Hebrews 1-4

New International Reader's Version

God Speaks His Final Word Through His Son

1 In the past, God spoke to our people through the prophets. He spoke at many times. He spoke in different ways. ² But in these last days, he has spoken to us through his Son. He is the one whom God appointed to receive all things. God also made everything through him. ³ The Son is the shining brightness of God’s glory. He is the exact likeness of God’s being. He uses his powerful word to hold all things together. He provided the way for people to be made pure from sin. Then he sat down at the right hand of the King, the Majesty in heaven. ⁴ So he became higher than the angels. The name he received is more excellent than theirs.

The Son Is Greater Than the Angels

⁵ God never said to any of the angels,

Or,

⁶ God’s first and only Son is over all things. When God brings him into the world, he says,

⁷ Here is something else God says about the angels.

⁸ But here is what he says about the Son.

¹⁰ He also says,

¹³ God never said to an angel,

¹⁴ All angels are spirits who serve. God sends them to serve those who will receive salvation.

A Warning to Pay Attention

2 So we must pay the most careful attention to what we have heard. Then we will not drift away from it. ² Even the message God spoke through angels had to be obeyed. Every time people broke the Law, they were punished. Every time they didn’t obey, they were punished. ³ Then how will we escape if we don’t pay attention to God’s great salvation? The Lord first announced this salvation. Those who heard him gave us the message about it. ⁴ God showed that this message is true by signs and wonders. He showed that it’s true by different kinds of miracles. God also showed that this message is true by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. God gave them out as it pleased him.

Jesus Was Made Fully Human

⁵ God has not put angels in charge of the world that is going to come. We are talking about that world. ⁶ There is a place where someone has spoken about this. He said,

So God has put everything under his Son. Everything is under his control. We do not now see everything under his control. ⁹ But we do see Jesus already given a crown of glory and honor. He was made lower than the angels for a little while. He suffered death. By the grace of God, he tasted death for everyone. That is why he was given his crown.

¹⁰ God has made everything. He is now bringing his many sons and daughters to share in his glory. It is only right that Jesus is the one to lead them into their salvation. That’s because God made him perfect by his sufferings. ¹¹ And Jesus, who makes people holy, and the people he makes holy belong to the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. ¹² He says,

¹³ Again he says,

And again he says,

¹⁴ Those children have bodies made out of flesh and blood. So Jesus became human like them in order to die for them. By doing this, he could break the power of the devil. The devil is the one who rules over the kingdom of death. ¹⁵ Jesus could set people free who were afraid of death. All their lives they were held as slaves by that fear. ¹⁶ It is certainly Abraham’s children that he helps. He doesn’t help angels. ¹⁷ So he had to be made like people, fully human in every way. Then he could serve God as a kind and faithful high priest. And then he could pay for the sins of the people by dying for them. ¹⁸ He himself suffered when he was tempted. Now he is able to help others who are being tempted.

Jesus Is Greater Than Moses

3 Holy brothers and sisters, God chose you to be his people. So keep thinking about Jesus. We embrace him as our apostle and our high priest. ² Moses was faithful in everything he did in the house of God. In the same way, Jesus was faithful to the God who appointed him. ³ The person who builds a house has greater honor than the house itself. In the same way, Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses. ⁴ Every house is built by someone. But God is the builder of everything. ⁵ “Moses was faithful as one who serves in the house of God.” (Numbers 12:7) He was a witness to what God would say in days to come. ⁶ But Christ is faithful as the Son over the house of God. And we are his house if we hold tightly to what we are certain about. We must also hold tightly to the hope we boast in.

A Warning Against Unbelief

⁷ The Holy Spirit says,

¹² Brothers and sisters, make sure that none of you has a sinful heart. Do not let an unbelieving heart turn you away from the living God. ¹³ But build one another up every day. Do it as long as there is still time. Then none of you will become stubborn. You won’t be fooled by sin’s tricks. ¹⁴ We belong to Christ if we hold tightly to the faith we had at first. But we must hold it tightly until the end. ¹⁵ It has just been said,

¹⁶ Who were those who heard and refused to obey? Weren’t they all the people Moses led out of Egypt? ¹⁷ Who was God angry with for 40 years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned? They died in the desert. ¹⁸ God promised that those people would never enjoy the rest he planned for them. God gave his word when he made that promise. Didn’t he make that promise to those who didn’t obey? ¹⁹ So we see that they weren’t able to enter. That’s because they didn’t believe.

God’s People Enter His Sabbath Rest

4 God’s promise of enjoying his rest still stands. So be careful that none of you fails to receive it. ² The good news was announced to our people of long ago. It has also been preached to us. The message they heard didn’t have any value for them. That’s because they didn’t share the faith of those who obeyed. ³ Now we who have believed enjoy that rest. God said,

Ever since God created the world, his works have been finished. ⁴ Somewhere he spoke about the seventh day. He said, “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” (Genesis 2:2) ⁵ In the part of Scripture I talked about earlier God spoke. He said, “They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them.” (Psalm 95:11)

⁶ It is still true that some people will enjoy this rest. But those who had the good news announced to them earlier didn’t go in. That’s because they didn’t obey. ⁷ So God again chose a certain day. He named it Today. He did this when he spoke through David a long time later. Here is what was written in the Scripture already given.

⁸ Suppose Joshua had given them rest. If he had, God would not have spoken later about another day. ⁹ So there is still a Sabbath rest for God’s people. ¹⁰ God rested from his work. Those who enjoy God’s rest also rest from their works. ¹¹ So let us make every effort to enjoy that rest. Then no one will die by disobeying as they did.

¹² The word of God is alive and active. It is sharper than any sword that has two edges. It cuts deep enough to separate soul from spirit. It can separate bones from joints. It judges the thoughts and purposes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing God created is hidden from him. His eyes see everything. He will hold us responsible for everything we do.

Jesus Is the Great High Priest

¹⁴ We have a great high priest. He has gone up into heaven. He is Jesus the Son of God. So let us hold firmly to what we say we believe. ¹⁵ We have a high priest who can feel it when we are weak and hurting. We have a high priest who has been tempted in every way, just as we are. But he did not sin. ¹⁶ So let us boldly approach God’s throne of grace. Then we will receive mercy. We will find grace to help us when we need it.