Hearts of Stone

Therefore, holy brothers, who share in a heavenly calling, fix your attention on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of the faith we confess.

Ὅθεν,whence, wherefore ἀδελφοὶa brother ἅγιοι,set apart, holy, sacred κλήσεωςa calling, summons ἐπουρανίουheavenly, celestial μέτοχοι,a sharer, partner κατανοήσατεI understand, perceive, consider τὸνthe ἀπόστολονan apostle, a messenger, an envoy, a delegate καὶand, also ἀρχιερέαhigh priest, chief priest τῆςthe ὁμολογίαςa profession, confession ἡμῶνI Ἰησοῦν,Jesus

He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house.

πιστὸνtrustworthy, faithful, believing ὄνταto be τῷthe ποιήσαντιI do, make αὐτὸνhe, his, it ὡςas, like as, how, while, so that καὶand, also Μωϋσῆς  ἐνin, by τῷthe οἴκῳa house, household αὐτοῦ.he, his, it

Yet Jesus has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, just as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.

πλείονοςmuch, great; here 'better, greater' γὰρfor οὗτοςthis δόξηςhonor, renown, glory splendor παρὰthan, beside Μωϋσῆν  ἠξίωταιI account or treat as worthy καθ’down from, against, according to, throughout, during ὅσονhow much, how great, how many πλείοναmuch, great; here 'better, greater' τιμὴνa price, honor ἔχειI have, hold, possess τοῦthe οἴκουa house, household ὁthe κατασκευάσαςI build, prepare, make αὐτόν·he, his, it

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

πᾶςall, the whole, every kind of γὰρfor οἶκοςa house, household κατασκευάζεταιI build, prepare, make ὑπόby, under, about τινος,any one, some one ὁthe δὲnow, but πάνταall, the whole, every kind of κατασκευάσαςI build, prepare, make θεός.God

Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, bearing witness to what would be spoken later,

καὶand, also Μωϋσῆς  μὲνtruly, indeed πιστὸςtrustworthy, faithful, believing ἐνin, by ὅλῳall, the whole, entire τῷthe οἴκῳa house, household αὐτοῦhe, his, it ὡςas, like as, how, while, so that θεράπωνa servant, attendant εἰςinto, so that μαρτύριονwitness, evidence, testimony τῶνthe λαληθησομένων,to speak

but Christ is faithful as a Son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our confidence and the hope we boast in.

Χριστὸςanointed, the Messiah, the Christ δὲnow, but ὡςas, like as, how, while, so that υἱὸςa son, descendent ἐπὶupon, concerning τὸνthe οἶκονa house, household αὐτοῦ·he, his, it ὃςwho, which οἶκόςa house, household ἐσμενto be ἡμεῖς,I ἐὰνif τὴνthe παρρησίανfreedom, confidence καὶand, also τὸthe καύχημαa boasting τῆςthe ἐλπίδοςhope, expectation κατάσχωμεν.I hold fast, bind, restrain

So, as the Holy Spirit says: 'Today, if you hear his voice,

Διό,wherefore καθὼςjust as, as λέγειI say, speak τὸthe πνεῦμαwind, breath, spirit τὸthe ἅγιον·set apart, holy, sacred Σήμερονtoday, now ἐὰνif τῆςthe φωνῆςa sound, noise, voice αὐτοῦhe, his, it ἀκούσητε,I hear, listen

do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,

μὴnot σκληρύνητεI harden τὰςthe καρδίαςthe heart, inner life, intention ὑμῶνyou ὡςas, like as, how, while, so that ἐνin, by τῷthe παραπικρασμῷ,a provocation, irritation κατὰdown from, against, according to, throughout, during τὴνthe ἡμέρανa day τοῦthe πειρασμοῦtrial, testing, temptation ἐνin, by τῇthe ἐρήμῳ,deserted, desolate, a desert

where your ancestors tested me by putting me to the proof, though they had seen my works

οὗno, not ἐπείρασανI try, tempt, test οἱthe πατέρεςfather, Father, ancestor ὑμῶνyou ἐνin, by δοκιμασίᾳ  καὶand, also εἶδονto see τὰthe ἔργαwork, labor, action, deed μουI

for forty years. That is why I was angry with that generation and said, "Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways."

τεσσεράκοντα  ἔτη·a year διὸwherefore προσώχθισαI am displeased with τῇthe γενεᾷa generation ταύτῃthis καὶand, also εἶπον·I say, speak Ἀεὶalways πλανῶνταιI lead astray, deceive τῇthe καρδίᾳ·the heart, inner life, intention αὐτοὶhe, his, it δὲnow, but οὐκnot ἔγνωσανI come to know, learn, realize τὰςthe ὁδούςa way, road, journey μου·I

So I swore in my anger, "They will never enter my rest."'

ὡςas, like as, how, while, so that ὤμοσαI swear, take an oath ἐνin, by τῇthe ὀργῇanger, wrath, passion μου·I Εἰif εἰσελεύσονταιI go in, come in, enter εἰςinto, so that τὴνthe κατάπαυσίνresting, rest μου.I

Watch out, brothers, so that none of you has an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

βλέπετε,to see ἀδελφοί,a brother μήποτεlest at any time, lest, perhaps ἔσταιto be ἔνin, by τινιany one, some one ὑμῶνyou καρδίαthe heart, inner life, intention πονηρὰevil, bad, wicked ἀπιστίαςunbelief, unfaithfulness, distrust ἐνin, by τῷthe ἀποστῆναι  ἀπὸfrom, away from θεοῦGod ζῶντος,I live

Instead, encourage one another every day, as long as it is called 'Today,' so that none of you is hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

ἀλλὰbut, except παρακαλεῖτεI summon, entreat, admonish, comfort ἑαυτοὺςhimself, herself, itself καθ’down from, against, according to, throughout, during ἑκάστηνeach, every one ἡμέραν,a day ἄχρις  οὗwho, which τὸthe Σήμερονtoday, now καλεῖται,I call, invite, name ἵναin order that, so that μὴnot σκληρυνθῇI harden τιςany one, some one ἐξout of, from ὑμῶνyou ἀπάτῃdeceit, deception τῆςthe ἁμαρτίας·a sin

For we have become partners with Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.

μέτοχοιa sharer, partner γὰρfor τοῦthe Χριστοῦanointed, the Messiah, the Christ γεγόναμεν,to come to be, be made ἐάνπερ  τὴνthe ἀρχὴνruler, beginning τῆςthe ὑποστάσεωςsolid ground, substance, assurance μέχρι  τέλουςan end, purpose, tax βεβαίανfirm, steadfast, enduring κατάσχωμεν.I hold fast, bind, restrain

As it is said: 'Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.'

ἐνin, by τῷthe λέγεσθαι·I say, speak Σήμερονtoday, now ἐὰνif τῆςthe φωνῆςa sound, noise, voice αὐτοῦhe, his, it ἀκούσητε,I hear, listen Μὴnot σκληρύνητεI harden τὰςthe καρδίαςthe heart, inner life, intention ὑμῶνyou ὡςas, like as, how, while, so that ἐνin, by τῷthe παραπικρασμῷ.a provocation, irritation

Who were they who heard and rebelled? Was it not all those who came out of Egypt led by Moses?

τίνεςany one, some one γὰρfor ἀκούσαντεςI hear, listen παρεπίκραναν;I embitter, provoke, irritate ἀλλ’but, except οὐnot πάντεςall, the whole, every kind of οἱthe ἐξελθόντεςI go out, come out ἐξout of, from ΑἰγύπτουEgypt διὰthrough Μωϋσέως; 

And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?

τίσινany one, some one δὲnow, but προσώχθισενI am displeased with τεσσεράκοντα  ἔτη;a year οὐχὶby no means, not at all τοῖςthe ἁμαρτήσασιν,I sin ὧνwho, which τὰthe κῶλαa limb, bodies ἔπεσενI fall, fall under ἐνin, by τῇthe ἐρήμῳ;deserted, desolate, a desert

And to whom did he swear that they would never enter his rest, if not to those who disobeyed?

τίσινany one, some one δὲnow, but ὤμοσενI swear, take an oath μὴnot εἰσελεύσεσθαιI go in, come in, enter εἰςinto, so that τὴνthe κατάπαυσινresting, rest αὐτοῦhe, his, it εἰif μὴnot τοῖςthe ἀπειθήσασιν;I disobey, rebel, am disloyal

So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

καὶand, also βλέπομενto see ὅτιthat οὐκnot ἠδυνήθησανI am powerful, am able εἰσελθεῖνI go in, come in, enter δι’through ἀπιστίαν.unbelief, unfaithfulness, distrust