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Hebrews 3:15

in Hebrews 3

As it has been said: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as you did in the rebellion.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

while it is said, To-day if ye shall hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

KJV

While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

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This verse in Hebrews 3

Commentary

9 notes on this verse

A commentator

Oecumenius

The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews · Written before 550.

"As in the rebellion." Hyperbaton [ὑπερβατὸν] is: for we must understand it as "Let us fear." The surpassing thing; in what is said: Today, if you hear the voice, and the things following, let us fear, lest, a promise being left behind, and the things …

This site's exposition

do not harden your hearts

on Hebrews 3:15-16

The Greek can be read as a statement that some rebelled, or as the question the Berean gives, Were they not all those Moses led. Of that generation only Joshua and Caleb entered Canaan, as Numbers 14:29 to 30 records.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers1 voice

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on Hebrews 6 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

Then he adds, "When it is said, To-day if ye hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation." This is a transposition, "when it is said, To-day if ye hear His voice, harden not your hearts." It must be read thus: "Let us fear lest a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it; for to us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them when it is said, To-day if ye hear His voice" (for "To-day" is "at every time"). Then he adds "but the word of hearing did not profit them, as they were not mixed by faith with them that heard." ... Now what he says is to this effect. They also heard, as we hear: but no profit came to them. Do not suppose then that by "hearing" what is proclaimed ye will be profited; seeing that they also heard, but derived no benefit because they did not believe.

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Hebrews · Written before 1107.

proposed

He confirms in what sense he said "to the end," and says that this is signified by the expression "today." For "today" means: always, as he also said above: "but exhort one another every day, as long as it is called 'today'" (Heb. 3:13). Or, …

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

While it is said today,.... Exhort one another, and hold fast Christ and his Gospel, and faith and confidence therein; what follows is a repetition of the citation in Heb 3:7 in order to make a further improvement of it; which shows, that the words belong to the present times of the Gospel, and contain in them matter of moment, and great concern; and that Scripture instructions and exhortations are of perpetual use.

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Observe, (1.) Though the majority of hearers provoked God by unbelief, yet some there were who believed the report. (2.) Though the hearing of the word be the ordinary means of salvation, yet, if it be not hearkened to, it will expose men more to the anger of God.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

"It entirely depends on yourselves that the invitation of the ninety-fifth Psalm be not a mere invitation, but also an actual enjoyment." ALFORD translates, "Since (that is, 'for') it is said," &c., regarding Heb 3:15 as a proof that we must "hold . . . confidence . . . unto the end," in order to be "partakers of Christ."
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

While it is said, To-day - You may see the necessity of perseverance from the saying, “Today, if ye will hear his voice,” therefore harden not your hearts - do not neglect so great a salvation; hold fast what ye have obtained, and let no man take your crown. See on Heb 3:7-9 (note) and Heb 3:12 (note).
While it is said, Today ... - That is, persevere as long as life lasts, or as long as it can be said “today;” and by persevering in this manner you will have evidence that you are the friends of the Redeemer. This is a quotation from Psa 95:7. Paul means, undoubtedly, to make use of this language himself as a direct exhortation to the Christians to whom he was writing.

The words behind it

18 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

12 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Hebrews 3:7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear His voice,97 worksPsalms 95:7For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care. Today, if you hear His voice,17 worksHebrews 4:7God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”9 worksHebrews 10:38But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”8 worksLuke 19:42and said, “If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace! But now it is hidden from your eyes.8 worksHebrews 10:29How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?7 works
The other 6 cross-references, with their words ▾
Romans 2:5But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.7 worksLuke 9:35And a voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen. Listen to Him!”6 worksExodus 8:15When Pharaoh saw that there was relief, however, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.5 worksPsalms 106:25They grumbled in their tents and did not listen to the voice of the LORD.4 worksNehemiah 9:16But they and our fathers became arrogant and stiff-necked and did not obey Your commandments.3 worksLuke 8:6Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the seedlings withered because they had no moisture.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Hebrews 10:38

    But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”

    it leads to

    • Galatians 3:11

      Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.”

    • Habakkuk 2:4

      Look at the proud one; his soul is not upright—but the righteous will live by faith—

    • Romans 1:17

      For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

    • Psalms 85:8

      I will listen to what God the LORD will say; for He will surely speak peace to His people and His saints; He will not let them return to folly.

    • Hebrews 6:4–6

      It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,

  • Through

    Psalms 95:7

    For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care. Today, if you hear His voice,

    it leads to

    • Hebrews 4:7

      God again designated a certain day as “Today,” when a long time later He spoke through David as was just stated: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.”

    • Revelation 3:20

      Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.

  • Through

    Hebrews 10:29

    How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of…

    it leads to

    • Ephesians 4:30

      And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Where this verse is studied

About Hebrews

The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek, Dieric Bouts, 1464 to 1467. Public domain.
The Meeting of Abraham and Melchizedek, Dieric Bouts, 1464 to 1467. Public domain.
Hebrews: the study guide →Read Hebrews 3 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 6; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews.

Read on in Hebrews 3 →