Hebrews 4:3

3 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.’ ”^[a]And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world.

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Hebrews 4:3 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)

3 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.

English Standard Version (ESV)

3 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)

3 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.

The Message Bible (MSG)

3 If we believe, though, we'll experience that state of resting. But not if we don't have faith. Remember that God said, Exasperated, I vowed, "They'll never get where they're going, never be able to sit down and rest."

American Standard Version (ASV)

3 For we who have believed do enter into that rest; even as he hath said, As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)

3 We who believe are entering that place of rest. As God said, "So I angrily took a solemn oath that they would never enter my place of rest." God said this even though he had finished his work when he created the world.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

3 (for we who have believed enter the rest), in keeping with what He has said: So I swore in My anger, they will not enter My rest. And yet His works have been finished since the foundation of the world,

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

3 Now we who have believed enjoy that rest. God said, "When I was angry I took an oath. I said, 'They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them.' " (Psalm 95:11) Ever since God created the world, his work has been finished.

Hebrews 4:3 Meaning and Commentary

Hebrews 4:3

For we which have believed do enter into rest
Not eternal rest; all believers shall enjoy this, and they only; but this is not now, or at present enjoyed, unless things future may be said to be present, because of faith in them, and the certainty of them but spiritual rest in Christ under the Gospel dispensation, which is a rest from the burden of the law of Moses, and from all toil and labour for life, and salvation by works, and lies in an enjoyment of much inward peace of soul, notwithstanding the world's troubles and Satan's temptations; and such who believe the word or Gospel preached, and Christ in it, not with a general and historical high, or only in profession, but with the heart, and in truth, these enjoy this rest; they are kept in perfect peace, and have much spiritual ease and comfort: this character distinguishes them from the unbelieving Israelites of old, and from present hypocrites and formal professors:

as he said, as I have sworn in wrath, if they shall enter into my rest;
the words are in ( Psalms 95:11 ) , and are before cited in ( Hebrews 3:11 ) (See Gill on Hebrews 3:11): they entered not in because of unbelief; none but believers enter into spiritual rest. The apostle applies this proof to his design, by removing all other rests, and particularly by showing that does not mean God's rest from the works of creation:

although the works were finished from the foundation of the world;
that is, though the works of creation, that God designed to make, were finished and perfected within the first six days of the world, and then God rested, or ceased to work in a creative way; yet this is not the rest designed in the passage of Scripture cited, nor is it that rest which believers enter into.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Hebrews 4:3 In-Context

1 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.

3 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.

4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.”

5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.”

Cross References 1

1. Psalms 95:11; Deuteronomy 1:34,35; Hebrews 3:11

Footnotes 1

[a]. Psalm 95:11; also in verse 5