Hebrews, chapter 3

Jesus Is Greater than Moses

y friends, God has chosen you to be his holy people. So think about Jesus, the one we call our apostle and high priest! 2 Jesus was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in serving all God's people. 3But Jesus deserves more honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves more honor than the house. 4Of course, every house is built by someone, and God is really the one who built everything.

5Moses was a faithful servant and told God's people what would be said in the future. 6But Christ is the Son in charge of God's people. And we are those people, if we keep on being brave and don't lose hope.

“Hold on to Faith and Enter the Place of Rest”
In this section

Next comes a warning about rebelling against God and a reminder to remain faithful in order to enter the place of rest.

A Rest for God's People

7 It is just as the Holy Spirit says,

“If you hear God's voice today,

8don't be stubborn!

Don't rebel like those people

who were tested in the desert.

* 9For forty years your ancestors tested God

and saw the things he did.

10“Then God got tired of them and said,

‘You people never show good sense,

and you don't understand what I want you to do.’

11God became angry and told the people,

‘You will never enter my place of rest!’ ”

12My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. 13You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called “today.” If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. 14We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end. 15 The Scriptures say,

We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end.

— Heb 3.14

“If you hear his voice today,

don't be stubborn like those who rebelled.”

16Who were those people that heard God's voice and rebelled? Weren't they the same ones that came out of Egypt with Moses? 17Who were the people that made God angry for 40 years? Weren't they the ones that sinned and died in the desert? 18And who did God say would never enter his place of rest? Weren't they the ones that disobeyed him? 19We see that those people did not enter the place of rest because they did not have faith.