| Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. | Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace when we are in need of help. |
| There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. | Therefore, a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God, since those who enter into God’s rest also cease from their own labors as God did from his. |
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| Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. | Let us then make every effort to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall by following that example of refusing to believe. |
| 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. | Indeed, the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any two-edged sword, it pierces to the point where it divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and the intentions of the heart. |
| For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. | For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tested in every respect as we are, but without sinning. |
| And, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. | And when he had been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. |
| Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. | Therefore, let us leave behind the basic teaching about Christ and advance toward maturity. We must not be forever laying the foundation: repentance for actions that lead to death, faith in God, instruction about baptisms and the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. |
| God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. | For God would not be so unjust as to ignore your work and the love that you have shown for his name by the services you have rendered to the saints and still continue to render. |
| Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. | Therefore, he has the full power to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to intercede for them. |
| But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises. | But Jesus has now received a ministry that is far superior, for he is the mediator of a far better covenant that has been established on better promises. |
| For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. | I shall forgive them for their wicked deeds, and I shall remember their sins no more. |
| How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! | How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from acts that lead to death so that we may worship the living God. |
| For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. | For this reason, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who have been called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since his death has served to redeem the sins that were committed under the first covenant. |
| In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. | Indeed, under the Law almost everything is purified by blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. |
| So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. | So Christ, having been offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to bring salvation to those who are eagerly waiting for him. |
| Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. | Let us remain firm in the confession of our hope without wavering, for the one who made the promise is trustworthy. |
| And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. | And let us consider how to spur one another to love and good works. Do not neglect to attend your assemblies, as some do, but rather encourage one another, especially since you can see the Day approaching. |
| You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. | You need to be steadfast if you want to do the will of God and receive what he has promised. |
| Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. | Faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the conviction about things that cannot be seen. |
| And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. | But without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever comes to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. |
| And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. | By faith Abraham also received the power of procreation, even though he was well past the age—and Sarah herself was barren—because he believed that the one who had made the promise would be faithful in fulfilling it. |
| Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. | Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that weighs us down and the sins that so easily distract us and with perseverance run the race that lies ahead of us. |
| Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. | With our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, ignoring its shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. |
| No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. | At the time that discipline is received, it always seems painful rather than pleasant, but afterward it yields a harvest of peace and uprightness to those who have been trained by it. |
| Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. | Seek peace with everyone, as well as the holiness without which no one will ever see the Lord. |
