the world.
Context of Hebrews 4:3
1Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it. 2For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. 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. 4For He has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; 5and again in this place: “They shall not enter My rest.”
Read all of Hebrews 4Hebrews 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 3:14For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end,
- Isaiah 28:12To whom He said, “This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest,” And, “This is the refreshing”; Yet they would not hear.
- Jeremiah 6:16Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
- Matthew 11:28Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
- Romans 5:1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Hebrews 3:11So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
- Psalms 95:11So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
- Genesis 1:31Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
- Exodus 20:11For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
- Hebrews 9:26He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
- Matthew 13:35that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
- Ephesians 1:4just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
- 1 Peter 1:20He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you
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
In the dictionaries
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 King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries