Hebrews 3 7

Hebrews 3:7 kjv

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,

Hebrews 3:7 nkjv

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you will hear His voice,

Hebrews 3:7 niv

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

Hebrews 3:7 esv

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice,

Hebrews 3:7 nlt

That is why the Holy Spirit says, "Today when you hear his voice,

Hebrews 3 verses

Hebrews 3 7 Meaning

Hebrews 3:7 commences a solemn warning, drawing from Psalm 95:7b-11. It declares with divine authority that the Holy Spirit is speaking directly and urgently to believers in the present moment. The core message is a call to immediate spiritual attentiveness and obedience: "Today, if you will hear His voice," implying a critical opportunity to respond to God's revelation, primarily through Christ, without delay or hardness of heart.

Hebrews 3 7 Context

Hebrews 3:7 inaugurates the first major warning section of the epistle (3:7–4:13). The immediate context begins in Hebrews 3:1, where the author exhorts readers to "consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession." Having established Jesus’ superiority to angels (chapters 1-2), the author now presents Jesus as superior to Moses, the pivotal figure in Jewish history, who served faithfully in God's house but as a servant, whereas Christ is a Son over His own house. The "therefore" (v. 7) logically connects to this supremacy, implying that if Jesus, as a greater mediator and Son, is speaking, then heed His words with even greater seriousness than the Israelites were meant to heed Moses. The historical backdrop for the warning is the Exodus generation's rebellion and unbelief in the wilderness, which prevented them from entering God’s promised rest, found in Num 14 and Deut 1. The author uses this Old Testament example as a sober caution to his readers, primarily Jewish Christians, who might be tempted by spiritual lethargy, apostasy, or a desire to return to the security of old covenants amidst persecution. The pressing urgency is for the present generation of believers not to repeat the same failures.

Hebrews 3 7 Word analysis

• Therefore (Διό - Dio): A crucial conjunction indicating a logical conclusion or inference based on the preceding arguments. Here, it signals that because Christ is superior to Moses, there is an immediate and weighty implication for how the recipients should respond to God’s voice. It connects Christ’s unparalleled status to the urgency of obedience.
• as (καθώς - kathōs): A comparative adverb meaning "just as," "according as." It asserts that what follows is presented with the same authority and truth as the original divine utterance.
• the Holy Spirit (τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον - to Pneuma to Hagion): This identifies the divine speaker. It explicitly attributes the words of Psalm 95 (originally uttered through David) directly to the Holy Spirit. This highlights the Holy Spirit's role in inspiring Scripture and His continuing active voice in the present. It conveys profound divine authority and relevance to the timeless warning.
• says (λέγει - legei): Present tense. Not "said" but "says," emphasizing that God’s Word (the Psalm) is living, active, and continually speaking to new generations. The voice of God through the Spirit is an ongoing, present reality, requiring an immediate response.
• Today (Σήμερον - Sēmeron): Emphatic and urgent. It signifies a narrow, current window of opportunity. This "today" contrasts with procrastination and the idea that there might be another, more convenient time. It underscores the temporal limit for spiritual response and warns against delay, linking to God's patience but also His appointed time for decision.
• if (ἐάν - ean): A conditional particle, introducing a real possibility but not a certainty. It points to human responsibility and free will. The possibility of hearing is presented, but it depends on the listeners' choice to be receptive. It does not imply doubt on God's part but acknowledges the human capacity for rejection.
• you (ὑμεῖς - hymeis): Plural. Addresses the entire community of believers, the church. The warning is not just for individuals but for the corporate body, acknowledging communal responsibility and shared spiritual danger.
• will hear (ἀκούσητε - akousēte): From ἀκούω (akouō). Implies more than mere auditory perception; it denotes attentive hearing that leads to understanding, belief, and especially, obedience. It suggests an inward reception of truth that translates into action, rather than a superficial listening.
• His voice (τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ - tēs phōnēs autou): "His" refers to God (whose voice was heard in Psalm 95 and through Christ). This points to God’s continued communication, particularly through His Son, Jesus Christ. It’s the divine communication that demands a response, containing authority and truth for life.

• "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says": This powerful introduction establishes the divine authority of the subsequent warning. It attributes the words of the Old Testament psalm directly to the Holy Spirit, reinforcing the inspiration of Scripture and signaling that this ancient word holds direct, present-day relevance for the readers, not just a historical recounting.
• "Today, if you will hear": This phrase encapsulates the core warning: a moment of divine opportunity ("Today") that hinges on human responsiveness and obedience ("if you will hear"). The conditional nature ("if") emphasizes personal choice and accountability, while "Today" implies a decisive, urgent action is required, before the opportunity passes. This highlights both God's invitation and humanity's responsibility.

Hebrews 3 7 Bonus section

• The repeated emphasis on "Today" in Heb 3 (vv. 7, 13, 15) and Heb 4 (v. 7) underlines that spiritual complacency is a perpetual danger for believers. It suggests that every new day presents a fresh opportunity to respond to God’s grace or to harden one’s heart.
• The connection between hearing God's voice and entering His "rest" (expounded in chapter 4) is foundational. The Old Testament "rest" (Promised Land) was a type; the ultimate "rest" in Christ is spiritual and eternal, available through faith and obedience. A hardened heart prevents one from receiving this rest.
• This verse, along with the larger passage, stands as a serious call for self-examination among believers. It warns against a nominal faith that fails to produce active obedience and a consistent trust in God's ongoing guidance.
• The authority granted to the Holy Spirit in saying "Today, if you will hear His voice" highlights His active role in the inspiration of Scripture and His continuing ministry in convicting and guiding God's people.

Hebrews 3 7 Commentary

Hebrews 3:7 marks a pivot in the epistle, moving from exposition of Christ’s superiority to urgent exhortation. The author employs the technique of qāl wāḥōmer (light and heavy, or lesser to greater) logic: if Moses, a servant, merited Israel's careful attention, how much more does Christ, God's Son, deserve attentive obedience? By quoting Psalm 95:7b-8, explicitly attributing it to "the Holy Spirit" and declaring that He "says" (present tense), the writer emphasizes that the warning to ancient Israel against hardened hearts is timeless and acutely relevant to the audience in their present "Today." This "Today" represents the divinely appointed window of grace and opportunity to respond to the gospel, a call that demands immediate and earnest engagement rather than spiritual apathy or procrastination. Failure to "hear" – to understand, believe, and obey – will lead to the same tragic consequences of the Exodus generation: exclusion from God's "rest." It's a reminder that hearing God's voice is not a passive act, but a call to active, diligent reception and wholehearted obedience. The author subtly underscores that rejecting the current word of God through the Son is far graver than Israel’s historical rebellion, as it reflects an active turning away from the Living God (Heb 3:12). This verse serves as a crucial gateway to the warning against unbelief that culminates in the fourth chapter concerning entering God's rest.