Hebrews 4:3
What does Hebrews 4:3 mean?
A plain-English look at Hebrews 4:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Hebrews 4:3 means
Believers already begin to enter God’s rest, even as Scripture also records a solemn oath, “They shall not enter my rest,” for those who disbelieved. These truths stand together: God’s rest is real and open to faith, yet unbelief still meets God’s judgment. The rest is not a human invention; its pattern goes back to creation, when God’s works were finished from the world’s foundation. That means the rest is God’s own—rooted in His completed work—and so it transcends any single time or place. By trusting Him, we share in that divine rest now in part and anticipate it in fullness, while the warning still speaks to the hard of heart.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000For 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.
KJV
King James Version · 1611For 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901For 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.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949For those of us who have belief come into his rest; even as he has said, As I said in my oath when I was angry, They may not come into my rest: though the works were done from the time of the making of the world.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862for we do enter into the rest--we who did believe, as He said, `So I sware in My anger, If they shall enter into My rest--;' and yet the works were done from the foundation of the world,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752For we, who have believed, shall enter into rest; as he said: As I have sworn in my wrath: If they shall enter into my rest; and this indeed when the works from the foundation of the world were finished.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890For we enter into the rest who have believed; as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest; although the works had been completed from [the] foundation of [the] world.
Context
After exposing faithless hearing (v. 2), the writer affirms that believers do enter rest (v. 3). Yet he holds side-by-side the promise and the warning, quoting the exclusion formula to show that both realities stand. He then begins grounding the concept of rest in creation itself, introducing the seventh day (v. 4). Verses 4–5 will anchor the rest in God’s own rest, paving the way for the later argument that this rest still remains accessible and is greater than Israel’s entry into Canaan.
v.2For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard.
v.3This passage
v.4For he hath said somewhere of the seventh day on this wise, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Isaiah 28:12
to whom he said, This is the rest, give ye rest to him that is weary; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
- Hebrews 3:11
As I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.
- Matthew 13:35
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.
- Exodus 20:11
for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore Jehovah blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
- Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
- 1 Peter 1:20
who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of the times for your sake,
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