Gore Blvd Church of Christ

Hebrews 4

The Believer’s Rest

4 Therefore, we must fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. ² For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word ^[a]they heard did not benefit them, because ^[b]they were not united with those who listened with faith. ³ For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said,

“As I swore in My anger,
They certainly shall not enter My rest,”

although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. ⁴ For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; ⁵ and again in this passage, “They certainly shall not enter My rest.” ⁶ Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who previously had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, ⁷ He again sets a certain day, “Today,” saying ^[c]through David after so long a time just as has been said before,

“Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts.”

⁸ For if ^[d]Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. ⁹ Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. ¹¹ Therefore let’s make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same example of disobedience. ¹² 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 ^[e]judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom ^[f]we must answer.

¹⁴ Therefore, 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. ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.

Footnotes

1. Hebrews 4:2 Lit of hearing
2. Hebrews 4:2 One early ms it was not united with faith in those who heard
3. Hebrews 4:7 Or in
4. Hebrews 4:8 Gr Jesus
5. Hebrews 4:12 Or discern
6. Hebrews 4:13 Lit is our word

Hebrews 3

Jesus Our High Priest

3 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession: Jesus; ^2 [a]He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. ³ For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. ⁴ For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. ⁵ Now Moses was faithful in all ^[b]God’s house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; ⁶ but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the boast of our ^[c]hope.

⁷ Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says,

“Today if you hear His voice,
⁸ Do not harden your hearts as ^[d]when they provoked Me,
As on the day of trial in the wilderness,
⁹ Where your fathers put Me to the test,
And saw My works for forty years.
¹⁰ Therefore I was angry with this generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they did not know My ways’;
¹¹ As I swore in My anger,
‘They certainly shall not enter My rest.’”

The Danger of Unbelief

¹² Take care, brothers and sisters, that there will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart ^[e]that falls away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called “today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. ¹⁴ For we have become partakers of Christ if we keep the beginning of our ^[f]commitment firm until the end, ¹⁵ while it is said,

“Today if you hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts, as ^[g]when they provoked Me.”

¹⁶ For who provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses? ¹⁷ And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness? ¹⁸ And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? ¹⁹ And so we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.

Footnotes

1. Hebrews 3:2 Lit being faithful
2. Hebrews 3:5 Lit His
3. Hebrews 3:6 One early ms adds firm until the end
4. Hebrews 3:8 Lit in the provocation
5. Hebrews 3:12 Or that leaves the; lit in falling away from
6. Hebrews 3:14 Or assurance
7. Hebrews 3:15 Lit in the rebellion

Hebrews 2

Pay Attention

2 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to ^[a]what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. ² For if the word spoken through angels proved ^[b]unalterable, and every violation and act of disobedience received a just ^[c]punishment, ³ how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? ^[d]After it was at first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, ⁴ God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, and by various ^[e]miracles and by ^[f]gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

Earth Subject to Man

⁵ For He did not subject to angels ^[g]the world to come, about which we are speaking. ⁶ But someone has testified somewhere, saying,

“What is man, that You think of him?
Or a son of man, that You are concerned about him?
⁷ You have made him ^[h]for a little while lower than angels;
You have crowned him with glory and honor^[i];
⁸ You have put everything in subjection under his feet.”

For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

Jesus Briefly Humbled

⁹ But we do see Him who was made ^[j]for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of His suffering death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

¹⁰ For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the ^[k]originator of their salvation through sufferings. ¹¹ For both He who sanctifies and those who are ^[l]sanctified are all from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, ¹² saying,

“I will proclaim Your name to My brothers,
In the midst of the assembly I will sing Your praise.”

¹³ And again,

“I will put My trust in Him.”

And again,

“Behold, I and the children whom God has given Me.”

¹⁴ Therefore, since the children share in ^[m]flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. ¹⁶ For clearly He does not ^[n]give help to angels, but He gives help to the ^[o]descendants of Abraham. ¹⁷ Therefore, in all things He ^[p]had to be made like His brothers so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make ^[q]propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For since He Himself was ^[r]tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are ^[s]tempted.

Footnotes

1. Hebrews 2:1 Lit the things that have been heard
2. Hebrews 2:2 Or steadfast
3. Hebrews 2:2 Lit retribution
4. Hebrews 2:3 Lit Which was
5. Hebrews 2:4 Or works of power
6. Hebrews 2:4 Lit distributions
7. Hebrews 2:5 Lit the inhabited earth
8. Hebrews 2:7 Or ...him a little lower than...
9. Hebrews 2:7 One early ms continues, and have appointed him over the works of Your hands
10. Hebrews 2:9 Or a little lower
11. Hebrews 2:10 Or leader
12. Hebrews 2:11 Or being sanctified
13. Hebrews 2:14 Lit blood and flesh
14. Hebrews 2:16 Lit take hold of angels, but He takes hold of
15. Hebrews 2:16 Lit seed
16. Hebrews 2:17 Lit was obligated to be
17. Hebrews 2:17 I.e., reconciliation with God by atoning for the sins
18. Hebrews 2:18 Or tested
19. Hebrews 2:18 Or tested

Hebrews 1

God’s Final Word in His Son

1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, ^2 [a]in these last days has spoken to us ^[b]in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the ^[c]world. ^3 [d]And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and ^[e]upholds all things by ^[f]the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent name than they.

⁵ For to which of the angels did He ever say,

“You are My Son,
Today I have fathered You”?

And again,

“I will be a Father to Him
And He will be a Son to Me”?

⁶ And ^[g]when He again brings the firstborn into ^[h]the world, He says,

“And let all the angels of God worship Him.”

⁷ And regarding the angels He says,

“He makes His angels winds,
And His ministers a flame of fire.”

⁸ But regarding the Son He says,

“Your throne, God, is forever and ever,
And the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of ^[i]His kingdom.
⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of joy above Your companions.”

¹⁰ And,

“You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the works of Your hands;
¹¹ They will perish, but You remain;
And they all will ^[j]wear out like a garment,
¹² And like a robe You will roll them up;
Like a garment they will also be changed.
But You are the same,
And Your years will not come to an end.”

¹³ But to which of the angels has He ever said,

“Sit at My right hand,
Until I make Your enemies
A footstool for Your feet”?

¹⁴ Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

Footnotes

1. Hebrews 1:2 Or at the end of these days
2. Hebrews 1:2 Or in the person of a Son; lit in Son
3. Hebrews 1:2 Lit ages
4. Hebrews 1:3 Lit Who being
5. Hebrews 1:3 Lit upholding
6. Hebrews 1:3 Or His word of power
7. Hebrews 1:6 Or again when He brings
8. Hebrews 1:6 Lit the inhabited earth
9. Hebrews 1:8 Late mss Your
10. Hebrews 1:11 Or become old

Acts 28

Safe at Malta

28 When they had been brought safely through, then we found out that the island was called ^[a]Malta. ² The ^[b]natives showed us extraordinary kindness, for they kindled a fire and took us all in because of the rain that had started and because of the cold. ³ But when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and laid them on the fire, a viper came out ^[c]because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When the ^[d]natives saw the creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another, “Undoubtedly this man is a murderer, and though he has been saved from the sea, ^[e]justice has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ However, ^[f]Paul shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ Now they were expecting that he was going to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god.

⁷ Now in the neighboring parts of that place were lands belonging to the ^[g]leading man of the island, named Publius, who welcomed us and entertained us warmly for three days. ⁸ And it happened that the father of Publius was lying in bed afflicted with a recurring fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him, and after he prayed, he laid his hands on him and healed him. ⁹ After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases were coming to him and being cured. ¹⁰ They also showed us many honors, and when we were about to set sail, they ^[h]supplied us with ^[i]everything we needed.

Paul Arrives in Rome

¹¹ After three months we set sail on an Alexandrian ship which had wintered at the island, and which had ^[j]the Twin Brothers for its figurehead. ¹² After we put in at Syracuse, we stayed there for three days. ¹³ From there we sailed around and arrived at Rhegium, and a day later a south wind came up, and on the second day we came to Puteoli. ^14 [k]There we found some brothers and sisters, and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and that is how we came to Rome. ¹⁵ And from there the brothers and sisters, when they heard about us, came as far as the ^[l]Market of Appius and the ^[m]Three Inns to meet us; and when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

¹⁶ When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him.

¹⁷ After three days ^[n]Paul called together those who were the leading men of the Jews, and when they came together, he began saying to them, “Brothers, though I had done nothing against our people or the customs of our ^[o]fathers, yet I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem. ¹⁸ And when they had examined me, they were willing to release me because there were no grounds ^[p]for putting me to death. ¹⁹ But when the Jews ^[q]objected, I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation against my nation. ²⁰ For this reason, therefore, I ^[r]requested to see you and to speak with you, since I am wearing this chain for the sake of the hope of Israel.” ²¹ They said to him, “We have neither received letters from Judea concerning you, nor has any of the brothers come here and reported or spoken anything bad about you. ²² But we desire to hear from you what ^[s]your views are; for regarding this sect, it is known to us that it is spoken against everywhere.”

²³ When they had set a day for ^[t]Paul, people came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. ²⁴ Some were being persuaded by the things said by Paul, but others would not believe. ²⁵ And when they disagreed with one another, they began leaving after Paul said one parting statement: “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, ²⁶ saying,

‘Go to this people and say,
“^[u]You will keep on hearing, and will not understand;
And ^[v]you will keep on seeing, and will not perceive;
²⁷ For the hearts of this people have become ^[w]insensitive,
And with their ears they ^[x]hardly hear,
And they have closed their eyes;
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.”’

²⁸ Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.”^[y]

³⁰ Now Paul stayed two full years ^[z]in his own rented lodging and welcomed all who came to him, ^31 [aa]preaching the kingdom of God and teaching things about the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.

Footnotes

1. Acts 28:1 Or Melita
2. Acts 28:2 Gr barbaroi, referring to people who did not speak Greek
3. Acts 28:3 Or from the heat
4. Acts 28:4 See note v 2
5. Acts 28:4 Or Justice; i.e., the personification of a goddess
6. Acts 28:5 Lit he
7. Acts 28:7 Prob. the Roman governor of the island
8. Acts 28:10 Or put on board
9. Acts 28:10 Lit the things pertaining to the needs
10. Acts 28:11 Gr Dioscuri; i.e., Castor and Pollux, twin sons of Zeus
11. Acts 28:14 Lit Where
12. Acts 28:15 Lat Appii Forum, a station about 43 miles or 69.2 km from Rome
13. Acts 28:15 Lat Tres Tabernae, a station about 33 miles or 53.1 km from Rome
14. Acts 28:17 Lit he
15. Acts 28:17 Or forefathers
16. Acts 28:18 Lit of death in me
17. Acts 28:19 Lit spoke against
18. Acts 28:20 Or invited you to see me and speak with me
19. Acts 28:22 Lit you think
20. Acts 28:23 Lit him
21. Acts 28:26 Lit with a hearing you will hear
22. Acts 28:26 Lit seeing you will see
23. Acts 28:27 Lit dull
24. Acts 28:27 Or are hard of hearing
25. Acts 28:28 Late mss add as v 29: When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.
26. Acts 28:30 Or at his own expense
27. Acts 28:31 Or proclaiming