Paragraph 4:9–10

4:9

This verse is important in Section 4:1–13. It tells what readers should conclude from 4:1–8. In those verses the author used two OT scriptures (Psalm 95 and Genesis 2:2) to lead to this conclusion in 4:9: God still provides a sabbath rest for his people.

There remains, then: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as then introduces a deduction or conclusion from 4:1–8. It implies that the statement in 4:9 will tell what readers should realize and conclude from the preceding verses.

Some other ways to introduce it are:

That is how we know that…
-or-
This shows that…
-or-
So from all this we know/conclude that…

There remains…a Sabbath rest for the people of God: This clause indicates that a Sabbath rest is still available for God’s people to enjoy. Some other ways to translate it are:

there is still opportunity for the people of God to get rest with him. That rest is like God’s rest on the seventh day.
-or-
as for us, God’s people, it is possible for us to have rest like God’s rest on that seventh day
-or-
there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God (New Living Translation (2004))

remains: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as remains means “to be reserved.” It indicates here that a sabbath rest is still available for God’s people. In this context it is God who has reserved (provided) this rest for his people. Some ways to translate it in this verse are:

is still waiting/provided
-or-

⌊ God⌋has reserved
-or-
is still coming (New Century Version)

Sabbath rest: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Sabbath rest is a rare word. It occurs only here in the Greek New Testament. The Jews rested on the seventh (final) day of every week. They called this weekly rest day the Sabbath. The phrase Sabbath rest is related to the word for “sabbath.” It is used in a figurative way here to refer to a special type of rest.

There are two main views about what this Sabbath rest refers to:

(1) It refers to a spiritual rest that begins on earth when a person believes in Christ. Then the person depends on God for salvation and for the strength to do God’s will.

(2) It refers to rest in heaven with God after a believer in Christ dies. It is symbolized in the OT by the rest that God promised the people of Israel in the land of Canaan.

Probably the word implies both of these meanings here. Some other ways to translate it are:

rest like God’s resting on the seventh day (Good News Translation)
-or-
special rest (New Living Translation (2004))

people of God: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as people often refers to a group of people who share kinship. It can also refer to people who share a common culture but are not related by blood. God created everyone, so all people belong to him. However, in the Bible the term “God’s people” is usually used in a special way to refer to the people who believe in him and obey him.

Some other ways to translate people of God here are:

the people who worship/serve God
-or-
God’s worshippers/subjects

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