the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Revised Standard Version
Hebrews 4:2
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Yes, the good news about it was told to us just as it was to them. But the message they heard did not help them. They heard it but did not accept it with faith.
For vnto vs was it declared as well as vnto them. But it proffited not them that they hearde the worde because they which hearde it coupled it not with fayth.
For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as also they, but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not mixed with faith by those who heard.
For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united with those who listened with faith.
The Good News was preached to us just as it was to them. But the teaching they heard did not help them, because they heard it but did not accept it with faith.
For indeed we have had good tidings preached to us, even as they also [did]: but the word of hearing did not profit those who were not united in the faith with those that heard.
For to us was the gospel preached, as well as to them: but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard [it].
For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.
For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as also they, but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not mixed with faith by those who heard.
For unto us hath the gospel been preached as well as unto them; but the word heard did not profit them, not being mixt with faith in those that heard it.
For Good News has been brought to us as truly as to them; but the message they heard failed to benefit them, because they were not one in faith with those who gave heed to it.
For it is told also to vs, as to hem. And the word that was herd profitide not to hem, not meynd to feith of tho thingis that thei herden.
For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because they were not united by faith with them that heard.
For we also received the good news just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, since they did not share the faith of those who comprehended it.
We have heard the message, just as they did. But they failed to believe what they heard, and the message did not do them any good.
For indeed we have had the good news [of salvation] preached to us, just as the Israelites also [when the good news of the promised land came to them]; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because it was not united with faith [in God] by those who heard.
For 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.
And, truly, the good news came to us, even as it did to them; but the hearing of the word did them no good, because they were not united in faith with the true hearers.
for Good News has also been proclaimed to us, just as it was to them. But the message they heard didn't do them any good, because those who heard it did not combine it with trust.
For indeed we have had glad tidings presented to us, even as they also; but the word of the report did not profit *them*, not being mixed with faith in those who heard.
For we have had the good news told to us as well as to them, but the message they heard did not help them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened to it.
For we have been evangelized as well as they: but the word which they heard did not profit them, because not contempered with faith in them who heard it.
For to us also is the announcement, as well as to them: but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not mingled with the faith of those who heard it.
For vnto vs was the Gospel preached, as well as vnto the: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn't share the faith of those who listened to God.
We have heard the Good News even as they did, but it did them no good because it was not mixed with faith.
For indeed the good news came to us just as to them; but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.
For vnto vs was the Gospel preached as also vnto them: but the worde that they heard, profited not them, because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it.
For the gospel was preached to us, as it was to them also, but the word they heard did not benefit them: because it was not mixed with faith in those who heard it.
For we have had delivered to us the joyful message, just as even, they; but the word which was heard did not profit them, they not having been blended, by faith, with the things heard.
For unto us also it hath been declared in like manner as unto them. But the word of hearing did not profit them, not being mixed with faith of those things they heard.
For vnto vs was the Gospell preached, aswell as vnto them: But the worde whiche they hearde dyd not profite them, not beyng coupled with fayth to them that hearde.
For we have heard the Good News, just as they did. They heard the message, but it did them no good, because when they heard it, they did not accept it with faith.
For we also have received the good news just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith.
For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as those also did, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united with those who heard it in faith.
For, indeed, we have had the gospel preached to us , even as they also; but the Word did not profit those hearing it , not having been mixed with faith in the ones who heard.
for we also are having good news proclaimed, even as they, but the word heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard,
for it is declared vnto vs as well as vnto the. But the worde of preachinge helped not the, wha they that herde it, beleued it not.
for to us was the good promise made, as well as to them: but the word address'd to them was not effectually receiv'd with faith by those that heard it.
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 with those who heard it in faith.
For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, [fn] not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.
We've got the same good news as they had, but they didn't listen. Be sure you do. You do that by having faith in what you hear and then doing it.
For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.
For indeed we have had good news proclaimed to us, just as they also; but the word that was heard did not profit those who were not united with faith among those who heard.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
unto us: Acts 3:26, Acts 13:46, Galatians 3:8, Galatians 4:13, 1 Peter 1:12
preached: Gr. of hearing, Romans 10:16, Romans 10:17, *marg.
did: Romans 2:25, 1 Corinthians 13:3, 1 Timothy 4:8
not being: etc. or because they were not united by faith to, Hebrews 4:6, Hebrews 3:12, Hebrews 3:18, Hebrews 3:19, Hebrews 11:6, 1 Thessalonians 1:5, 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:12, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, James 1:21
Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 9:23 - ye believed Psalms 2:11 - rejoice Psalms 90:7 - For we Psalms 106:24 - they believed Matthew 9:22 - thy Matthew 13:23 - good Mark 4:8 - fell Mark 6:5 - General Luke 8:48 - thy Luke 9:41 - O faithless John 20:25 - Except Romans 3:3 - if some Galatians 5:2 - that
Cross-References
therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken.
And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, "God has appointed for me another child instead of Abel, for Cain slew him."
To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD.
Noah was the first tiller of the soil. He planted a vineyard;
And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." And he said to him, "Here I am."
Pharaoh said to his brothers, "What is your occupation?" And they said to Pharaoh, "Your servants are shepherds, as our fathers were."
Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Mid'ian; and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Lo, sons are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.
and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'
from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this generation.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
For unto us was the Gospel preached,.... The Gospel is the good news and glad tidings of salvation by Christ; and this may be said to be preached, when men preach not themselves, nor read lectures of morality, nor mix law and Gospel together, nor make justification and salvation to be by works, nor set persons to make their peace with God, or get an interest in Christ; but when they preach Christ and salvation alone by him; and so it was preached to the Hebrews, and that more fully, and with more clearness, power, and success than formerly; and which is a privilege and blessing; and is sometimes blessed for the conviction of sinners, for regeneration, for the implanting of faith, and the comfort of believers. The words may be rendered, we were evangelized; as such may be said to be, who have a spirit of liberty, in opposition to a spirit of bondage; who live by faith on Christ alone; who derive their peace and comfort, not from their works, but from him; whose repentance and obedience are influenced by the love of God; and who desire to perform all duties aright, and depend on none: now though this was true of the apostle and others, yet is not the sense here, because of what follows,
as well as unto them, or "even as they"; for though the Gospel was preached to the Israelites in the wilderness, in the ministry of Moses, and by types and sacrifices; yet they were not evangelized by it, or cast into a Gospel mould, or brought into a Gospel spirit: however, it was preached unto them; which shows the antiquity of it; the sameness of the method of salvation in all ages; the necessity of salvation by Christ, and the unity of Christ's church under different dispensations:
but the word preached did not profit them; that is, the Gospel, which is here called the word of hearing, as it may be rendered; because it is and may be heard; and there is a necessity of hearing, in order to faith in Christ: the word signifies a rumour, or report: the Gospel is a report of Christ, his person and offices; of his great love to sinners, and of what he has done for them; but though it is a word of hearing, a report made, and the word preached, yet to some it is unprofitable; it has no good effect upon them; yea, it is the savour of death unto death to them, and the aggravation of condemnation; and the reason of the inefficacy and unprofitableness of the word to the Israelites was, its
not being mixed with faith in them that heard it; the Gospel is as food, and faith is the hand that receives it, and takes it, and tastes of it, and eats it, and concocts and digests it; and when this is the case, it is profitable and nourishing; but when it is otherwise, it is not. The Alexandrian copy, the Complutensian edition, and five of Beza's ancient copies, and as many of Stephens's, with others, read, "they were not mixed" referring it not to the word, but to persons; and so read the Arabic and Ethiopic versions: and the sense is, that the generality of the Israelites did not join themselves in faith, in believing in God, to Caleb and Joshua; who hearkened to the Lord, and received and obeyed his word; and so the word became useless to them: there ought to be an union or conjunction of the saints, and the bond of this union is love; and the thing in which they unite is faith, believing in Christ, and the doctrine of faith, which is but one; and though the word may be profitable to others who are not in the communion of the saints; yet forsaking the assembly of the saints, and not constantly attending with them, or not mixing with them continually in public worship, is one reason of the unprofitable hearing of the word when it is preached to them.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them - This translation by no means conveys the sense of the original. According to this it would seem that the “gospel,” as we understand it, or the whole plan of salvation, was communicated to “them,” as well as to “us.” But this is by no means the idea. The discussion has reference only to “the promise of rest,” and the assertion of the apostle is that this “good news” of a promise of rest is made to us as really as it was made to “them.” “Rest” was promised to them in the land of Canaan - an emblem of the eternal rest of the people of God. That was unquestioned, and Paul took it for granted. His object now is, to show that a promise of “rest” is as really made to us as it was to them, and that there is the same danger of failing to secure it as there was then. It was important for him to show that there was such a promise made to the people of God in his time, and as he was discoursing of those who were Hebrews, he of course made his appeal to the Old Testament. The literal translation would be, “For we are evangelized - ἐσμεν εὐηγγελισμένοι esmen euēngelismenoi - as well as they.” The word “evangelize” means to communicate good news, or glad tidings; and the idea here is, that the good news, or glad tidings of “rest” is announced to us as really as it was to them. This the apostle proves in the following verses.
But the word preached - Margin, “Of hearing.” The word “preach” we also use now in a technical sense as denoting a formal proclamation of the gospel by the ministers of religion. But this is not the idea here. It means, simply, the word which “they heard;” and refers particularly to the promise of “rest” which was made to them. That message was communicated to them by Moses.
Did not profit them - They derived no advantage from it. They rejected and despised it, and were, therefore, excluded from the promised land. It exerted no influence over their hearts and lives, and they lived and died as though no such promise had been made. Thus, many persons live and die now. The offer of salvation is made to them. They are invited to come and be saved. They are assured that God is willing to save them, and that the Redeemer stands with open arms to welcome them to heaven. They are trained up under the gospel; are led early in life to the sanctuary; are in the habit of attending on the preaching of the gospel all their days, but still what they hear exerts no saving influence on their hearts. At the close of life all that could be truly said of them is, that they have not been “profited;” it has been no real advantage to them in regard to their final destiny that they have enjoyed so many privileges.
Not being mixed with faith in them that heard it - Margin, “Or, because they were not united by faith to.” There are some various readings on this text, and one of these has given occasion to the version in the margin. Many mss. instead of the common reading - συγκεκερασμένος sugkekerasmenos - by which the word “mixed” would be united to ὁ λόγος ho logos - “the word,” have another reading - sugkekrame&noujsungkekramenous - according to which the word “mixed” would refer to “them,” and would mean that they who heard the Word and rejected it were not “mixed,” or united with those who believed it. The former reading makes the best sense, and is the best sustained; and the idea is, that the message which was preached was not received into the heart by faith. They were destitute of faith, and the message did not profit them. The word “mixed” is supposed by many of the best critics to refer to the process by which “food” is made nutritive, by being properly “mixed” with the saliva and the gastric juice, and thus converted into chyme, and chyle, and then changed into blood.
If suitably “mixed” in this manner, it contributes to the life and health of the physical frame; if not, it is the means of disease and death. So it is supposed the apostle meant to say of the message which God sends to man. If properly received; if mixed or united with faith, it becomes the means of spiritual support and life. If not, it furnishes no aliment to the soul, and will be of no advantage. As food when properly digested incorporates itself with the body, and gives it support, so those critics suppose it to be of the Word of God, that it incorporates itself with the internal and spiritual man, and gives it support and life. It may be doubted, however, whether the apostle had any such allusion as this, and whether it is not rather a refinement of the critics than of Paul. The word used here properly denotes a mixing or mingling together, like water and wine, 2 Macc. 15:39; a uniting together in proper proportions and order, as of the body, 1 Corinthians 12:24; and it may refer here merely to a proper “union” of faith with the word, in order that it might be profitable. The idea is, that merely to “hear” the message of life with the outward ear will be of no advantage. It must be “believed,” or it will be of no benefit. The message is sent to mankind at large. God declares his readiness to save all. But this message is of no advantage to multitudes - for such reasons as these.
(1) Many do not attend to it at all. They do not even “listen” respectfully to it. Multitudes go not near the place where the gospel is proclaimed; and many, when there, and when they “seem” to attend, have their minds and hearts on other things.
(2) Many do not “believe” it. They have doubts about the whole subject of religion, or about the particular doctrines of the gospel - and while they do not believe it, how can they be benefitted by it? How can a man be profited by the records of “history” if he does not believe them? How can one be benefited by the truths of “science” if he does not believe them? And if a man was assured that by going to a certain place he might close a bargain that would be a great advantage to him, of what use would this information be to him if he did not believe a word of it? So of the knowledge of salvation; the facts of the history recorded in the Bible; the offer of eternal life.
(3) Men do not allow the message of life to influence their conduct, and of course it is of no advantage to them. Of what use can it be if they steadily resist all the influence which it would have, and ought to have, on their lives? They live as though it were ascertained that there is no truth in the Bible; no reason for being influenced by the offered hope of eternal life, or alarmed by the threatened danger of eternal death. Resolved to pursue a course of life that is at variance with the commands of God, they cannot be profited by the message of salvation. Having no faith which influences and controls the heart, they are not in the least benefited by the offer of heaven. When they die, their condition is in no wise made better by the fact that they were trained up in a pious family; that they were instructed in the Sunday School; that they had the Bible in their dwellings, and that they sat regularly under a preached gospel. For any “advantage” to be derived from all this in the future world, they might as well have never heard the message of life. Nay it would have been better for them. The only effect of these privileges is to harden them in guilt, and to sink them deeper in hell; see the notes, 2 Corinthians 2:16.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Hebrews 4:2. For unto us was the Gospel preached — Και γαρ εσμεν ευηγγελισμενοι. For we also have received good tidings as well as they. They had a gracious promise of entering into an earthly rest; we have a gracious promise of entering into a heavenly rest. God gave them every requisite advantage; he has done the same to us. Moses and the elders spoke the word of God plainly and forcibly to them: Christ and his apostles have done the same to us. They might have persevered; so may we: they disbelieved, disobeyed, and fell: and so may we.
But the word preached did not profit them — Αλλ ουκ ωφελησεν ὁ λογος της ακοης εκεινους. But the word of hearing did not profit them. The word and promise to which the apostle most probably refers is that in Deuteronomy 1:20; Deuteronomy 1:21: Ye are come unto to the mountain of the Amorites, which the Lord our God doth give unto to us. Behold, the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee; go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee: fear not. Many exhortations they had to the following effect: Arise, that we may go up against them; for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? Be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land; for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no want of any thing that is in the earth; Judges 18:9-10. But instead of attending to the word of the Lord by Moses, the whole congregation murmured against him and Aaron, and said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt; Numbers 14:2; Numbers 14:4. But they were dastardly through all their generations. They spoke evil of the pleasant land, and did not give credence to his word. Their minds had been debased by their Egyptian bondage, and they scarcely ever arose to a state of mental nobility.
Not being mixed with faith in them that heard — There are several various readings in this verse, and some of them important. The principal are on the word συγκεκραμενος, mixed; which in the common text refers to ο λογος, the word mixed; but, in ABCD and several others, it is συγκεκραμενους, referring to, and agreeing with, εκεινους, and may be thus translated: The word of hearing did not profit them, they not being mixed with those who heard it by faith. That is, they were not of the same spirit with Joshua and Caleb. There are other variations, but of less importance; but the common text seems best.
The word συγκεκραμενος, mixed, is peculiarly expressive; it is a metaphor taken from the nutrition of the human body by mixing the aliment taken into the stomach with the saliva and gastric juice, in consequence of which it is concocted, digested, reduced into chyle, which, absorbed by the lacteal vessels, and thrown into the blood, becomes the means of increasing and supporting the body, all the solids and fluids being thus generated; so that on this process, properly performed, depend (under God) strength, health, and life itself. Should the most nutritive aliment be received into the stomach, if not mixed with the above juices, it would be rather the means of death than of life; or, in the words of the apostle, it would not profit, because not thus mixed. Faith in the word preached, in reference to that God who sent it, is the grand means of its becoming the power of God to the salvation of the soul. It is not likely that he who does not credit a threatening, when he comes to hear it, will be deterred by it from repeating the sin against which it is levelled; nor can he derive comfort from a promise who does not believe it as a pledge of God's veracity and goodness. Faith, therefore, must be mixed with all that we hear, in order to make the word of God effectual to our salvation.
This very use of the word, and its explanation, we may find in Maximus Tyrius, in his description of health, Dissert. x., page 101. "Health," says he, it is a certain disposition ὑγρων και ξηρων και ψυχρων και θερμων δυναμεων, η ὑπο τεχνης συγκραθεισων καλως, η ὑπο φυσεως ἁρμοσθεισων τεχνικως, which consists in a proper mixture together of the wet and the dry, the cold and the hot, either by an artificial process, or by the skilful economy of nature."
