Jesus Surpasses Angels, Enters God's Rest

1. Now when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed, 2. I put my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many. 3. I said to them, “Don’t let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut the doors, and you bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, with everyone near his house.” 4. Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built. 5. My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be listed by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found this written in it: 6. These are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, everyone to his city; 7. who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: 8. The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two. 9. The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two. 10. The children of Arah, six hundred fifty-two. 11. The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred eighteen. 12. The children of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 13. The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty-five. 14. The children of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty. 15. The children of Binnui, six hundred forty-eight. 16. The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty-eight. 17. The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty-two. 18. The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-seven. 19. The children of Bigvai, two thousand sixty-seven. 20. The children of Adin, six hundred fifty-five. 21. The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 22. The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty-eight. 23. The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty-four. 24. The children of Hariph, one hundred twelve. 25. The children of Gibeon, ninety-five. 26. The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred eighty-eight. 27. The men of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight. 28. The men of Beth Azmaveth, forty-two. 29. The men of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three. 30. The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one. 31. The men of Michmas, one hundred twenty-two. 32. The men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred twenty-three. 33. The men of the other Nebo, fifty-two. 34. The children of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 35. The children of Harim, three hundred twenty. 36. The children of Jericho, three hundred forty-five. 37. The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-one. 38. The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred thirty. 39. The priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy-three. 40. The children of Immer, one thousand fifty-two. 41. The children of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven. 42. The children of Harim, one thousand seventeen. 43. The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah, seventy-four. 44. The singers: the children of Asaph, one hundred forty-eight. 45. The gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, one hundred thirty-eight. 46. The temple servants: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, 47. the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon, 48. the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai, 49. the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, 50. the children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, 51. the children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah. 52. The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephushesim, 53. the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 54. the children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 55. the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah, 56. the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. 57. The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, 58. the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, 59. the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, the children of Amon. 60. All the temple servants, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety-two. 61. These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses, nor their offspring, whether they were of Israel: 62. The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty-two. 63. Of the priests: the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name. 64. These searched for their genealogical records, but couldn’t find them. Therefore were they deemed disqualified and removed from the priesthood. 65. The governor told that they should not eat of the most holy things until a priest stood up to minister with Urim and Thummim. 66. The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, 67. besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven; and they had two hundred forty-five singing men and singing women. 68. Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six; their mules, two hundred forty-five; 69. their camels, four hundred thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand seven hundred twenty. 70. Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred thirty priests’ garments. 71. Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand two hundred minas of silver. 72. That which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, plus two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priests’ garments. 73. So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their cities. When the seventh month had come, the children of Israel were in their cities. 1. All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel. 2. Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3. He read from it before the wide place that was in front of the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4. Ezra the scribe stood on a pulpit of wood, which they had made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and on his left hand, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5. Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people), and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6. Then Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God. All the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” with the lifting up of their hands. They bowed their heads, and worshiped Yahweh with their faces to the ground. 7. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites, caused the people to understand the law; and the people stayed in their place. 8. They read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading. 9. Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people, said to all the people, “Today is holy to Yahweh your God. Don’t mourn, nor weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10. Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to him for whom nothing is prepared, for today is holy to our Lord. Don’t be grieved, for the joy of Yahweh is your strength.” 11. So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Hold your peace, for the day is holy. Don’t be grieved.” 12. All the people went their way to eat, to drink, to send portions, and to celebrate, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. 13. On the second day, the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests, and the Levites were gathered together to Ezra the scribe, to study the words of the law. 14. They found written in the law how Yahweh had commanded by Moses that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month; 15. and that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the mountain, and get olive branches, branches of wild olive, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make temporary shelters, as it is written.” 16. So the people went out, and brought them, and made themselves temporary shelters, everyone on the roof of his house, in their courts, in the courts of God’s house, in the wide place of the water gate, and in the wide place of Ephraim’s gate. 17. All the assembly of those who had come back out of the captivity made temporary shelters, and lived in the booths; for since the days of Jeshua the son of Nun to that day the children of Israel had not done so. There was very great gladness. 18. Also day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read in the book of the law of God. They kept the feast seven days; and on the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance. 1. Now in the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, with sackcloth, and dirt on them. 2. The offspring of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 3. They stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of Yahweh their God a fourth part of the day; and a fourth part they confessed, and worshiped Yahweh their God. 4. Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani of the Levites stood up on the stairs, and cried with a loud voice to Yahweh their God. 5. Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless Yahweh your God from everlasting to everlasting! Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise! 6. You are Yahweh, even you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things that are on it, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all. The army of heaven worships you. 7. You are Yahweh, the God who chose Abram, brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, gave him the name of Abraham, 8. found his heart faithful before you, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it to his offspring, and have performed your words; for you are righteous. 9. “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red Sea, 10. and showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, and against all his servants, and against all the people of his land; for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and made a name for yourself, as it is today. 11. You divided the sea before them, so that they went through the middle of the sea on the dry land; and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters. 12. Moreover, in a pillar of cloud you led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way in which they should go. 13. “You also came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments, 14. and made known to them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them commandments, statutes, and a law, by Moses your servant, 15. and gave them bread from the sky for their hunger, and brought water out of the rock for them for their thirst, and commanded them that they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them. 16. “But they and our fathers behaved proudly, hardened their neck, didn’t listen to your commandments, 17. and refused to obey. They weren’t mindful of your wonders that you did among them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and didn’t forsake them. 18. Yes, when they had made themselves a molten calf, and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed awful blasphemies; 19. yet you in your manifold mercies didn’t forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud didn’t depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither did the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go. 20. You gave also your good Spirit to instruct them, and didn’t withhold your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst. 21. “Yes, forty years you sustained them in the wilderness. They lacked nothing. Their clothes didn’t grow old, and their feet didn’t swell. 22. Moreover you gave them kingdoms and peoples, which you allotted according to their portions. So they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan. 23. You also multiplied their children as the stars of the sky, and brought them into the land concerning which you said to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it. 24. “So the children went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they pleased. 25. They took fortified cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns dug out, vineyards, and olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled, became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness. 26. “Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, cast your law behind their back, killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies. 27. Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them. In the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors who saved them out of the hands of their adversaries. 28. But after they had rest, they did evil again before you; therefore left you them in the hands of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them; yet when they returned, and cried to you, you heard from heaven; and many times you delivered them according to your mercies, 29. and testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they were arrogant, and didn’t listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances (which if a man does, he shall live in them), turned their backs, stiffened their neck, and would not hear. 30. Yet many years you put up with them, and testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet would they not give ear. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31. “Nevertheless in your manifold mercies you did not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for you are a gracious and merciful God. 32. Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness, don’t let all the travail seem little before you, that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, on our priests, on our prophets, on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day. 33. However you are just in all that has come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly. 34. Also our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you testified against them. 35. For they have not served you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land which you gave before them. They did not turn from their wicked works. 36. “Behold, we are servants today, and as for the land that you gave to our fathers to eat its fruit and its good, behold, we are servants in it. 37. It yields much increase to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. Also they have power over our bodies and over our livestock, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress. 38. Yet for all this, we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, seal it.”

1. God, having in the past spoken to the fathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2. has at the end of these days spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds. 3. His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4. having become so much better than the angels, as he has inherited a more excellent name than they have. 5. For to which of the angels did he say at any time, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father?” and again, “I will be to him a Father, and he will be to me a Son?” 6. When he again brings in the firstborn into the world he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him.” 7. Of the angels he says, “Who makes his angels winds, and his servants a flame of fire.” 8. But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your Kingdom. 9. You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.” 10. And, “You, Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth. The heavens are the works of your hands. 11. They will perish, but you continue. They all will grow old like a garment does. 12. You will roll them up like a mantle, and they will be changed; but you are the same. Your years will not fail.” 13. But which of the angels has he told at any time, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?” 14. Aren’t they all serving spirits, sent out to do service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation? 1. Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, lest perhaps we drift away. 2. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense; 3. how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation—which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard; 4. God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders, by various works of power, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to his own will? 5. For he didn’t subject the world to come, of which we speak, to angels. 6. But one has somewhere testified, saying, “What is man, that you think of him? Or the son of man, that you care for him? 7. You made him a little lower than the angels. You crowned him with glory and honor. 8. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that he subjected all things to him, he left nothing that is not subject to him. But now we don’t see all things subjected to him, yet. 9. But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone. 10. For it became him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many children to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11. For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12. saying, “I will declare your name to my brothers. Among of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13. Again, “I will put my trust in him.” Again, “Behold, here I am with the children whom God has given me.” 14. Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15. and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16. For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the offspring of Abraham. 17. Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. 18. For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted. 1. Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus; 2. who was faithful to him who appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house. 3. For he has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, because he who built the house has more honor than the house. 4. For every house is built by someone; but he who built all things is God. 5. Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken, 6. but Christ is faithful as a Son over his house; whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the glorying of our hope firm to the end. 7. Therefore, even as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you will hear his voice, 8. don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, like as in the day of the trial in the wilderness, 9. where your fathers tested me by proving me, and saw my deeds for forty years. 10. Therefore I was displeased with that generation, and said, ‘They always err in their heart, but they didn’t know my ways;’ 11. as I swore in my wrath, ‘They will not enter into my rest.’” 12. Beware, brothers, lest perhaps there be in any one of you an evil heart of unbelief, in falling away from the living God; 13. but exhort one another day by day, so long as it is called “today”; lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end: 15. while it is said, “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts, as in the rebellion.” 16. For who, when they heard, rebelled? No, didn’t all those who came out of Egypt by Moses? 17. With whom was he displeased forty years? Wasn’t it with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18. To whom did he swear that they wouldn’t enter into his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19. We see that they were not able to enter in because of unbelief. 1. Let us fear therefore, lest perhaps anyone of you should seem to have come short of a promise of entering into his rest. 2. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, even as they also did, but the word they heard didn’t profit them, because it wasn’t mixed with faith by those who heard. 3. For we who have believed do enter into that rest, even as he has said, “As I swore in my wrath, they will not enter into my rest”; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4. For he has said this somewhere about the seventh day, “God rested on the seventh day from all his works”; 5. and in this place again, “They will not enter into my rest.” 6. 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, 7. he again defines a certain day, today, saying through David so long a time afterward (just as has been said), “Today if you will hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.” 8. For if Joshua had given them rest, he would not have spoken afterward of another day. 9. There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10. For he who has entered into his rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from his. 11. Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience. 12. For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13. There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. 14. Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession. 15. For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. 16. Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.

1. Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh’s name! Praise him, you servants of Yahweh, 2. you who stand in Yahweh’s house, in the courts of our God’s house. 3. Praise Yah, for Yahweh is good. Sing praises to his name, for that is pleasant. 4. For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself; Israel for his own possession. 5. For I know that Yahweh is great, that our Lord is above all gods. 6. Whatever Yahweh pleased, that he has done, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps; 7. who causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth; who makes lightnings with the rain; who brings the wind out of his treasuries; 8. Who struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal; 9. Who sent signs and wonders into the middle of you, Egypt, on Pharaoh, and on all his servants; 10. who struck many nations, and killed mighty kings, 11. Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan, 12. and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people. 13. Your name, Yahweh, endures forever; your renown, Yahweh, throughout all generations. 14. For Yahweh will judge his people, and have compassion on his servants. 15. The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 16. They have mouths, but they can’t speak. They have eyes, but they can’t see. 17. They have ears, but they can’t hear; neither is there any breath in their mouths. 18. Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them. 19. House of Israel, praise Yahweh! House of Aaron, praise Yahweh! 20. House of Levi, praise Yahweh! You who fear Yahweh, praise Yahweh! 21. Blessed be Yahweh from Zion, Who dwells at Jerusalem. Praise Yah!