Study Desk

God, after He ^(C1)spoke long ago to the fathers in ^(C2)the prophets in many portions and ^(C3)in many ways,

^(F1)(C1)in these last days ^(C2)has spoken to us ^(F2)in His ^(C3)Son, whom He appointed ^(C4)heir of all things, ^(C5)through whom He also made the ^(F3)(C6)world.

^(F1)And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact ^(C1)representation of His nature, and ^(F2)(C2)upholds all things by ^(F3)the word of His power. When He had made ^(C3)purification of sins, He ^(C4)sat down at the right hand of the ^(C5)Majesty on high,

having become so much better than the angels, to the extent that He has inherited a more excellent ^(C1)name than they.

For to which of the angels did He ever say, "^(C1)YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE FATHERED YOU"? And again, "^(C2)I WILL BE A FATHER TO HIM AND HE WILL BE A SON TO ME"?

Footnotes:  

Cross References:  (C1) - Psalms 2:7; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 5:5; (C2) - 2 Samuel 7:14;

And ^(F1)when He again ^(C1)brings the firstborn into ^(F2)(C2)the world, He says, "^(C3)AND LET ALL THE ANGELS OF GOD WORSHIP HIM."

And regarding the angels He says, "^(C1)HE MAKES HIS ANGELS WINDS, AND HIS MINISTERS A FLAME OF FIRE."

But regarding the Son He says, "^(C1)YOUR THRONE, GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE SCEPTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE SCEPTER OF ^(F1)HIS KINGDOM.

-"^(C1)YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; ^(C2)THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ^(C3)ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF JOY ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS."

And, "^(C1)YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS;

^(C1)THEY WILL PERISH, BUT YOU REMAIN; ^(C2)AND THEY ALL WILL ^(F1)WEAR OUT LIKE A GARMENT,

^(C1)AND LIKE A ROBE YOU WILL ROLL THEM UP; LIKE A GARMENT THEY WILL ALSO BE CHANGED. BUT YOU ARE ^(C2)THE SAME, AND YOUR YEARS WILL NOT COME TO AN END."

But to which of the angels has He ever said, "^(C1)SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, ^(C2)UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET"?

Are they not all ^(C1)ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will ^(C2)inherit ^(C3)salvation?

For this reason we must pay much closer attention to ^(F1)what we have heard, so that ^(C1)we do not drift away from it.

For if the word ^(C1)spoken through ^(C2)angels proved ^(F1)unalterable, and ^(C3)every violation and act of disobedience received a just ^(F2)(C4)punishment,

^(C1)how will we escape if we neglect so great a ^(C2)salvation? ^(F1)After it was at first ^(C3)spoken through the Lord, it was ^(C4)confirmed to us by those who heard,

God also testifying with them, both by ^(C1)signs and wonders, and by ^(C2)various ^(F1)miracles and by ^(F2)(C3)gifts of the Holy Spirit ^(C4)according to His own will.

For He did not subject to angels ^(F1)(C1)the world to come, about which we are speaking.

But someone has testified ^(C1)somewhere, saying, "^(C2)WHAT IS MAN, THAT YOU THINK OF HIM? OR A SON OF MAN, THAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HIM?

-"^(C1)YOU HAVE MADE HIM ^(F1)FOR A LITTLE WHILE LOWER THAN ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR^(F2);

^(C1)YOU HAVE PUT EVERYTHING IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET." For in subjecting all things to him, He left nothing that is not subject to him. But now ^(C2)we do not yet see all things subjected to him.

Footnotes:  

Cross References:  (C1) - Psalms 8:6; 1 Corinthians 15:27; (C2) - 1 Corinthians 15:25;

But we do see Him who was ^(C1)made ^(F1)for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, ^(C2)because of His suffering death ^(C3)crowned with glory and honor, so that ^(C4)by the grace of God He might ^(C5)taste death ^(C6)for everyone.

For ^(C1)it was fitting for Him, ^(C2)for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to ^(C3)perfect the ^(F1)(C4)originator of their salvation through sufferings.

For both He who ^(C1)sanctifies and those who ^(C2)are ^(F1)sanctified are all ^(C3)from one Father; for this reason He is not ashamed to call them ^(C4)brothers and sisters,

saying, "^(C1)I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BROTHERS, IN THE MIDST OF THE ASSEMBLY I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE."

And again, "^(C1)I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM." And again, "^(C2)BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME."

Footnotes:  

Cross References:  (C1) - Isaiah 8:17; (C2) - Isaiah 8:18;

Therefore, since the children share in ^(F1)(C1)flesh and blood, ^(C2)He Himself likewise also partook of the same, so that ^(C3)through death He might destroy ^(C4)the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,

and free those who through ^(C1)fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.

For clearly He does not ^(F1)give help to angels, but He gives help to the ^(F2)descendants of Abraham.

Therefore, in all things He ^(F1)had ^(C1)to be made like His brothers so that He might ^(C2)become a merciful and faithful ^(C3)high priest in ^(C4)things pertaining to God, to ^(C5)make ^(F2)propitiation for the sins of the people.

For since He Himself was ^(F1)(C1)tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are ^(F1)tempted.

Therefore, ^(C1)holy brothers and sisters, partakers of a ^(C2)heavenly calling, consider ^(C3)the Apostle and ^(C4)High Priest of our ^(C5)confession: Jesus;

^(F1)He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as ^(C1)Moses also was in all His house.

^(C1)For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.

For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.

Now ^(C1)Moses was faithful in all ^(F1)God's house as ^(C2)a servant, ^(C3)for a testimony of those things ^(C4)which were to be spoken later;

but Christ was faithful as ^(C1)a Son over His house—^(C2)whose house we are, ^(C3)if we hold firmly to our ^(C4)confidence and the boast of our ^(F1)(C5)hope.

Therefore, just as ^(C1)the Holy Spirit says, "^(C2)TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE,

^(C1)DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS ^(F1)WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS ON THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS,

^(C1)WHERE YOUR FATHERS PUT ME TO THE TEST, AND SAW MY WORKS FOR ^(C2)FORTY YEARS.

-"^(C1)THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, 'THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS';

^(C1)AS I SWORE IN MY ANGER, 'THEY CERTAINLY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.'"

^(C1)Take care, brothers and sisters, that there will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart ^(F1)that falls away from ^(C2)the living God.

But ^(C1)encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called "today," so that none of you will be hardened by the ^(C2)deceitfulness of sin.

For we have become partakers of Christ ^(C1)if we keep the beginning of our ^(F1)(C2)commitment firm until the end,

while it is said, "^(C1)TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS ^(F1)WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME."

For who ^(C1)provoked Him when they had heard? Indeed, ^(C2)did not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, ^(C1)whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?

And to whom did He swear ^(C1)that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were ^(C2)disobedient?

And so we see that they were not able to enter because of ^(C1)unbelief.

Therefore, we must fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have ^(C1)come short of it.

For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but ^(C1)the word ^(F1)they heard did not benefit them, because ^(F2)they were not united with those who listened with faith.

For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "^(C1)AS I SWORE IN MY ANGER, THEY CERTAINLY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished ^(C2)from the foundation of the world.

Footnotes:  

Cross References:  (C1) - Psalms 95:11; Hebrews 3:11; (C2) - Matthew 25:34;

For He has said ^(C1)somewhere concerning the seventh day: "^(C2)AND GOD ^(C3)RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS";

and again in this passage, "^(C1)THEY CERTAINLY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST."

Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who previously had good news preached to them failed to enter because of ^(C1)disobedience,

He again sets a certain day, "Today," saying ^(F1)through David after so long a time just ^(C1)as has been said before, "^(C2)TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS."

For ^(C1)if ^(F1)Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.

Consequently, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.

For the one who has entered His rest has himself also ^(C1)rested from his works, as ^(C2)God did from His.

Therefore let's make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following the same ^(C1)example of ^(C2)disobedience.

For ^(C1)the word of God is ^(C2)living and ^(C3)active, and sharper than any two-edged ^(C4)sword, even penetrating as far as the division of ^(C5)soul and ^(C5)spirit, of both joints and marrow, and ^(C6)able to ^(F1)judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And ^(C1)there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are ^(C2)open and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom ^(F1)we must answer.

Therefore, since we have a great ^(C1)high priest who has ^(C2)passed through the heavens, Jesus ^(C3)the Son of God, let's hold firmly to our ^(C4)confession.

For we do not have ^(C1)a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been ^(C2)tempted in all things just as we are, yet ^(C3)without sin.

Therefore let's ^(C1)approach the throne of grace with ^(C2)confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.