Hebrews 4 · Verse 6

Hebrews 4:6

Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

Hebrews 4:6, King James Version

Hebrews 4:6 in other translations

BSB	Since, then, it remains for some to enter His rest, and since those who formerly heard the good news did not enter because of their disobedience,
WEB	Seeing therefore it remains that some should enter into it, and they to whom the good news was preached before failed to enter in because of disobedience,
ASV	Seeing therefore it remaineth that some should enter thereinto, and they to whom the good tidings were before preached failed to enter in because of disobedience,
YLT	since then, it remaineth for certain to enter into it, and those who did first hear good news entered not in because of unbelief--
DARBY	Seeing therefore it remains that some enter into it, and those who first received the glad tidings did not enter in on account of not hearkening to the word,
BBE	So that as it is clear that some have to go in, and that the first hearers of the good news were not able to go in because they went against God's orders,
Webster	Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter into it, and they to whom it was first preached entered not because of unbelief:

What does Hebrews 4:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

6. it remaineth--still to be realized. some must enter--The denial of entrance to unbelievers is a virtual promise of entrance to those that believe. God wishes not His rest to be empty, but furnished with guests (Lu 14:23). they to whom it was first preached entered not--literally, "they who first (in the time of Moses) had the Gospel preached to them," namely, in type, see on He 4:2. unbelief--Greek, rather "disobedience" (see on He 3:18).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 6. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein. That is, "Since there is a rest spoken of in the Scriptures, implying that it is to be enjoyed by some, and since they to whom it was first promised did not inherit it, it follows that it must still be in reserve." This is the conclusion which the apostle draws from the argument in the previous verses, and is connected with Heb 4:9, where he says that "there remaineth a rest to the people of God"--the point to which the whole argument tended. The statement in Heb 4:7,8, is to be regarded as an interruption in stating the conclusion, or as the suggestion of a new thought or a new argument bearing on the subject, which he sets down even while stating the conclusion from his argument. It has the appearance of being suggested to him as a new thought of importance, and which he preferred to place even in the midst of the summing up of the argument rather than omit it altogether. It denotes a state of mind full of the subject, and where one idea came hastening after another, and which it was deemed important to notice, even though it should seem to be out of place. The position in this verse (Heb 4:6) is, that it was a settled or indisputable matter that some would enter into rest. The implied argument to prove this is,

(1.) that there was a "rest" spoken of which deserved to be called a divine rest, or the "rest of God;"

(2) it could not be supposed that God would prepare such a rest in vain; for it would follow, that if he had fitted up a world of rest he designed that it should be occupied. As he knew, therefore, that they to whom it was first offered would not enter in, it must be that he designed it for some others, and that it remained to be occupied by us now.

And they to whom it was first preached, Marg. The Gospel. Gr. Evangelized; that is, to whom the good news of the rest was first announced--the Israelites.

Entered not in because of unbelief. Heb 3:19.

(a) "they" Heb 3:19 (*) "preached" "To whom glad tidings were first preached"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 It remaineth that some must enter therein - Why our translators put in the word must here I cannot even conjecture. I hope it was not to serve a system, as some have since used it: "Some must go to heaven, for so is the doctrine of the decree; and there must be certain persons infallibly brought thither as a reward to Christ for his sufferings; and in this the will of man and free agency can have no part," etc, etc. Now, supposing that even all this was true, yet it does not exist either positively or by implication in the text. The words επει ουν απολειπεται τινας εισελθειν εις αυτην, literally translated, are as follows: Seeing then it remaineth for some to enter into it; or, Whereas therefore it remaineth that some enter into it, which is Dr. Owen's translation, and they to whom it was first preached (οἱ προτερον ευαγγελισθεντες, they to whom the promise was given; they who first received the good tidings; i.e., the Israelites, to whom was given the promise of entering into the rest of Canaan) did not enter in because of their unbelief; and the promise still continued to be repeated even in the days of David; therefore, some other rest must be intended.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Hebrews 4:1-10

The privileges we have under the gospel, are greater than any had under the law of Moses, though the same gospel for substance was preached under both Testaments. There have been in all ages many unprofitable hearers; and unbelief is at the root of all unfruitfulness under the word. Faith in the hearer is the life of the word. But it is a painful consequence of partial neglect, and of a loose and wavering…

Read the full comment on Hebrews 4:1-10 →

Hebrews 4:6 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἐπεὶepeiSinceG1893

οὖνounthereforeG3767

ἀπολείπεταιapoleipetaiit remains [for]G620

τινὰςtinassomeG5100

εἰσελθεῖνeiseltheinto enterG1525

εἰςeisintoG1519

αὐτὴνautēnitG846

καὶkaiandG2532

οἱhoithoseG3588

πρότερονproteronformerlyG4386

εὐαγγελισθέντεςeuangelisthenteshaving been evangelisedG2097

οὐκouknotG3756

εἰσῆλθονeisēlthonthey did enter inG1525

δι᾽di᾽because ofG1223

ἀπείθειαν,apeitheiandisobedience,G543

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Hebrews 4:6

Matthew 21:43
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
Hebrews 3:18-19
And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Matthew 22:9-10
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.
Acts 28:28
Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
Acts 13:46-47
Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.
Hebrews 4:2
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.
Hebrews 4:9
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Galatians 3:8
And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
Isaiah 65:15
And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:
Numbers 14:31
But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.
Luke 14:21-24
So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.
Numbers 14:12
I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

it remaineth.
9; 1Co 7:29
some.
Nu 14:12,31; Isa 65:15; Mt 21:43; 22:9,10; Lu 14:21-24; Ac 13:46,47
Ac 28:28
they.
2; 3:19; Ga 3:8
it was. or, the gospel was. entered.
3:18,19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Hebrews 4:5
And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Hebrews 4:6
Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
Hebrews 4:7
Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Read all of Hebrews 4

Hebrews 4:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Así que, pues que resta que algunos han de entrar en él, y aquellos á quienes primero fué anunciado no entraron por causa de desobediencia,
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Puisqu’il reste donc que quelques-uns y entrent, et que ceux qui auparavant avaient été évangélisés ne sont pas entrés à cause de leur désobéissance,
German Elberfelder 1871	Weil nun übrigbleibt, daß etliche in dieselbe eingehen, und die, welchen zuerst die gute Botschaft verkündigt worden ist, des Ungehorsams wegen nicht eingegangen sind,
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quoniam ergo superest introire quosdam in illam, et ii, quibus prioribus annuntiatum est, non introierunt propter incredulitatem: