In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created,[a] and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.[b]
But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent Him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that He could adopt us as His very own children.[a]6 And because we[b] are His children, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”[c]7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child.[d] And since you are His child, God has made you His heir.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place he would later receive as an inheritance, and he went out without understanding where he was going.9 By faith he lived as a foreigner[a] in the promised land as though it were a foreign country, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, who were fellow heirs[b] of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with firm foundations,[c] whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith, even though Sarah herself was barren and he was too old,[d] he received the ability to procreate,[e] because he regarded the one who had given the promise to be trustworthy. 12 So in fact children[f] were fathered by one man—and this one as good as dead—like the number of stars in the sky and like the innumerable grains of sand[g]on the seashore.[h]13 These all died in faith without receiving the things promised,[i] but they saw them in the distance and welcomed them and acknowledged that they were strangers and foreigners[j] on the earth. 14 For those who speak in such a way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 In fact, if they had been thinking of the land that they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is,[k] they aspire to a better land, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. 17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He had received the promises,[l] yet he was ready to offer up[m] his only son. 18 God had told him, “Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name,”[n]19 and he reasoned[o] that God could even raise him from the dead, and in a sense[p] he received him back from there. 20 By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph and worshiped as he leaned on his staff.[q]22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life,[r] mentioned the exodus of the sons of Israel[s] and gave instructions about his burial.[t]
The Arrangement and Ritual of the Earthly Sanctuary
Now the first covenant,[a] in fact, had regulations for worship and its earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tent was prepared, the outer one,[b] which contained[c] the lampstand, the table, and the presentation of the loaves; this[d] is called the Holy Place. 3 And after the second curtain there was a tent called the holy of holies. 4 It contained the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered entirely with gold. In this ark[e] were the golden urn containing the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 And above the ark[f] were the cherubim[g] of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Now is not the time to speak of these things in detail. 6 So with these things prepared like this, the priests enter continually into the outer tent[h] as they perform their duties. 7 But only the high priest enters once a year into the inner tent,[i] and not without blood that he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.[j]8 The Holy Spirit is making clear that the way into the Holy Place had not yet appeared as long as the old tabernacle[k] was standing. 9 This was a symbol for the time then present, when gifts and sacrifices were offered that could not perfect the conscience of the worshiper. 10 They served only for matters of food and drink[l] and various ritual washings; they are external regulations[m] imposed until the new order came.[n]
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you,[a] whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.
For if that first covenant had been faultless, no one would have looked for a second one.[a]8 But[b] showing its fault,[c] God[d] says to them,[e]
“Look, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will complete a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 9 “It will not be like the covenant[f]that I made with their fathers, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant and I had no regard for them, says the Lord. 10 “For this is the covenant that I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will put[g]mylaws in their minds[h]and I will inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God and they will be my people.[i] 11 “And there will be no need at all[j]for each one to teach his countryman or each one to teach his brother saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ since they will all know me, from the least to the greatest.[k] 12 “For I will be merciful toward their evil deeds, and their sins I will remember no longer.”[l]
13 When he speaks of a new covenant,[m] he makes the first obsolete. Now what is growing obsolete and aging is about to disappear.[n]
For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 tasted the good word of God and the miracles of the coming age, 6 and then have committed apostasy,[a] to renew them again to repentance, since[b] they are crucifying the Son of God for themselves all over again[c] and holding him up to contempt. 7 For the ground that has soaked up the rain that frequently falls on[d] it and yields useful vegetation for those who tend it receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is useless and about to be cursed;[e] its fate is to be burned. 9 But in your case, dear friends, even though we speak like this, we are convinced of better things relating to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name, in having served and continuing to serve the saints. 11 But we passionately want each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of your hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish,[f] but imitators of those who through faith and perseverance inherit the promises.
9 So we must not grow weary[a] in doing good, for in due time we will reap, if we do not give up.[b] Galatians 6:9
On this topic we have much to say[a] and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish[b] in hearing. 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time,[c] you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances.[d] You have gone back to needing[e] milk, not[f] solid food. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil.
Therefore we must progress beyond[g] the elementary[h] instructions about Christ[i] and move on[j] to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works[k] and faith in God,2 teaching about ritual washings,[l] laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this is what we intend to do,[m] if God permits.
Therefore we must be wary[a] that, while the promise of entering his rest remains open, none of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For we had good news proclaimed to us just as they did. But the message they heard did them no good, since they did not join in[b] with those who heard it in faith.[c]3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said, “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’”[d] And yet God’s works[e] were accomplished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,”[f]5 but to repeat the text cited earlier:[g] “They will never enter my rest!” 6 Therefore it remains for some to enter it, yet those to whom it was previously proclaimed did not enter because of disobedience. 7 So God[h] again ordains a certain day, “Today,” speaking through David[i] after so long a time, as in the words quoted before,[j] “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks![k]Do not harden your hearts.” 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God[l] would not have spoken afterward about another day. 9 Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God. 10 For the one who enters God’s[m] rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works. 11 Thus we must make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing even to the point of dividing soul from spirit, and joints from marrow; it is able to judge the desires and thoughts of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from God,[n] but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.
This week’s challenge: Hebrews 4:16 reminds us we can approach God with confidence because He is always waiting to meet us with mercy and grace. Each day this week, commit to spending five minutes, outside of your normal prayer time, approaching God’s throne as you would approach a king or a president. With the same fear and expectation, lay your requests before Him, acknowledging Him as the only One truly able to meet your need. Record the ways God answers your petitions.
“Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks![b] 8 “Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, in the day of testing in the wilderness. 9 “There your fathers tested me and tried me,[c]and they saw my works for forty years. 10 “Therefore, I became provoked at that generation and said, ‘Their hearts are always wandering[d]and they have not known my ways.’ 11 “As I swore in my anger, ‘They will never enter my rest!’”[e]
12 See to it,[f] brothers and sisters,[g] that none of you has[h] an evil, unbelieving heart that forsakes[i] the living God.[j]13 But exhort one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,” that none of you may become hardened by sin’s deception. 14 For we have become partners with Christ, if in fact we hold our initial confidence[k] firm until the end. 15 As it says,[l] “Oh, that today you would listen as he speaks![m]Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”[n]16 For which ones heard and rebelled? Was it not all who came out of Egypt under Moses’ leadership?[o]17 And against whom was God[p] provoked for forty years? Was it not those who sinned, whosedead bodies fell in the wilderness?[q]18 And to whom did he swear they would never enter into his rest, except those who were disobedient? 19 So[r] we see that they could not enter because of unbelief.
Therefore, holy brothers and sisters,[a] partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess,[b]2 who is faithful to the one who appointed Him, as Moses was also in God’s[c] house.[d]3 For He has come to deserve greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves greater honor than the house itself! 4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5 Now Moses was faithfulin all God’s[e]house[f] as a servant, to testify to the things that would be spoken. 6 But Christ[g] is faithful as a son over God’s[h] house. We are of His house,[i] if in fact we hold firmly[j] to our confidence and the hope we take pride in.[k]
Me From the Inside Out 